Two articles ̶ both open access:
I. “That is when I understood everything”: Ideological trajectories of pro-choice female doctors in Mexico
by Suzanne Veldhuis, Georgina Sánchez-Ramirez, Blair G Darney
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2024.110473
Abstract
Objectives: There is little evidence about how physicians become abortion clinicians or advocates. We describe the ideological trajectories of pro-choice female Mexican doctors and the factors that made them pro-choice.
Study design: In this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with members of the Mexican Network of Female Pro-Choice Physicians. Participants came from eight diverse states. We used a feminist epistemology approach and analyzed data using inductive coding as well as a priori categories (becoming pro-choice, trajectories, and training).
Results: We included 24 female pro-choice physicians. We identified five intersecting factors that influenced becoming pro-choice: feminism, personal experiences, confrontation with the inequalities and violence that women experience, role models, and routine exposure to abortion care. Participants described three ideological trajectories: being pro-choice before studying medicine, not having a specific opinion, and changing from “pro-life” to “pro-choice”. Participants described the absence of abortion training in medical schools, stigmatizing training, and the use of alternative training sources.
Conclusions: In the absence of training on abortion during medical education, a combination of intersecting personal as well as work-related experience may turn doctors into pro-choice abortion clinicians and/or advocates. The findings of this study may be used to develop comprehensive medical curricula as well as strategies directed at doctors who have never received training on abortion care, such as promoting interactions with non-medical abortion providers, education on inequalities and violence against women, moving beyond public health to a human rights and gender perspective, and exposure to routine safe abortion care.
Implications: Mexican female doctors become pro-choice clinicians who provide abortion care and/or advocates in spite of their medical education.
II. Demand for abortion training and technical assistance in primary care: Unmet need and programmatic interventions (USA)
by Hannah Shireman, Ashley McHugh, Ramey Connolly, et al
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2024.110487
Abstract
Objective: Quantify primary care provider requests for abortion training and technical assistance (TA) and availability of programs to support abortion provision.
Study design: We reviewed requests for training and TA from four programs focused on capacity building for abortion care. Collectively, these programs serve every region of the United States.
Results: Between January 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022, the programs received 207 requests for training and/or TA from individuals and organizations in 30 states. Approximately 60% of requests went unfulfilled due to programs’ capacity constraints.
Conclusions: Unmet demand for training and TA to integrate abortion into primary care is significant. Increasing the availability of training and TA could increase the abortion workforce and improve access to care.