{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,8]],"date-time":"2026-07-08T05:32:26Z","timestamp":1783488746105,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"3","funder":[{"name":"The European Society for Contraception and Reproductive Health","award":["P-2019-A-01"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["P-2019-A-01"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Sex Reprod Health"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,5]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Routine ultrasound scanning to determine gestational age and pregnancy location has long been part of pre-abortion assessment in Britain, despite not being legally required or recommended in national clinical guidelines. To support implementation of fully telemedical abortion care (implemented in Britain in April 2020), the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) issued clinical guidance for an \u2018as-indicated\u2019 approach to pre-abortion ultrasound, removing the need for a clinic visit. We aimed to understand patient experiences of ultrasound in abortion care by conducting a qualitative study with individuals who had abortions with and without an ultrasound scan.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Between November 2021 and July 2022, we recruited patients who had a medical abortion at home without a pre-procedure ultrasound at 69 days\u2019 gestation or less at British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), and also had at least one other abortion with an ultrasound from any provider in Britain. We conducted interviews using a semi-structured interview guide to explore our participants\u2019 experiences and conducted reflexive thematic analysis.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>We recruited 24 participants and included 19 interviews in our analysis. We developed three themes from our data. These were \u2018Ultrasound scans and their relationship with autonomy and decision-making\u2019, \u2018Intrusive and out of place: the ultrasound as an inappropriate technology\u2019 and \u2018Towards preference-centred, quality care\u2019.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Further research and user-testing of strategies to improve the scan experience should be undertaken. Patient testimonies on the negative impact of ultrasound scans in abortion care should reassure providers that omitting them according to patient preference is a positive step towards providing patient-centred care.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjsrh-2023-202116","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,16]],"date-time":"2024-02-16T13:25:42Z","timestamp":1708089942000},"page":"178-184","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Patient experiences of undergoing abortion with and without an ultrasound scan in Britain"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"50","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4317-1638","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rebecca","family":"Blaylock","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Reproductive Research & Communication, British Pregnancy Advisory Service, London, UK"},{"name":"Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1862-5730","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Patricia A","family":"Lohr","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Reproductive Research & Communication, British Pregnancy Advisory Service, London, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4786-7950","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lesley","family":"Hoggart","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Health and Social Care, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5933-453X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pam","family":"Lowe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Languages and Social Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.1","unstructured":"Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists . The care of women requesting induced abortion (Evidence-based Clinical Guideline No. 7). London, UK: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 2011."},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Parsons JA , Romanis EC . Early medical abortion, equality of access, and the Telemedical imperative. In: Early medical abortion, equality of access, and the telemedical imperative. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, September 2021. doi:10.1093\/med\/9780192896155.001.0001","DOI":"10.1093\/med\/9780192896155.001.0001"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.3","unstructured":"Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists . Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection and abortion care. Information for healthcare professionals; 2020. Available: https:\/\/www.rcog.org.uk\/media\/bbhpl2qa\/2020-07-31-coronavirus-covid-19-infection-and-abortion-care.pdf"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1464","DOI":"10.1111\/1471-0528.16668","article-title":"Effectiveness, safety and acceptability of No\u2010Test medical abortion (termination of pregnancy) provided via Telemedicine: a national cohort study","volume":"128","author":"Aiken","year":"2021","journal-title":"BJOG"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjsrh-2020-200976"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.contraception.2021.04.027"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjsrh-2020-200954"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.8","unstructured":"Boydell N , Reynolds-Wright JJ , Cameron ST , et al . Women\u2019s experiences of a telemedicine abortion service (up to 12 weeks) implemented during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: a qualitative evaluation, Available: https:\/\/vimeo.com\/bjog\/authorinsights16813"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0280757","article-title":"Barriers and enablers to nurse practitioner implementation of medication abortion in Canada: a qualitative study","volume":"18","author":"Carson","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjsrh-2021-201093"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.contraception.2022.08.001"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjsrh-2021-201309"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1080\/13625180902745130","article-title":"Women\u2019s perceptions about seeing the ultrasound picture before an abortion","volume":"14","author":"Wiebe","year":"2009","journal-title":"Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"484","DOI":"10.3109\/01443615.2010.484111","article-title":"Viewing ultrasound scan images prior to termination of pregnancy: choice for women or conflict for Ultrasonographers?","volume":"30","author":"Graham","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Obstet Gynaecol"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.whi.2012.09.001"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1363\/46e2414","article-title":"Beyond political claims: women\u2019s interest in and emotional response to viewing their ultrasound image in abortion care","volume":"46","author":"Kimport","year":"2014","journal-title":"Perspect Sex Reprod Health"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0178871","article-title":"Evaluating the impact of a mandatory pre-abortion ultrasound viewing law: a mixed methods study","volume":"12","author":"Upadhyay","year":"2017","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"941","DOI":"10.1215\/03616878-7104378","article-title":"Coercing women\u2019s behavior: how a mandatory viewing law changes patients\u2019 Preabortion ultrasound viewing practices","volume":"43","author":"Kimport","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Health Polit Policy Law"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"647","DOI":"10.1097\/AOG.0b013e318265e101","article-title":"When legislators play doctor: the ethics of mandatory Preabortion ultrasound examinations","volume":"120","author":"Minkoff","year":"2012","journal-title":"Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.20","unstructured":"GOV.UK . Abortion statistics, England and Wales. 2021. Available: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/statistics\/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2021\/abortion-statistics-england-and-wales-2021"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/2159676x.2019.1628806"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1186\/s12978-021-01270-0","article-title":"It\u2019s a small bit of advice, but actually on the day, made such a difference perceptions of quality in abortion care in England and Wales","volume":"18","author":"Whitehouse","year":"2021","journal-title":"Reprod Health"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0891243215590101"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1177\/1350506818785191","article-title":"On the wet side of the womb\u2019: the construction of \u2018mothers\u2019 in anti-abortion activism in England and Wales","volume":"26","author":"Lowe","year":"2019","journal-title":"Eur J Women's Stud"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.17351\/ests2019.238","article-title":"Good Mothering before birth: measuring attachment and ultrasound as an affective technology","volume":"5","author":"Denbow","year":"2019","journal-title":"Engaging STS"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjsrh-2021-201242"},{"key":"2025090510444681000_50.3.178.28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1080\/26410397.2022.2149379","article-title":"Revolution in abortion care? perspectives of key informants on the importance of abortion method choice in the era of Telemedicine","volume":"31","author":"Footman","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sex Reprod Health Matters"}],"container-title":["BMJ Sexual &amp; Reproductive Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjsrh-2023-202116","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]],"date-time":"2025-09-05T18:08:54Z","timestamp":1757095734000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/jfprhc.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bmjsrh-2023-202116"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,16]]},"references-count":28,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,12]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,7]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/bmjsrh-2023-202116"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bmjsrh-2023-202116","relation":{},"ISSN":["2515-1991","2515-2009"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2515-1991","type":"print"},{"value":"2515-2009","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,16]]}}}