At the shift: Norwegian abortion providers between policy and practice

This study investigated abortion providers' experiences during Norway's recent regulatory transition extending the time allowed for self-determined abortion from 12 to 18 weeks. Through semi-structured interviews with 12 healthcare professionals, we captured abortion care providers' views on their work and expectations about the regulatory shift. Despite finding abortion care meaningful and supporting patients' autonomy, providers expressed significant anxiety about the reform, revealing a paradox in which supportive providers feared the effects of a liberalising policy. This anxiety stemmed from practical concerns about capacity associated with challenges in managing pain, complications, and emotional intensity in terminations after 12 weeks rather than moral objections. Healthcare workers felt responsible for adapting to new regulations without being informed about the practical implications for their work. Our findings suggest that gestational age may shape providers' emotional and possibly moral experience of abortion work in ways that are difficult to articulate within progressive contexts. This study demonstrates that expanding abortion access requires more than legislative change. Attention to abortion care providers' working conditions and expectations is crucial for translating progressive policies into good abortion care.