The stigma around abortion affects how it is performed and accepted and can significantly impact how well the procedure is handled. However, this hasn’t yet been distinctly stated and supported by evidence. To define the association between abortion stigma and quality in abortion treatment, the researchers carried out a scoping evaluation of the qualitative data that is currently available.

To identify indications of the link between abortion stigma and quality of abortion care in this literature, researchers utilized the WHO’s frameworks for quality of care and abortion stigma. Four major topics about the stigma around abortion surfaced: The following topics are addressed: A) abortion as a sin and other religious perspectives; B) abortion legislation; C) condemnation, labeling, and marking; and D) shame, denial, and secrecy.

They further classified the seven expressions of the link between abortion stigma and quality in abortion treatment into how abortion stigma functions to limit quality in abortion care: i) Poor treatment and consequences, ii) gatekeeping and access restrictions, iii) avoiding disclosure, iv) onerous and unnecessary regulations, v) inadequate infrastructure and resources, vi) sanctions and threats, and vii) lack of designated location for abortion are among the problems.

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