Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41602866›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in reproductive health2025

Abortion providers as human rights defenders: policy priorities for South Africa.

Lucy Khofi, Jessica Rucell, Mbalenhle Matandela

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in reproductive health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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

3 authors.

Lucy KhofiSchool of Public Health, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Jessica RucellCentre for Applied Legal Studies, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Mbalenhle MatandelaIndependent Researcher, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

South Africa's Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act (CTOP) protects legal abortion access, yet systemic service delivery barriers persist, limiting care and contributing to preventable maternal morbidity. This policy brief draws on a 2023-2024 mixed-methods study, including a literature review, online survey, focus groups, and in-depth interviews with 33 abortion providers across seven provinces. Findings highlight chronic underinvestment, staffing shortages, unclear conscientious objection guidelines, facility-based stigma, and inadequate managerial support, alongside discrimination against women seeking services. These barriers drive some women toward unsafe alternatives. Despite challenges, providers remain committed, viewing their work as central to reproductive justice and constitutional rights. Addressing gaps requires integrating CTOP into core services, expanding values clarification training, supporting providers, enforcing rights-based guidelines, and engaging communities to ensure safe abortion care.

Indexed as

abortionconscientious objectionhealthcare providershealth systemsnursespolicy analysisreproductive justiceSouth Africa

Identifiers

PMID41602866
PMCPMC12832654

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.