{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T23:38:10Z","timestamp":1792798690135,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"2","funder":[{"name":"The Scottish Government","award":["Edinburgh Ref: 13498082"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Edinburgh Ref: 13498082"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/04v2xmd71","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Sex Reprod Health"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,10]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To critically review post-abortion contraception literature from the UK based on Bacchi\u2019s \u2018What\u2019s the Problem Represented to Be?\u2019 (WPR) approach.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A systematic search of six electronic databases \u2013 complemented by a grey literature search encompassing reports, policy documents and government publications \u2013 identified a total of 31 publications: 19 peer-reviewed articles and 12 items of grey literature.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Multiple \u2013 and sometimes conflicting \u2013 \u2018problem representations\u2019 coexisted across the texts, operating at different levels of abstraction. Applying the WPR approach, six \u2018problems\u2019 were identified: existing abortion rates and repeat abortion; risky groups; meeting service users\u2019 needs; organisational capacity; knowledge of contraceptive methods; and abortion stigma.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>While some problem representations focused on service user needs, care satisfaction and organisational capacity, the dominant framing positioned abortion rates \u2013 particularly subsequent abortions \u2013 as the central \u2018problem\u2019. It is implied that too many abortions are being had and that a key purpose of post-abortion contraception is to address this issue. Abortion was often framed as an individual\u2019s failure to use (effective) contraception (correctly). This places the burden on individuals, further exacerbates abortion stigma and obscures structural constraints. Several conceptual slippages were identified, including using \u2018unplanned\u2019, \u2018unintended\u2019 and \u2018unwanted\u2019 pregnancy synonymously. Such practices risk collapsing and misrepresenting different kinds of lived experiences, creating barriers to the provision of person-centred abortion and contraceptive care. We recommend greater critical reflection on the language and assumptions within post-abortion contraception discourse to ensure research, policy and practice remain person-centred, evidence-informed and committed to principles of reproductive justice.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjsrh-2025-202887","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,27]],"date-time":"2025-08-27T17:20:25Z","timestamp":1756315225000},"page":"120-129","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["\u2018Problem representations\u2019 in post-abortion contraception: a critical review of UK literature"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"52","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-0304-2632","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marie","family":"Larsson","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, The University of Edinburgh Usher Institute, Edinburgh, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6011-6254","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jeni","family":"Harden","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, The University of Edinburgh Usher Institute, Edinburgh, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6597-1666","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"John Joseph","family":"Reynolds-Wright","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Repair and Regeneration, Centre for Reproductive Health, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK"},{"name":"Chalmers Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1168-2276","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sharon","family":"Cameron","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Repair and Regeneration, Centre for Reproductive Health, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK"},{"name":"Chalmers Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2260-8020","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicola","family":"Boydell","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, The University of Edinburgh Usher Institute, Edinburgh, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026102002151079000_52.2.120.1","unstructured":"World Health Organization (WHO) . Health worker roles in providing safe abortion care and post-abortion contraception.2015. Available: https:\/\/iris.who.int\/bitstream\/handle\/10665\/181041\/9789241549264_eng.pdf"},{"key":"2026102002151079000_52.2.120.2","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) . Abortion care (NICE Guideline NG140. Published 25 September 2019, last updated 27 May 2025). 2019. Available: https:\/\/www.nice.org.uk\/guidance\/ng140\/resources\/abortion-care-pdf-66141773098693"},{"key":"2026102002151079000_52.2.120.3","unstructured":"Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RCOG) . Best practice in post-abortion contraception. 2022. Available: https:\/\/www.rcog.org.uk\/media\/53fhrbz2\/post-abortion-contraception-best-practice-paper-2022.pdf"},{"key":"2026102002151079000_52.2.120.4","unstructured":"Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) . FSRH Clinical Guideline: Contraception after pregnancy (January 2017, amended October 2020). 2020. 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