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Published on: February 3, 2026
Resistance and vulnerability to stigmatization in abortion work.
Jenny O'Donnell1, Tracy A Weitz, Lori R Freedman
1Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Society, Human Development and Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. jodonnel@hsph.harvard.edu
Healthcare professionals providing abortion services experience stigma dynamically, managing it through avoidance, resistance, or transformation in various social contexts. This research explores how stigma impacts the abortion care workforce.
Area of Science:
- Sociology of Health
- Reproductive Health Services Research
- Medical Ethics
Background:
- Abortion stigma affects both patients and providers in the United States.
- Abortion services are highly utilized but rarely disclosed by women.
- A significant decline in abortion-providing facilities has been observed since 1982.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the lived experience of stigma among abortion-providing healthcare professionals.
- To investigate how stigma is managed within different social interactions.
- To understand the dynamic nature of stigma for the abortion care workforce.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study utilizing data from healthcare professionals in a Western state.
- Analysis of experiences of stigma in the workplace, professional circles, and personal relationships.
- Exploration of how stigma is avoided, resisted, or transformed.
Main Results:
- Stigma experienced by abortion providers is not static but a dynamic process.
- Healthcare professionals actively manage stigma in various contexts.
- The experience and management of stigma vary across different social interactions.
Conclusions:
- The abortion care workforce navigates stigma dynamically, demonstrating agency in its management.
- Understanding stigma as a process is crucial for supporting healthcare professionals in reproductive health.
- Further research is needed to address the multifaceted nature of abortion stigma.
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