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How patients view mandatory waiting periods for abortion
Family Planning Perspectives
|March 1, 1981
Summary
Mandatory abortion waiting periods create significant financial and logistical burdens for women, with most unable to identify any benefits. These laws negatively impact women
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Law
- Sociology
Background:
- Legislatures increasingly enact mandatory waiting periods for abortions.
- Legal challenges have largely invalidated these statutes, with notable exceptions and ongoing appeals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess women's perceptions of benefits and drawbacks associated with mandated abortion waiting periods.
- To quantify the financial and logistical burdens imposed by these waiting periods.
Main Methods:
- Two surveys conducted with approximately 400 women who experienced mandated abortion waiting periods.
- Data collected on perceived benefits, experienced problems, and associated costs.
Main Results:
- Over 70% of women found no benefits to waiting periods.
- 60% reported problems like increased expenses, missed work/school, discomfort, and delayed gestation.
- Additional expenses averaged $24, increasing costs by 14-48% for low-income women.
- Costs correlated with travel distance and employment hours.
Conclusions:
- Mandated abortion waiting periods impose substantial burdens and are generally viewed negatively by affected women.
- The study highlights significant financial and practical disadvantages, with minimal perceived benefits.
- Findings suggest these laws disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and create barriers to healthcare access.