Timing of pregnancy discovery among women seeking abortion. Contraception 2021;104:642-647. [PMID: 34363842 DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2021.07.110]

Time to pregnancy recognition among users of an FDA-cleared fertility application

Background: Previous investigations of time-to-pregnancy recognition have analysed data from national surveys and clinics, but this has not been investigated in the context of digital fertility applications. Timely pregnancy recognition can help individuals in health and pregnancy management, reducing maternal and foetal risk and costs, whilst increasing treatment options, availability, and cost. Methods: This dataset contained 23,728 pregnancies (conceived between June 2018 and December 2022) from 20,429 participants using a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared fertility app in the United States. Most participants (with non-missing information) identified as Non-Hispanic White, and one-third reported obtaining a university degree. We used two-tailed Welch's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and two-tailed Z-tests to compare time to pregnancy recognition between those using the app to conceive or contracept. Results: Participants using an app to conceive recognised pregnancy on average at 31.3 days from last menstrual period (LMP) compared to 35.9 days among those using the app to prevent pregnancy. Conclusion: Generalisability is limited, as all participants were using a fertility app and had relatively homogenous sociodemographic characteristics.

Abortion Provision and Delays to Care in a Clinic Network in Washington State After Dobbs

Importance

The Supreme Court decision Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization (Dobbs) overturned federal protections to abortion care and altered the reproductive health care landscape. Thus far, aggregated state-level data reveal increases in the number of abortions in states where abortion is still legal, but there is limited information on delays to care and changes in the characteristics of people accessing abortion in these states after Dobbs.

Objective

To examine changes in abortion provision and delays to care after Dobbs.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Retrospective cohort study of all abortions performed at an independent, high-volume reproductive health care clinic network in Washington state from January 1, 2017, to July 31, 2023. Using an interrupted time series, the study assessed changes in abortion care after Dobbs.

Exposure

Abortion care obtained after (June 24, 2022, to July 31, 2023) vs before (January 1, 2017, to June 23, 2022) Dobbs.

Main Outcome and Measure

Primary outcomes included weekly number of abortions and out-of-state patients and weekly average of gestational duration (days) and time to appointment (days).

Results

Among the 18 379 abortions during the study period, most were procedural (13 192 abortions [72%]) and funded by public insurance (11 412 abortions [62%]). The mean (SD) age of individuals receiving abortion care was 28.5 (6.44) years. Following Dobbs, the number of procedural abortions per week increased by 6.35 (95% CI, 2.83-9.86), but then trended back toward pre-Dobbs levels. The number of out-of-state patients per week increased by 2 (95% CI, 1.1-3.6) and trends remained stable. The average gestational duration per week increased by 6.9 (95% CI, 3.6-10.2) days following Dobbs, primarily due to increased gestations of procedural abortions. The average gestational duration among out-of-state patients did not change following Dobbs, but it did increase by 6 days for in-state patients (5.9; 95% CI, 3.2-8.6 days). There were no significant changes in time to appointment.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings provide a detailed picture of changes in abortion provision and delays to care after Dobbs in a state bordering a total ban state. In this study, more people traveled from out of state to receive care and in-state patients sought care a week later in gestation. These findings can inform interventions and policies to improve access for all seeking abortion care.

Characteristics and Circumstances of Adolescents Obtaining Abortions in the United States

The purpose of this study is to describe the sociodemographic and situational circumstances of adolescents obtaining abortion in the United States prior to the Dobbs decision. We use data from the Guttmacher Institute's 2021-2022 Abortion Patient Survey, a cross-sectional survey of 6698 respondents; our analytic sample includes 633 adolescents (<20 years), 2152 young adults (20-24 years), and 3913 adults (25+ years). We conducted bivariate analyses to describe the characteristics and logistical and financial circumstances of adolescents obtaining abortions in comparison to respondents in the other age groups. The majority of adolescents identified as non-white (70%), and 23% identified as something other than heterosexual. We found that 26% of adolescents reported having no health insurance, and two-thirds of adolescent respondents reported that somebody had driven them to the facility. Adolescents differed from adults in their reasons for delays in accessing care; a majority of adolescents (57%) reported not knowing they were pregnant compared to 43% of adults, and nearly one in five adolescents did not know where to obtain the abortion compared to 11% of adults. Adolescents were more likely than adults to obtain a second-trimester abortion, which has increased costs. This study found that this population was more vulnerable than adults on several measures. Findings suggest that adolescents navigate unique barriers with regard to information and logistics to access abortion care.

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Position Statement: Access to abortion care

POSITION

The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine supports the right of all individuals to access the full spectrum of reproductive health services, including abortion care. Reproductive health decisions are best made by each individual with guidance and support from their healthcare providers. The Society opposes legislation and policies that limit access to abortion care or criminalize abortion care and self-managed abortion. In addition, the Society opposes policies that compromise the patient-healthcare provider relationship by limiting a healthcare provider's ability to counsel patients and provide evidence-based, medically appropriate treatment.

