TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of mandatory waiting periods on abortion-related outcomes
T2 - a synthesis of legal and health evidence
AU - de Londras, Fiona
AU - Cleeve, Amanda
AU - Rodriguez, Maria I.
AU - Farrell, Alana
AU - Furgalska, Magdalena
AU - Lavelanet, Antonella
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
PY - 2022/12
Y1 - 2022/12
N2 - This review follows an established methodology for integrating human rights to address knowledge gaps related to the health and non-health outcomes of mandatory waiting periods (MWPs) for access to abortion. MWP is a requirement imposed by law, policy, or practice, to wait a specified amount of time between requesting and receiving abortion care. Recognizing that MWPs “demean[] women as competent decision-makers”, the World Health Organization recommends against MWPs. International human rights bodies have similarly encouraged states to repeal and not to introduce MWPs, which they recognize as operating as barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare. This review of 34 studies published between 2010 and 2021, together with international human rights law, establishes the health and non-health harms of MWPs for people seeking abortion, including delayed abortion, opportunity costs, and disproportionate impact. Impacts on abortion providers include increased workloads and system costs.
AB - This review follows an established methodology for integrating human rights to address knowledge gaps related to the health and non-health outcomes of mandatory waiting periods (MWPs) for access to abortion. MWP is a requirement imposed by law, policy, or practice, to wait a specified amount of time between requesting and receiving abortion care. Recognizing that MWPs “demean[] women as competent decision-makers”, the World Health Organization recommends against MWPs. International human rights bodies have similarly encouraged states to repeal and not to introduce MWPs, which they recognize as operating as barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare. This review of 34 studies published between 2010 and 2021, together with international human rights law, establishes the health and non-health harms of MWPs for people seeking abortion, including delayed abortion, opportunity costs, and disproportionate impact. Impacts on abortion providers include increased workloads and system costs.
KW - Abortion
KW - Cooling off periods
KW - Mandatory waiting periods
KW - Reflection periods
KW - Reproductive rights
KW - Sexual and reproductive health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132169154&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85132169154&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-022-13620-z
DO - 10.1186/s12889-022-13620-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 35725439
AN - SCOPUS:85132169154
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 22
JO - BMC public health
JF - BMC public health
IS - 1
M1 - 1232
ER -