{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T14:25:27Z","timestamp":1767968727155,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"3","funder":[{"name":"Abortion Rights Campaign","award":["N\/A"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["N\/A"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Sex Reprod Health"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2022,2,28]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2022,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>In 2018, the Irish government enacted a liberalised abortion law permitting expanded access to abortion from January 2019. A dedicated information and support service \u2013 MyOptions \u2013 was established to provide non-directive counselling and clinical advice about unplanned pregnancy. MyOptions provides contact details for abortion providers but does not make appointments for abortion-seekers. In 2020, the Abortion Rights Campaign (ARC) conducted research into Irish residents\u2019 experiences of abortion care under the new law, including their experiences with MyOptions.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Between September 2020 and March 2021, ARC administered an online survey. Qualitative data were coded using NVIVO software and analysed through thematic analysis. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively. This article analyses a subsection of these data to answer the question: What were abortion-seekers\u2019 experiences of using MyOptions?<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Many respondents were unaware of MyOptions before becoming pregnant. Some described MyOptions as useful and compassionate. Others noted a lack of clarity from MyOptions about the scope of its service and a lack of information on accessing abortion after 12 weeks. Respondents reported frustration that the service did not arrange appointments, explaining that having to contact general practitioners (GPs) themselves was stressful and time-consuming, as was GPs\u2019 refusal to provide care or refer to a willing provider.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>MyOptions primarily benefits abortion-seekers whose pregnancies are under 12 weeks and who are comfortable contacting a GP themselves. The addition of an appointments booking service and guidance on how to access abortion for medical reasons and abortion after 12 weeks could improve the service.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjsrh-2021-201424","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,14]],"date-time":"2022-03-14T13:24:15Z","timestamp":1647264255000},"page":"222-226","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Analysing MyOptions: experiences of Ireland\u2019s abortion information and support service"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"48","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3678-7621","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lorraine","family":"Grimes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Social Science Institute, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Aideen","family":"O'Shaughnessy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sociology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rachel","family":"Roth","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center for Women's Health and Human Rights, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Carnegie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9941-1587","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Deirdre Niamh","family":"Duffy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Social Care and Social Work, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.1","unstructured":"Health (regulation of termination of pregnancy) act 2018, 2018. Available: https:\/\/www.irishstatutebook.ie\/eli\/2018\/act\/31"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"305","DOI":"10.1016\/j.contraception.2020.07.003","article-title":"Working in the shadows, under the spotlight - reflections on lessons learnt in the Republic of Ireland after the first 18\u202fmonths of more liberal abortion care","volume":"102","author":"Mullally","year":"2020","journal-title":"Contraception"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127","DOI":"10.1002\/ijgo.13025","article-title":"Abortion care in Ireland: developing legal and ethical frameworks for conscientious provision","volume":"148","author":"Donnelly","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Gynaecol Obstet"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"414","DOI":"10.1016\/j.contraception.2021.04.007","article-title":"Exploring providers' experience of stigma following the introduction of more liberal abortion care in the Republic of Ireland","volume":"104","author":"Dempsey","year":"2021","journal-title":"Contraception"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.5","unstructured":"Electronic Irish Statue book (eISB). Regulation of information (services outside the state for termination of pregnancies) act, 1995. Available: https:\/\/www.irishstatutebook.ie\/eli\/1995\/act\/5\/enacted\/en\/html"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.6","unstructured":"Abortion Rights Campaign, Abortion Support Network, and Termination for Medical Reasons . Joint submission for the 39th session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the United Nations, 2021. Available: https:\/\/www.abortionrightscampaign.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/ARC-ASN-TFMR-UN-UPR-Submission-March-2021.pdf"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.7","unstructured":"Rossiter A . Ireland\u2019s hidden diaspora: the \u2018abortion trail\u2019 and the making of a London-Irish underground, 1980-2000. IASC Publishing, 2009."},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wsif.2018.09.002","article-title":"Abortion, emotions, and health provision: explaining health care professionals' willingness to provide abortion care using affect theory","volume":"71","author":"Duffy","year":"2018","journal-title":"Womens Stud Int Forum"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.9","article-title":"From the grassroots to the Oireachtas: abortion law reform in the Republic of Ireland","volume":"21","author":"Carnegie","year":"2019","journal-title":"Health Hum Rights"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1080\/26410397.2021.1907027","article-title":"Abortion hotlines around the world: a mixed-methods systematic and descriptive review","volume":"29","author":"Gill","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sex Reprod Health Matters"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.11","unstructured":"Health Service Executive (HSE) . Byrne, Hannah, 'HSE launch 'MyOptions' unplanned pregnancy support service', https:\/\/spunout.ie\/news\/hse-launch-my-options-unplanned-pregnancy-support-service Accessed 06\/03\/22"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.12","unstructured":"Abortion Rights Campaign and Lorraine Grimes . Too many barriers: experiences of abortion in Ireland after repeal, 2021. Available: https:\/\/www.abortionrightscampaign.ie\/facts\/research\/"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3402\/qhw.v9.26152"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.14","first-page":"588","article-title":"Delayed motherhood: understanding the experiences of women older than age 33 who are having abortions but plan to become mothers later","volume":"58","author":"Wiebe","year":"2012","journal-title":"Canadian Family Physician Medecin de Famille Canadien"},{"key":"2025100723401389000_48.3.222.15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Freedman L . Willing and unable: doctors constraints in abortion care. 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