Table 2 Reproductive history and experiences seeking abortion care
Women who traveled from restrictive contexts (n = 72) N (%) | Women who traveled from liberal contexts (n = 25) N (%) | All travelers (n = 97) N (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Number of children | |||
0 | 46 (64%) | 14 (56%) | 60 (62%) |
1–2 | 21 (29%) | 10 (40%) | 31 (32%) |
3 + | 5 (7%) | 1 (4%) | 6 (6%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Prior abortion | |||
Yes | 9 (13%) | 5 (20%) | 14 (14%) |
No | 62 (86%) | 20 (80%) | 82 (85%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 1 (1%) | 0 | 1 (1%) |
Weeks of gestation when presenting for services | |||
1–12 weeks | 48 (67%) | 2 (8%) | 50 (52%) |
12–14 weeks | 5 (7%) | 0 | 5 (5%) |
14–20 weeks | 9 (13%) | 11 (44%) | 20 (21%) |
20 weeks or more | 7 (10%) | 11 (44%) | 18 (19%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 3 (4%) | 1 (4%) | 4 (4%) |
Mean weeks of gestation when presenting for services | 10.7 weeks | 18.1 weeks | 12.6 weeks |
When first considered abortion | |||
1 week before presenting for care in England or Wales | 9 (13%) | 1 (4%) | 10 (10%) |
2–3 weeks before presenting for care in England or Wales | 29 (40%) | 14 (56%) | 43 (44%) |
4–5 weeks before presenting for care in England or Wales | 19 (26%) | 2 (8%) | 21 (22%) |
6 weeks or more before presenting for care in England or Wales | 10 (14%) | 6 (24%) | 16 (16%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 5 (7%) | 2 (8%) | 7 (7%) |
Sought abortion in country of residence before traveling | |||
Yes | 39 (54%) | 23 (92%) | 62 (64%) |
No | 33 (46%) | 2 (8%) | 35 (36%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Weeks first sought abortion in country of residence (if applicable, n = 62)** | |||
1 week before presenting for care in England or Wales | 5 (13%) | 2 (9%) | 7 (11%) |
2–3 weeks before presenting for care in England or Wales | 20 (51%) | 11 (48%) | 31 (50%) |
4–5 weeks before presenting for care in England or Wales | 7 (18%) | 2 (9%) | 9 (15%) |
6 + weeks before presenting for care in England or Wales | 5 (13%) | 7 (30%) | 12 (19%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 2 (5%) | 1 (4%) | 3 (5%) |
Attempted to self-manage an abortion prior to traveling | |||
Yes | 7 (9%) | 0 | 7 (7%) |
No | 62 (86%) | 25 (100%) | 87 (90%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 3 (4%) | 0 | 3 (3%) |
Preferred to obtain abortion earlier | |||
Yes | 57 (80%) | 22 (88%) | 79 (82%) |
No | 9 (13%) | 2 (8%) | 11 (12%) |
Reasons for delays in care-seekinga | |||
Issues with scheduling (both personal and getting an appointment at the clinic) | 23 (32%) | 8 (32%) | 31 (32%) |
No local abortion services | 26 (36%) | 4 (16%) | 30 (31%) |
Delayed pregnancy recognition | 17 (24%) | 12 (48%) | 29 (30%) |
Issues arranging travel | 20 (28%) | 5 (20%) | 25 (26%) |
Issues with money to pay for abortion or travel | 17 (24%) | 2 (8%) | 19 (20%) |
Abortion decision making | 14 (19%) | 5 (20%) | 19 (20%) |
Didn’t know where to get an abortion | 8 (11%) | 4 (16%) | 12 (12%) |
Change of situation | 5 (7%) | 5 (20%) | 10 (10%) |
Other | 9 (13%) | 2 (8%) | 11 (11%) |
No delays | 9 (13%) | 2 (8%) | 11 (12%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 3 (3%) | ||