CU Nursing - Spring/Summer 2021 - 19

RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP

Only 50% of CO
Clinicians Are Willing
and Able To Counsel
Women on Abortion
CU HEALTH EXPERTS SAY LACK OF INFORMATION CAN
JEOPARDIZE WOMEN'S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

By Dana A. Brandorff

regnant patients in Colorado may be told about
parenting and adoption, but not abortion. This is
according to a new study led by Kate ColemanMinahan published in the Journal of Midwifery
and Women's Health.

" Access to abortion is a public health priority, " said
Coleman-Minahan, assistant professor at the CU College of
Nursing and lead author of the study. " Evidence-based and
nonjudgmental counseling on all three pregnancy options
(abortion, adoption and parenting) support individual autonomy and the health and well-being of pregnant patients
and their families. "
While pregnant women want to know all of their options, the
study found only 48% of clinicians were willing and able to
give them complete, accurate and unbiased information. The
staff involved included nurse practitioners, nurse midwives
and physician assistants, not the doctors.
The reasons for being unwilling or unable to counsel vary.
The study found some clinicians oppose abortion rights,
while others' organizations don't allow them to bring it up in
discussion. However, the biggest reason for withholding the
information is a lack of knowledge and training. A surprising
79% of the clinicians who are unable to counsel on abortion
say they don't have the experience or education to counsel
women about abortion.
" The data identify a knowledge gap among Colorado
clinicians and suggest a need for more training in pregnancy options counseling and abortion referrals, " said
Coleman-Minahan.

The study found 53% of clinicians refer patients
Dr. Coleman- for abortion care and 31% refer to crisis pregnancy
Minahan centers. Crisis pregnancy centers, or pregnancy resource centers, try to dissuade women from choosing
abortion.
Major U.S. professional health, medical and nursing
organizations recommend informed counseling so
that women can make voluntary decisions and access
timely abortion care. They also recommend against
referring to crisis pregnancy centers.
The study was funded by the University of Colorado
College of Nursing and supported by the Eunice
Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health
and Human Development University of Colorado
Population Center. The purpose of the study was to
assess pregnancy options counseling and abortion
referral practices using a stratified random survey of
513 advanced practice clinicians in Colorado, where
the majority of counties are rural and do not have an
abortion provider.

CU Nursing - Spring/Summer 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CU Nursing - Spring/Summer 2021