Awareness and perceptions related to self-managed abortion in Ohio after Dobbs

This study aimed to analyze awareness and perceptions related to self-managed abortion in Ohio after Dobbs and subsequent changes in Ohio abortion law.

We analyzed data from the most recent wave (September 2022 to August 2023) of the Ohio Survey of Women, a cross-sectional survey of a population representative sample of women aged 18-44 years in Ohio (full sample N = 2473). Our variables of interest were awareness of self-managed medication abortion (SMMA) and perceptions of self-managed abortion (SMA). Respondents were considered to have awareness of SMMA if they reported having heard of pills they can buy and use at home to conduct an abortion without going to a clinic or consulting a doctor. All respondents were also asked to indicate methods that they understand to mean SMA.

A plurality (41.6%) of respondents were aware of SMMA. Non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic Asian women had less awareness of SMMA compared to non-Hispanic White women (prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.72, 95% CI, 0.54-0.95 and PR = 0.45, 95% CI, 0.26-0.77, respectively). When compared with women who hold a bachelor's degree or higher educational level, women with less than a high school education, those with a high school degree, and those with only some college had less awareness of SMMA (respectively, PR = 0.58, 95% CI, 0.36-0.94; PR = 0.71, 95% CI, 0.58-0.86; PR = 0.78, 95% CI, 0.68-0.88). About 30.3% of women identified Plan B, and 24.4% indicated herbs as methods of SMA.

The findings highlight disparities in awareness of SMMA abortion in adult, reproductive-aged women in Ohio.