"It was so easy, it didn't feel real:" Positive abortion experiences post-Dobbs

Research on abortion has disproportionately focused on legal restrictions, barriers, and stigma, contributing to a "joy deficit" in scholarship and creating epistemic foreclosures on how researchers, professionals, and abortion seekers may envision an abortion seeking experience. This study explores the positive emotions and experiences that abortion seekers had while navigating a restrictive post-Dobbs context. We conducted 81 in-depth interviews with abortion seekers from Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia between July 2022 and June 2025 who experienced difficulties obtaining an abortion in their state. Despite multiple financial, logistical, and emotional challenges, most participants described positive dimensions of abortion seeking, including compassionate interactions with clinic staff, practical and financial support from abortion funds, feelings of relief and joy, and unexpectedly supportive responses from friends, family, and strangers. Many participants expressed surprise at the amount of support available and lack of judgment from staff and loved ones. Positive interactions often counteracted the burdens imposed by legal and logistical barriers and, in some cases, contributed to abortion destigmatization by encouraging disclosure and normalizing abortion within social relationships. While all participants experienced barriers obtaining an abortion, most did not have solely negative experiences. The findings from this study demonstrate that abortion is a multifaceted experience, and future research efforts should focus on analyzing positive aspects of abortion seeking in restrictive settings to increase accessibility and destigmatize abortion.