Table 1 Characteristics of included studies
Author/year | Country | Methods | Participants | Applicable Provider Restriction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Afework 2015 | Ethiopia | Individual interviews at three private health facilities | Women seeking abortion services n = 38, health extension workers n = 9, healthcare providers n = 7 | No provider restrictions in legislation; determined by ministerial guidelines. Elements of CAC may be provided by gynecologists, General Practitioners (GPs), health officers, IESO and nurse midwives, nurses and health extension workers |
Andersen 2016 | Nepal | Program evaluation including baseline and post-training evaluation using provider progress reports and interviews | N = 290 primary level facilities providing medical abortion. Interviews with 98 healthcare providers | Provision of medical abortion expanded from physicians and staff nurses to auxiliary nurse-midwives already certified as skilled birth attendants |
Battistelli 2018 | United States | Individual interviews | Administrators n = 20 whose 5 organizations trained and employed healthcare providers in surgical abortion | Provision of first-trimester aspiration abortions extended to nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives, and physician assistants |
Bridgman-Packer 2018 | Ethiopia | Case study including a desk review and individual interviews | Healthcare providers n = 3, government officials n = 1, NGO staff n = 4 | No provider restrictions in legislation; determined by ministerial guidelines. Elements of CAC may be provided by gynecologists, GPs, health officers, IESO and nurse midwives, nurses and health extension workers |
De Moel-Mandel 2019 | Australia (Victoria) | Delphi process | Healthcare providers n = 17, experts involved with or interested in medical abortion provision Of 24 participants 17 completed 3 rounds | Prescription for medication abortion only permitted by physicians who have completed a particular online training program |
Grossman 2015 | United States and Australia | Legal commentary | N/A | Prescription for mifepristone limited to certified physicians (GPs who have completed online training, or obstetrician-gynecologists exempt from the online training) |
Mercier 2015 | North Carolina, United States | In-depth individual interviews | Abortion providers (17 physicians, 9 nurses, 1 physician assistant, 1 counsellor and 3 clinic administrators) | Women´s Right to Know Act (WRTK) which mandates that counselling is conducted by licensed medical professionals |
Rasmussen 2021 | Illinois, United States | In-depth interviews | 19 primary care clinicians and administrators (7 family physicians, 3 nurse practitioners, 4 certified nurse midwives, 5 administrators) | Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for mifespristone, which requires providers to be certified with the manufacturer and complete a Prescriber Agreement Form, patients to sign a Patient Agreement Form, and medication to be dispensed only in a clinical, medical office or hospital |
Srinivasulu 2021 | United States | Online qualitative surveys | 113 primary care clinicians (67 family physicians, 17 midwives, 12 nurse practitioners or physician assistants, 9 other physician types, 8 no response) | Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for mifespristone, which requires providers to be certified with the manufacturer and complete a Prescriber Agreement Form, patients to sign a Patient Agreement Form, and medication to be dispensed only in a clinical, medical office or hospital |