<scp>COVID</scp>‐19 and abortion in the Ohio River Valley: A case study of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

COVID‐19 and abortion in the Ohio River Valley: A case study of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia

Published:2023-08-12 Issue:3 Volume:55 Page:178-191
ISSN:1538-6341
Container-title:Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health
language:en
Short-container-title:Perspect Sexual Reproductive

Author:

Smith Mikaela H.¹,Broscoe Molly²,Chakraborty Payal³⁴,Hill Jessie⁵,Hood Robert⁶,McGowan Michelle⁷⁸,Bessett Danielle²,Norris Alison H.¹

Affiliation:

1. Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA

2. Department of Sociology University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Ohio USA

3. Department of Population Medicine Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute Boston Massachusetts USA

4. Department of Epidemiology Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Boston Massachusetts USA

5. Case Western Reserve University School of Law Cleveland Ohio USA

6. Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health Emory University Atlanta Georgia USA

7. Biomedical Ethics Research Program, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota USA

8. Department of Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Ohio USA

Abstract

AbstractIntroductionDuring early stages of COVID‐19 in the United States, government representatives in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia restricted or threatened to restrict abortion care under elective surgery bans. We examined how abortion utilization changed in these states.MethodologyWe examined COVID‐19 abortion‐related state policies implemented in March and April 2020 using publicly available sources. We analyzed data on abortions by method and gestation and experiences of facility staff, using a survey of 14 facilities. We assessed abortions that took place in February–June 2020 and February–June 2021.ResultsIn February–June 2020 the monthly average abortion count was 1916; 863 (45%) were medication abortions and 229 (12%) were ≥14 weeks gestation. Of 1959 abortions performed across all three states in April 2020, 1319 (67%) were medication abortions and 231 (12%) were ≥14 weeks gestation. The shift toward medication abortion that took place in April 2020 was not observed in April 2021. Although the total abortion count in the three‐state region remained steady, West Virginia had the greatest decline in total abortions, Ohio experienced a shift from instrumentation to medication abortions, and Kentucky saw little change. Staff reported increased stress from concerns over health and safety and increased scrutiny by the state and anti‐abortion protesters.DiscussionAlthough abortion provision continued in this region, policy changes restricting abortion in Ohio and West Virginia resulted in a decrease in first trimester instrumentation abortions, an overall shift toward medication abortion care, and an increase in stress among facility staff during the early phase of COVID‐19.

Publisher

Guttmacher Institute

Subject

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Obstetrics and Gynecology,Sociology and Political Science

Link

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1363/psrh.12244

Reference89 articles.

1. The Council of State Governments.State Executive Orders – COVID‐19 Resources for State Leaders; 2020. Accessed May 3 2021.https://web.csg.org/covid19/executive-orders/

2. The National Academy for State Health Policy.Each State's COVID‐19 Restrictions Emergency Orders Mask Requirements and Travel Advisories; 2021. Accessed July 7 2021.https://www.nashp.org/governors-prioritize-health-for-all/

3. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Joint Statement on Abortion Access During the COVID‐19 Outbreak; 2020. Accessed April 10 2020.https://www.acog.org/en/News/NewsReleases/2020/03/Joint Statement on Abortion Access During the COVID 19 Outbreak.