Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38321392›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2024

Abortion care at 20 weeks and over in Victoria: a thematic analysis of healthcare providers' experiences.

Mary Malek, Caroline Se Homer, Clare McDonald, Catherine M Hannon, Paddy Moore, Alyce N Wilson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Mary MalekMonash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
Caroline Se HomerBurnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Clare McDonaldRoyal Women's Hospital, 20 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
Catherine M HannonRoyal Women's Hospital, 20 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
Paddy MooreRoyal Women's Hospital, 20 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
Alyce N WilsonBurnet Institute, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. alyce.wilson@lrh.com.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn many countries, abortions at 20 weeks and over for indications other than fetal or maternal medicine are difficult to access due to legal restrictions and limited availability of services. The Abortion and Contraception Service at the Royal Women's Hospital in Victoria, Australia is the only service in the state that provides this service. The views and experiences of these abortion providers can give insight into the experiences of staff and women and the abortion system accessibility. The aim of this study was to examine health providers' perceptions and experiences of providing abortion care at 20 weeks and over for indications other than fetal or maternal medicine, as well as enablers and barriers to this care and how quality of care could be improved in one hospital in Victoria, Australia.

methodsA qualitative study was conducted at the Abortion and Contraception Service at the Royal Women's Hospital. Participants were recruited by convenience and purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted one-on-one with participants either online or in-person. A reflexive thematic analysis was performed.

resultsIn total, 17 healthcare providers from medicine, nursing, midwifery, social work and Aboriginal clinical health backgrounds participated in the study. Ultimately, three themes were identified: 'Being committed to quality care: taking a holistic approach', 'Surmounting challenges: being an abortion provider is difficult', and 'Meeting external roadblocks: deficiencies in the wider healthcare system'. Participants felt well-supported by their team to provide person-centred and holistic care, while facing the emotional and ethical challenges of their role. The limited abortion workforce capacity in the wider healthcare system was perceived to compromise equitable access to care.

conclusionsProviders of abortion at 20 weeks and over for non-medicalised indications encounter systemic enablers and barriers to delivering care at personal, service delivery and healthcare levels. There is an urgent need for supportive policies and frameworks to strengthen and support the abortion provider workforce and expand provision of affordable, acceptable and accessible abortions at 20 weeks and over in Victoria and in Australia more broadly.

Indexed as

Abortion, InducedAttitude of Health PersonnelContraceptionFemaleHealth PersonnelHealth Services AccessibilityHumansPregnancyQualitative ResearchVictoriaAbortionAbortion accessAbortion providerQuality careTerminationThematic analysis

Identifiers

PMID38321392
PMCPMC10845525

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.