Ohio Abortion Regulations and Ethical Dilemmas for Obstetrician-Gynecologists.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze obstetrician-gynecologists' (ob-gyns') experiences with, and perspectives on, how Ohio's abortion-restrictive regulatory landscape affects their health care practices.

METHODS

Between 2019 and 2020, we conducted qualitative interviews and focus groups with ob-gyns (N=35) who had practiced in Ohio for at least 6 months between 2010 and 2020. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti software.

RESULTS

Participants perceived Ohio abortion regulations affecting their practice in three key ways: abortion regulations framed abortion and physicians who provide abortion as separate and distinct from other medical practices and physicians; many institutional interpretations of abortion regulations undermined physician expertise and professional autonomy; and the constellation of abortion regulations, institutional interpretations, physicians' trepidation, and their perceived inability to exercise clinical judgment worked together to limit abortion access and increase risks to patients' lives and health. The combined factors left participants feeling distraught that they were unable to practice medicine in an ethical and compassionate manner.

CONCLUSION

Ohio abortion regulations limit ob-gyns' ability to provide comprehensive reproductive health care, creating ethical dilemmas for these physicians as they attempt to care for their patients. As Ohio's abortion laws increase in number and restrictiveness, they further undermine obstetric and gynecologic ethical practice guidelines. However, medical institutions play a key role in determining abortion provision in Ohio; through their interpretation of the law, institutions can demonstrate support or further limit ob-gyns' ability to exercise clinical judgment and provide ethical, compassionate care to their patients. Considerable work remains to bring Ohio's abortion regulations, institutional interpretations, and physician practices into alignment with professional clinical practice and ethics guidelines.