ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To assess whether state-level abortion restrictions resulted in differential uptake of innovative medication abortion practices such as changing ultrasound requirements, offering telehealth, or dispensing medications without a physical exam during the early COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We used data from a prospective national survey of abortion providers to assess the association between a novel index of state-level abortion hostility and adoption of medication abortion services innovations during the pandemic. RESULTS: Clinics in states with low or medium hostility were more likely to adopt innovative practices than those in high or extreme hostility states. CONCLUSIONS: Clinics in abortion hostile states were less likely to adopt clinical recommendations and public health best practices for abortion care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
Abortion, Induced , COVID-19 , Telemedicine , Female , Humans , Pandemics , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , United StatesABSTRACT
Research at safety-net hospitals may require additional planning to ensure the ethical conduct of research with vulnerable populations. This report discusses application of the principles of community-based participatory research and bioethics to establish a research partnership with a safety-net hospital in the southern U.S.