Women's Experiences of Multiple Abortions (WEMA)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding repeat termination of pregnancy among women in Scotland: An exploratory research study.
IRAS ID
179216
Contact name
Lisa M McDaid
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 14 days
Research summary
The legal limit for abortion in Great Britain is 24 weeks (except to save the life of women or for severe foetal abnormality). Whilst the number of abortions in Scotland has decreased in recent years, there is continuing concern about the proportion of repeat abortions. Research suggests that one third of women who have had more than one abortion will have their second within two years of the first. A variety of individual, contextual and situational factors have been found to be associated with experience of more than one abortion, indeed, research suggests that reasons for repeat abortion are complex and multi-faceted. Few qualitative studies have been undertaken around repeat abortion and what research has been conducted suggests that each abortion experience is different and the result of a unique set of circumstances. None of the studies identified focused specifically on the experiences of women in Scotland, thus, further research is required to shed light on the experiences, social circumstances, and reasons behind women presenting for repeat termination in Scotland. This 12 month mixed methods study, commissioned and funded by the Scottish Government, will explore the experiences of women in Scotland presenting for repeat termination of pregnancy. All women presenting at termination of pregnancy clinics in six NHS boards (Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Lothian, Ayrshire & Arran, Grampian, Tayside and Highland) will be invited to take part in a questionnaire and, where eligible, an in-depth interview. We aim to recruit approximately 2145 women to complete questionnaires (of which 645 would likely be repeat terminations) and 40 women to the qualitative component of the study. Participants will be asked about their pregnancy and abortion experiences and reasons for attending for repeat termination of pregnancy. The findings will be used to inform the development of services and to help us to understand if interventions to reduce repeat terminations could be developed.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
15/WS/0076
Date of REC Opinion
21 Apr 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion