Associate, Ibis Reproductive Health, Cambridge, MA.
Project manager, Ibis Reproductive Health, Cambridge, MA.
Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2017 Dec;49(4):245-252. doi: 10.1363/psrh.12044. Epub 2017 Nov 15.
U.S. servicewomen have a higher rate of unintended pregnancy than civilian women, yet the military does not provide or cover abortion, except in limited circumstances. Servicewomen's experiences with abortion care have received little research attention.
Twenty-one in-depth interviews with servicewomen who had had an abortion during active-duty service in the prior two years were conducted between January 2015 and July 2016. Women reported on their experiences accessing abortion, as well as their knowledge and opinions of the military's abortion policy. Data were analyzed thematically using inductive and deductive codes.
In regard to their pregnancy and abortion experiences, servicewomen cited concerns about confidentiality, stigma and negative effects on their career, which prevented half of participants from seeking care from the military. Of those who visited a military treatment facility during pregnancy, some reported feeling upset or abandoned by the lack of options counseling and referral. Women reported that the military's abortion policy had negative health and emotional consequences for servicewomen, and negative financial and logistical consequences for both servicewomen and the military. Most did not have accurate knowledge of the abortion policy. Upon learning the law, the majority believed that the military should provide and cover abortion; yet, servicewomen also expressed apprehension about the military's involvement in abortion care, because of concerns about privacy and negative effects on women's careers.
Policy recommendations to better meet the needs of servicewomen include wider dissemination of the military's abortion policy, establishing abortion referral and support guidelines, and improving confidentiality in military health services.
美国女兵的意外怀孕率高于平民女性，但军队除了在有限的情况下，既不提供也不支付堕胎费用。女兵的堕胎护理经历很少受到研究关注。
2015 年 1 月至 2016 年 7 月期间，对过去两年内在现役期间堕胎的 21 名女兵进行了 21 次深入访谈。这些女性报告了她们获取堕胎的经历，以及她们对军队堕胎政策的了解和看法。使用归纳和演绎代码对数据进行了主题分析。
在她们的怀孕和堕胎经历方面，女兵提到了对保密性、耻辱感和对职业的负面影响的担忧，这使得一半的参与者无法从军队获得护理。在怀孕期间访问军事治疗设施的人中，一些人报告说，由于缺乏选择咨询和转介，他们感到不安或被抛弃。女性报告说，军队的堕胎政策对女兵的健康和情绪都有负面影响，对女兵和军队都有负面的财务和后勤影响。大多数人对堕胎政策没有准确的了解。在了解法律后，大多数人认为军队应该提供和支付堕胎费用；然而，女兵也对军队参与堕胎护理表示担忧，因为担心隐私和对女性职业的负面影响。
为了更好地满足女兵的需求，建议采取的政策包括更广泛地传播军队的堕胎政策，制定堕胎转介和支持指南，并改善军队卫生服务的保密性。
