Texans turned to nearby states for abortions after new restrictions

In 2013, Texas implemented House Bill 2, a package of restrictions that led to the shutdown of more than half of the state’s abortion clinics. Such abortion restrictions that severely curtail access may result in increases in out-of-state travel for care. New research from ANSIRH looked at the...

Incarcerated women need better lactation support policies

The US has the largest population of incarcerated women in the world, with women of childbearing age accounting for roughly 75% of all women who are imprisoned. We know there are postpartum women in prisons and jails. Ensuring they can breastfeed or pump is a matter of health equity and justice....

Meet Dr. Ina Park, physician fighting STI stigma

Not everyone is willing to dress up like a giant condom on Valentine’s Day. But Dr. Ina Park, Medical Director for the California Prevention Training Center, has always been willing to push boundaries to educate people. Dr. Park noticed in college that she was the person her friends would come to...

Abortion certainty does not increase in states with mandated waiting periods

More than half of U.S. states require patients to wait 18 to 72 hours after mandated counseling before having an abortion. Proponents of mandatory waiting periods claim they aid decision-making for those uncertain about their decision. However, a new study from ANSIRH researchers found that living...

Stress and burnout among maternity providers in western Kenya

Stress and burnout among healthcare workers has been recognized as a global crisis. However few studies have examined this phenomenon among healthcare providers in sub-Saharan Africa and even fewer among maternity providers. Prolonged stress without adequate coping mechanisms can lead to burnout,...

Pharmacists can effectively dispense mifepristone for abortions

Current FDA requirements mandate that mifepristone, a drug used for medication abortions, be dispensed by certified healthcare providers in clinics, medical offices, or hospitals. Such requirements may be a barrier to accessing medication abortion. One survey found that removing such restrictions...

Medicaid coverage is critical for ensuring abortion access

As state legislatures across the US enact abortion restrictions, access to abortion care is increasingly jeopardized. These restrictive state-level policies create multiple social, logistical and financial barriers to abortion, and in some cases make it impossible for people to obtain one. Much of...

Outpatient providers face stress and anxiety during COVID-19

As we approach the year mark for initial COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders across the country, new research is emerging about the impact of the epidemic on healthcare providers’ mental health. While there has been a lot of necessary attention on the strain on frontline providers, the mental health...

Student debt is driving more Americans to donate their eggs—and some suffer lasting complications

Diane Tober wrote about her research with egg donors and how many of them struggle with student loan debt.

Seven percent of US women will self-manage abortion

Self-managed abortion, ending a pregnancy without formal supervision from a medical professional, has a long history within the United States, but the practice has gained recent attention as abortion restrictions increase. A new study by ANSIRH researchers presents the first national, population-...