Self-diagnosing the end of pregnancy after medication abortion

This qualitative study conducted between November 2020 and March 2021 in the US state of Mississippi examines the experiences of 25 people who obtained medication abortion at the state's only abortion facility. We conducted in-depth interviews with participants after their abortions until concept saturation was reached, and then analysed the content using inductive and deductive analysis. We assessed how people use embodied knowledge about their individual physical experiences such as pregnancy symptoms, a missed period, bleeding, and visual examinations of pregnancy tissue to identify the beginning and end of pregnancy. We compared this to how people use biomedical knowledge such as pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and clinical examinations to confirm their self-diagnoses. We found that most people felt confident that they could identify the beginning and end of pregnancy through embodied knowledge, especially when combined with the use of home pregnancy tests that confirmed their symptoms, experiences, and visual evidence. All participants concerned about symptoms sought follow-up care at a medical facility, whereas people who felt confident of the successful end of the pregnancy did so less often. These findings have implications for settings of restricted abortion access that have limited options for follow-up care after medication abortion.

"The right thing to do would be to provide care… and we can't": Provider experiences with Georgia's 22-week abortion ban

OBJECTIVES

In 2015, the Georgia (US) legislature implemented a gestational limit, or "ban" on abortion at or beyond 22 weeks from the last menstrual period. In this study, we qualitatively examined abortion provider perspectives on the ban's impact on abortion care access and provision.

STUDY DESIGN

Between May 2018 and September 2019, we conducted in-depth individual interviews with 20 abortion providers (clinicians, staff, and administrators) from four clinics in Georgia. Interviews explored perceptions of and experiences with the ban and its effects on abortion care. Team members coded transcripts to 100% agreement using an iterative, group consensus process, and conducted a thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Participants reported strict adherence to the ban and also its negative consequences: additional labor plus service-delivery restrictions, legally constructed risks for providers, intrusion into the provider-patient relationship, and impact of limited services felt by patients and, thus, providers. Participants commonly mentioned disparities in the ban's impact and viewed the ban as disproportionately affecting people of color, those experiencing financial insecurity, and those with underlying medical conditions. Nonetheless, participants described a clear, unrelenting commitment to providing quality patient-centered care and dedication to and satisfaction in their work.

CONCLUSIONS

Georgia's ban operates as legislative interference, adversely affecting the provision of quality, patient-centered abortion care, despite providers' resilience and commitment. These experiences in Georgia have timely and clear implications for the entire country following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade, thus reducing care access and increasing negative health and social consequences and inequities for patients and communities on a national scale.

IMPLICATIONS

Our findings from Georgia (US) indicate an urgent need for coordinated efforts to challenge the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization decision and for proactive policies that protect access to later abortion care. Research that identifies strategies for supporting providers and patients faced with continuing restrictive legal environments is warranted.

"I was waiting for my period": Understanding pregnancy recognition among adolescents seeking abortions in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Zambia

OBJECTIVES

For a person seeking an abortion, the ability to recognize a pregnancy is a critical first step. Pregnancy recognition is complex and shaped by numerous factors. This paper explores the experiences of pregnancy recognition among adolescents in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Zambia.

STUDY DESIGN

The final sample included 313 adolescents aged 10 to 19 who had sought abortion-related care at urban public facilities in Ethiopia (N = 99), Malawi (N = 104), and Zambia (N = 110). Researchers collected mixed-method data on how adolescents came to recognize that they were pregnant and thematically analyzed qualitative data alongside descriptive statistics from quantitative data.

RESULTS

Most adolescents reported that their main mode of recognizing a pregnancy was medical pregnancy tests or late menstruation. Reasons for not recognizing a pregnancy included irregular menses or recent menarche and attribution of signs and symptoms to other medical conditions. Psychological barriers to pregnancy recognition were important, including the refusal to accept a pregnancy and denial of a pregnancy. Timing of recognition shaped the abortion care available for adolescents and the affordability of care. For some adolescents, their capacity to recognize their pregnancy led to involuntary or voluntary disclosure, which decreased their reproductive autonomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescent experiences of pregnancy recognition complement existing evidence, illustrating critical barriers across age and context. Interrogating pregnancy recognition among adolescents exposed the critical implications for the availability, accessibility, affordability, and autonomy of their abortion trajectory.

IMPLICATIONS

Pregnancy recognition is complex and can influence adolescents' ability to exercise their reproductive rights and access abortion care of their choosing. Programmes to improve awareness of the signs of a pregnancy, increasing the provision of affordable and accessible pregnancy testing and further research on pregnancy recognition are necessary to support adolescents' reproductive autonomy.

Preferences and Experiences Regarding Pregnancy Options Counseling in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Qualitative Study

PURPOSE

Perspectives of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) experiencing pregnancy options counseling (POC) are absent from the literature. This study explores AYA experiences and preferences related to POC to inform best practice guidelines.

