Ohio Abortion Regulations and Ethical Dilemmas for Obstetrician-Gynecologists
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To analyze obstetrician-gynecologists' (ob-gyns') experiences with, and perspectives on, how Ohio's abortion-restrictive regulatory landscape affects their health care practices.
METHODS: Between 2019 and 2020, we conducted qualitative interviews and focus groups with ob-gyns (N=35) who had practiced in Ohio for at least 6 months between 2010 and 2020. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti software.
RESULTS: Participants perceived Ohio abortion regulations affecting their practice in three key ways: abortion regulations framed abortion and physicians who provide abortion as separate and distinct from other medical practices and physicians; many institutional interpretations of abortion regulations undermined physician expertise and professional autonomy; and the constellation of abortion regulations, institutional interpretations, physicians' trepidation, and their perceived inability to exercise clinical judgment worked together to limit abortion access and increase risks to patients' lives and health. The combined factors left participants feeling distraught that they were unable to practice medicine in an ethical and compassionate manner.
CONCLUSION: Ohio abortion regulations limit ob-gyns' ability to provide comprehensive reproductive health care, creating ethical dilemmas for these physicians as they attempt to care for their patients. As Ohio's abortion laws increase in number and restrictiveness, they…
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