Exploring access to abortion services in India during the COVID-19 era: A multi-methods study

Public health restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused a decrease in access to sexual and reproductive health services including abortion care. In April 2020, the Indian government declared abortion care an essential service. Even though abortion is legal in India, the access to abortion care has been far from equitable owing to structural barriers relating to gender discrimination, caste, and class. Some evidence suggests that the pandemic could have worsened these barriers, thus further impeding women’s access to abortion care. We know very little about the comprehensive impact of the pandemic on women seeking abortion care, especially widely used medication abortion. Drawing from the data from the field, this project aims to assess and document the impact of COVID-19 on abortion care in India through the experiences of women and providers (doctors and pharmacists), highlight innovative strategies in service delivery, and further the development of resilient population health interventions.

Faculty Supervisor:

Angel Foster

Student:

Partner:

International Institute for Population Sciences

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Other

University:

University of Ottawa

Program: