Kinkaid, Victoria;
Guest, Ruth;
Kavanagh, Jayne;
Appleyard, Tracy-Louise;
(2025)
Abortion in a military population: A review of the literature.
Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health
, 11
(04)
pp. 87-98.
10.3138/jmvfh-2025-0011.
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Abstract
Introduction: Abortion is recognized by the World Health Organization as a fundamental part of good reproductive care, and worldwide three of 10 pregnancies will end in abortion. In a military context, the number of women in the armed forces (AF) worldwide increases each year, with an average of 12.5% across North Atlantic Treaty Organization member states in 2021. Despite the increasing number of women in the AF, little is known about their abortion experiences, or even the prevalence. Methods: This systematic search of the literature was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant articles, and bibliographies were screened. Qualitative themes were determined by two authors using iterative thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-three articles were identified; eight met the inclusion criteria. All but one focused on a U.S. population. Three themes emerged: rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion, accessibility to abortion care, and reasons for abortion. In the majority of studies, service women (SW) had an increased rate of unintended pregnancies but a lower abortion rate. SW face policy, logistical, and institutional barriers to accessing abortion, in addition to those faced by the civilian population. Discussion: Overall, there is a paucity of information on abortion in the AF worldwide. This review highlights the need for nation-specific research into SW’s experience of abortion and provides guidance on how to do so to enhance understanding and lead to evidence-based national policy on abortion for AF personnel.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Abortion in a military population: A review of the literature |
| DOI: | 10.3138/jmvfh-2025-0011 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.3138/jmvfh-2025-0011 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > UCL Medical School |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10217866 |
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