Table 3 Experiences with abortion decision-making and information seeking
Women who traveled from restrictive contexts (n = 72) N (%) | Women who traveled from liberal contexts (n = 25) N (%) | All travelers (n = 97) N (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Difficulty of reaching decision to have abortion | |||
Somewhat or very easy | 23 (32%) | 8 (32%) | 31 (32%) |
Neither easy nor difficult | 12 (17%) | 6 (24%) | 18 (19%) |
Somewhat or very difficult | 34 (47%) | 9 (36%) | 43 (44%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 3 (4%) | 2 (8%) | 5 (5%) |
Kept abortion secret from someone participants wished to tell | |||
Yes | 40 (56%) | 14 (56%) | 54 (56%) |
No | 30 (42%) | 10 (40%) | 40 (41%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 2 (3%) | 1 (4%) | 3 (3%) |
Told someone participants didn’t want to tell | |||
Yes | 6 (8%) | 3 (12%) | 9 (9%) |
No | 65 (90%) | 21 (84%) | 86 (89%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 1 (1%) | 1 (4%) | 2 (2%) |
Primary reason for traveling | |||
Abortion is not legal in country of residence | 68 (94%) | 1 (4%) | 69 (71%) |
Too late to have abortion in country of residence | 0 | 18 (72%) | 18 (19%) |
It was difficult to find a physician willing to provide care or I was worried about a health provider refusing to help me | 1 (1%) | 2 (8%) | 3 (3%) |
I was worried about someone finding out about my abortion | 0 | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) |
I didn’t know where to get an abortion in my country of residence or there are no abortion services where I live | 3 (4%) | 2 (8%) | 5 (5%) |
I wanted to have a surgical termination, which is not available in my country | 0 | 1 (4%) | 1 (1%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sources of information about abortion services in the Britain a | |||
Websites | 52 (72%) | 12 (48%) | 64 (66%) |
Friend, family, or partners | 21 (29%) | 2 (8%) | 23 (24%) |
Health care providers | 12 (17%) | 6 (24%) | 18 (19%) |
Media | 6 (8%) | 3 (12%) | 9 (9%) |
Other | 7 (10%) | 2 (8%) | 9 (9%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | – | – | 8 (8%) |
Sources of information about BPAS clinicsa | |||
Media | 3 (4%) | 2 (8%) | 5 (5%) |
Websites | 46 (64%) | 8 (32%) | 54 (56%) |
Friends, family, or partners | 12 (17%) | 3 (12%) | 15 (15%) |
Health care providers | 16 (22%) | 7 (28%) | 23 (24%) |
Other | 8 (11%) | 1 (4%) | 9 (9%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 9 (9%) | ||
Reason for traveling to Britain specificallya | |||
It was the easiest to get to | 45 (63%) | 8 (32%) | 53 (55%) |
It was the closest country that provided abortion at my gestation | 26 (36%) | 10 (40%) | 36 (37%) |
Recommendations from providers, friends, or someone else | 17 (24%) | 4 (16%) | 21 (22%) |
It was the cheapest country to get to | 9 (13%) | 1 (4%) | 10 (10%) |
I know someone in Britain | 4 (6%) | 5 (20%) | 9 (9%) |
Clinics in Britain offered the least expensive abortions | 2 (3%) | 1 (4%) | 3 (3%) |
Clinics in Britain offered surgical abortion | 3 (4%) | 6 (24%) | 9 (9%) |
Prefer not to answer/no response | 2 (2%) | ||