Woman-Centered Outcomes for Medical and Surgical Abortion: A Systematic Review of Core Outcomes

Background: The prevalence of global abortion rates coupled with the lack of systematic assessment tools for monitoring women's abortion experiences has necessitated the creation of a core outcome set (COS) outlining key outcomes of women's abortion experiences. Objectives: Utilizing a woman-centered lens, this project attempts to establish this core outcome set through a qualitative systematic review of key abortion outcomes as espoused by women's perspectives across the globe. Methods: A qualitative review was performed to determine outcomes that are meaningful to women experiencing abortion. Findings: After analyzing the qualitative data produced by the 32 included studies, nine core outcomes were established. These outcomes include continuity of care, the capacity to cope effectively with the psychological dimensions of abortion, and the capacity for self-care/self management during their abortion processes. Women also discussed the importance of feeling a sense of autonomy, choice and control during their abortion experiences as well as feeling that healthcare providers met their information needs. Feeling emotionally supported by healthcare providers as well as having felt treated respectfully by healthcare providers, the capacity to control/management of pain, side effects and complications and the social repercussions of abortion were identified as core outcomes. Conclusion: Incorporating these findings into relevant surgical and medical abortion trials has the potential to increase the impact of women's perspectives and experiences on the study of abortion.

Grantor

Department of Public Health and Family Medicine

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Jaffe, Atara

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Colvin, Christopher

• Public Health

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36028

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/36028