INTRO
This year marks our 5th Anniversary since Support After Abortion became an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit in the spring of 2020. Back then, we commissioned research to learn about how abortion impacts women and men. We have used those findings to form our work, including our options-based approach to offering healing that meets people where they are. We’ve learned a tremendous amount caring for women and men impacted by abortion, and a lot has changed in the abortion landscape over these past five years. So, we are very eager to conduct updated research this year.
This webinar was a Listening Session for our 2025 Research Project. So, it was pretty different from our usual webinars. We started with a look back at our original research to give us all a launching point for our discussion. Then, we divided into breakout rooms in order to give more people a chance to share their suggestions and ideas for what we might include in this new project.
PRESENTATION OF ORIGINAL RESEARCH
This 10 minute video includes the presentation on our original research studies into the impact of abortion on women and men.
Support After Abortion commissioned two research studies in our first year as an independent nonprofit on the impact of medication abortion on women and the impact of abortion on men. The presentation detailed the questions asked, responses, and key findings of our 2021 nationally-representative research studies.
Here’s a summary of the presentation:
This walk through these two studies, illustrated how the key findings formed our options-based approach to supporting people who are struggling after abortion.
For example, we asked if they would prefer religious or non-religious care. Learning that only 16% of women and 40% of men wanted a religious approach to after-abortion support led to the realization that without secular options, we can not reach the vast majority of people impacted by abortion. As a result, we created both religious and secular abortion healing materials and training for providers to offer both options.
We asked if they would prefer a licensed counselor or someone who had a similar experience. One-third of women and almost half of men want a licensed counselor, while almost half of both prefer a peer. This key finding led to our offering – and encouraging providers to offer – both clinical and peer-led options for abortion healing.
We asked how important anonymity is in seeking after-abortion support. We learned it is significantly important to nearly three-quarters of both women and men. This key finding led to our offering anonymous ways to reach out for support and offering virtual support groups – and encouraging providers to do so, too.
We asked if the respondents had experienced a change in themselves after their abortions. We learned that one-third of women and over 70% of men were negatively impacted in some way. This result for men was eye-opening and led us to create materials specifically geared for men – including both Keys to Hope and Healing and Unraveled Roots.
We learned whether or not they had sought support, and if so, how long after their abortions. If they didn’t seek help, we asked if they thought they could have benefited from talking to someone. We learned that the majority of women and men either tried to find help, or said they could have benefited from support.
We asked a number of questions related to seeking support. For example, we asked how they would search for help. This was a multi-choice answer format. The top two responses were website search and asking friends. Among the lowest for both women & men were asking a clergy or religious person or a faith-based counselor.
We asked what key words they would use to search online. There were a multitude of responses. Two of the often repeated ones were “abortion help” and “abortion grief.”
We also asked if they had talked about their abortion experiences with other people and what kind of responses they received.
We asked if the respondents consider themselves to be prolife or prochoice and if their views have changed over time. These questions enabled us to cross-reference views about abortion and whether or not they reported a change after abortion, and whether or not they sought support or said they could have benefited from talking to someone. The findings showed that both prolife and prochoice women and men are impacted by abortion, and the majority want support.
We offered a list of religions and Christian denominations, as well as atheist, agnostic, and none options – and asked if they currently belong to any, and if they were raised in a different faith. We also asked how often they attend services. This allowed us to see the religious makeup of the respondents and the need to reach people outside of church and religious settings. Cross-referencing these data allowed us to see the impact of abortion and the desire for help among religious and non-religious individuals.
We asked who made the abortion decision – this showed that women made the decision in nearly all cases, and that men were part of the decision less than half the time. We also asked if they felt they had a voice in the decision. Nine out of 10 women and five out of 10 men said yes.
We asked a number of questions about their lived experiences, including: types of reproductive losses, was it their first reproductive loss, type of abortion, time since abortion, was their experience consistent with their expectations and with what the clinic said to expect, was there a reason for choosing the abortion pill versus a surgical procedure, and were they satisfied with the decision to take the abortion pill.
We gathered basic demographic information including gender, age range, race, and location (state).
If you’d like to learn more, you can find these two research studies on our website. You can explore the data and white papers for the women’s and men’s studies, and you can view and download a PDF summary of the findings.
HIGHLIGHTS OF SUGGESTED RESEARCH QUESTIONS
It’s important to note, as we shared with attendees, that while we deeply appreciate every idea offered, not all suggestions will be included in the study. Maintaining the strict scope of the project ensures that the research can effectively address its goals and provide actionable insights.
Participants showed a broad spectrum of interests and concerns. Thematic categories the discussion revealed include:
- Abortion Decisions and Processes
Participants expressed interest in exploring the factors influencing decisions, satisfaction or regret afterward, and differences between medication and surgical abortion experiences. - Support Systems and Relationships
Suggestions centered around the availability and effectiveness of support before and after abortion, with particular focus on those seeking support after recent versus later experiences, partner involvement, and the role of group dynamics in support settings. - Men’s Experiences
Many participants highlighted the desire to examine men’s roles in abortion decisions, their grief, and how they seek or receive support. - Impact of Abortion on Future Life
The potential effects of abortion on future pregnancy outcomes, relationships, and parenting were recurring themes, emphasizing potential long-term implications for individuals and families. - Religion and Community Dynamics
The role of faith communities—both positive and negative—in providing support was a significant point of discussion. Question suggestions included church leaders’ responses to abortion and how religious institutions can foster healing. - Societal and Structural Factors
Participants brought up issues like the impact of laws, graphic pro-life protests, and the role of sex education. There was also interest in examining how awareness campaigns and volunteer opportunities can shape perceptions and outcomes of decisions and healing. - Impacted Individuals
Participants voiced interest in learning how abortion impacts individuals beyond the women and men involved in pregnancies that end in termination, such as parents, friends, and siblings.
This listening session provided meaningful input as we shape the direction of our upcoming research project into the impact of abortion on women and men. We are grateful to the participants – abortion healing providers who care for those struggling after abortion – for sharing their experiences and insights.
We are committed to producing research that reflects the diverse experiences and needs of those impacted by abortion, and we’re thankful for the collaboration of all who contribute to this initiative.
SUGGESTIONS FOR PROVIDER TRAININGS
While the listening session focused on research questions for individuals impacted by abortion, participants also shared valuable insights into the challenges they face as abortion healing providers. These suggestions highlighted key areas for potential provider training, including strategies for building stronger relationships with intersecting agencies and churches, addressing resistance within faith communities to discussing abortion and healing, and navigating the complexities of clinical care. Additional topics included supporting men in their healing process, facilitator training, and understanding when and how to share personal stories. The complexities of providing care when a partner is not supportive were also discussed. These insights reflect the ongoing needs of providers as they work to support individuals and families in their healing journeys and could inform the development of future training sessions for providers.
SUBMITTING RESEARCH QUESTION SUGGESTIONS
If you would like to submit additional question suggestions for our 2025 research into the impact of abortion on women and men, you can do so using this Google Form.
NEXT STEPS
Click here to watch the video of this webinar.
Click here to register for the next Abortion Healing Provider webinar.
Click here to access Support After Abortion’s Resource Library.
Click here to explore Support After Abortion’s services, resources, and training for Abortion Healing Providers.
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