METHODS

We conducted semistructured phone interviews in 2020-2021 among US-based individuals, 18-35 years old, who experienced a pregnancy less than 20 years of age. We performed qualitative descriptive analysis of positive and negative attributes of AYA's experiences with POC.

RESULTS

Fifty participants reported 59 pregnancies (16 parenting, 19 abortions, 18 adoptions, three miscarriages) between the ages of 13 and 19 years. Positive attributes of POC experienced included: (1) provider communication that was compassionate, respectful, supportive, and attentive to nonverbal cues; (2) provider neutrality; (3) discussion of all pregnancy options; (4) asking about feelings, choice, life plans, and additional supports; (5) provision of informational materials; and (6) warm handoffs/follow-up facilitation. Negative attributes of POC experienced included: (1) judgmental, impersonal, or absent communication; (2) lack of counseling on all options and/or coercive/directive counseling; (3) insufficient time and supportive resources; and (4) confidentiality concerns. We identified no differences in these perspectives across pregnancy outcomes reported. Participants generally desired counseling about all options, with rare exceptions of ambivalence.

DISCUSSION

Individuals who experienced an adolescent pregnancy described similar positive and negative attributes of POC regardless of preferred pregnancy outcome. Their perspectives highlight how crucial interpersonal communication skills are for effective POC for AYA. POC training across health care specialties should emphasize confidential, compassionate, and nonjudgmental care for AYA patients.

The far-reaching impact of abortion bans: reproductive care and beyond

On 24 June 2022, the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a 49-year-old precedent that provided federal constitutional protection for abortions up to the point of foetal viability, returning jurisdiction to the individual states. Restrictions that came into effect automatically in several states, and are anticipated in others, will severely limit access to abortions in approximately half of the US. Even though every state allows for exceptions to the abortion bans, in some instances these exceptions can be used to preserve the health of a pregnant patient, while in other instances, only to preserve their life. The vague and confusing nature of the abortion ban exceptions threatens to compromise the standard of care for patients with pregnancy complications that are distinct from abortions, such as nonviable pregnancies, miscarriages, and ectopic pregnancies. Additionally, we envision challenges for the treatment of women with certain autoimmune conditions, pregnant cancer patients, and patients contemplating preimplantation genetic diagnosis as part of assisted reproductive technologies. The abortion ban exceptions will impact and interfere with the medical care of pregnant and non-pregnant patient populations alike and are poised to create a medical and public health crisis unlike any other one from the recent past.

Second-trimester abortion care for those with complex medical conditions

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

This review focuses on patients who are most likely to experience morbidity associated with second trimester abortion care and risk mitigation strategies.

RECENT FINDINGS

Prior cesarean birth, particularly multiple prior cesarean births, is the most significant risk factor associated with complications during second trimester abortion because of increased risks of hemorrhage, with or without placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), and distorted anatomy, which increases the risk of uterine perforation. Recent data suggests that first trimester ultrasound findings may be predictive of PAS, including multiple lacunae, abnormal uteroplacental interface, and hypervascularity. Multiple common medications interact with mifepristone and are therefore contraindicated; ulipristal shares mifepristone's selective progesterone receptor modulator activity but does not share the same metabolic pathway. Recent data suggests ulipristal may be an effective adjunct for cervical preparation, avoiding potentially mifepristone's drug-drug interactions. Those ending a pregnancy due to severe early-onset hypertensive disorders have a high rate of clinically significant thrombocytopenia: platelet transfusion is recommended for those with platelets <50 000 per cubic millimeter.

SUMMARY

Pregnant people presenting for care in the second trimester may have conditions that make an abortion more technically or medically complex. Clinicians can mitigate much of this increased risk with preprocedural planning, and appropriate intra-operative preparedness.

Longitudinal Proteomic Analysis of Plasma across Healthy Pregnancies Reveals Indicators of Gestational Age

Longitudinal changes in the blood proteome during gestation relate to fetal development and maternal homeostasis. Charting the maternal blood proteome in normal pregnancies is critical for establishing a baseline reference when assessing complications and disease. Using mass spectrometry-based shotgun proteomics, we surveyed the maternal plasma proteome across uncomplicated pregnancies. Results indicate a significant rise in proteins that govern placentation and are vital to the development and health of the fetus. Importantly, we uncovered proteome signatures that strongly correlated with gestational age. Fold increases and correlations between the plasma concentrations of ADAM12 (ρ = 0.973), PSG1 (ρ = 0.936), and/or CSH1/2 (ρ = 0.928) with gestational age were validated with ELISA. Proteomic and validation analyses demonstrate that the maternal plasma concentration of ADAM12, either independently or in combination with either PSG1 or CSH1/2, correlates with gestational age within ±8 days throughout pregnancy. These findings suggest that the gestational age in healthy pregnancies may be determined by referencing the concentration of select plasma proteins.