{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T07:48:40Z","timestamp":1772524120056,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":15,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"2","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Fam Plann Reprod Health Care"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2014,7,25]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Background and methodology<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>UK regulations on managing fetal tissue after pregnancy loss, including abortion, are underscored by the concept of \u2018sensitive disposal\u2019. This involves offering women burial or cremation and, when disposal is by the health care provider, separating fetal tissue from other clinical waste before incineration. We interviewed 23 women who had undergone one or more abortions about their understanding, attitudes and experiences of fetal tissue disposal and \u2018sensitive disposal\u2019. Transcripts were analysed for representative themes.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Prior to the abortion, most participants did not give consideration to disposal methods because their focus was on ending the pregnancy. Appropriate disposal by health professionals was assumed but some women undergoing early medical abortion reported anxiety about how to manage disposal at home. The term \u2018sensitive disposal\u2019 was unfamiliar to most respondents. Participants generally favoured separation of fetal tissue from other clinical waste and approved of incineration as a means of destruction. Ceremonial disposal was approved of following the loss of a wanted pregnancy but not following elective abortion. Most wanted the opportunity to access information about disposal but did not favour being asked or required to make decisions about disposal.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Discussion and conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Knowledge about the management of fetal tissue after abortion or the concept of \u2018sensitive disposal\u2019 was limited among the women we interviewed. Current guidelines appear discordant with the views of women terminating an unwanted pregnancy. Further research is needed to better inform policy on this issue.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/jfprhc-2013-100849","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,9,8]],"date-time":"2014-09-08T21:51:34Z","timestamp":1410213094000},"page":"84-89","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":16,"title":["Disposal of fetal tissue following elective abortion: what women think"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"41","author":[{"given":"Amanda J","family":"Myers","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Director of Nursing and Operations, British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Stratford upon Avon, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Patricia A","family":"Lohr","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Director, British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Stratford upon Avon, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Naomi","family":"Pfeffer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Professor, Department of Science and Technology Studies, University College London, London, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,9,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.1","unstructured":"Department of Health. Disposal of Fetal Tissue. HSG 91(19). London, UK: National Health Service Management Executive, 1991."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.2","unstructured":"Department of Health. Sensitive Disposal of the Dead Fetus and Fetal Tissue. EL 91 (144). London: National Health Service Management Executive, 1991."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.3","unstructured":"Human Tissue Authority. Code of Practice 5. Disposal of Human Tissue. 2014. http:\/\/www.hta.gov.uk\/_db\/_documents\/Code_of_practice_5_-_Disposal_of_human_tissue.pdf [accessed 20 July 2014]."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.4","unstructured":"Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Disposal Following Pregnancy Loss before 24 Weeks Gestation (Good Practice No. 5). January 2005. http:\/\/www.aogm.org.mo\/assets\/Uploads\/aogm\/Guidelines\/RCOG---UK\/No-5-RCOG-Disposal-Following-Pregnancy-loss-Before-24-weeks-of-Gestation.pdf [accessed 19 May 2014]."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.5","unstructured":"Royal College of Nursing (RCN). Sensitive Disposal of All Fetal Remains: Guidance for Nurses and Midwives. London, UK: RCN, 2007."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.6","unstructured":"Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management. The Sensitive Disposal of Fetal Remains. Policy and Guidance for Burial and Cremation Authorities and Companies. 2011. http:\/\/www.iccm-uk.com\/iccm\/library\/FetalRemainsPolicyAug2011FINAL.pdf [accessed 30 May 2014]."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.7","unstructured":"Scott J Henley A Kohner N . Pregnancy Loss and the Death of a Baby: Guidelines for Professionals (3rd edn). London, UK: Cromwell, 2007."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"326","DOI":"10.12968\/pnur.2008.19.7.30442","article-title":"Challenges in abortion care for practice nurses","volume":"17","author":"Lipp","year":"2008","journal-title":"Pract Nurs"},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.9","unstructured":"Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion (Evidence-based Clinical Guideline No. 7) . London, UK: RCOG Press, 2011."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.10","unstructured":"Department of Health. Abortion Statistics: England and Wales: 2012. London, UK: HMSO, 2013."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6963-8-150"},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2008.01.050"},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1258\/147775006779151210"},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.14","unstructured":"Lofland J Lofland L . Analyzing Social Settings: A Guide to Qualitative Observation and Analysis. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1984."},{"key":"2025090510572788000_41.2.84.15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.contraception.2005.12.009"}],"container-title":["Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/jfprhc-2013-100849","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,5]],"date-time":"2025-09-05T18:22:12Z","timestamp":1757096532000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/jfprhc.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/jfprhc-2013-100849"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2014,9,8]]},"references-count":15,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2015,3,20]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2015,4]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/jfprhc-2013-100849"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/jfprhc-2013-100849","relation":{},"ISSN":["1471-1893","2045-2098"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1471-1893","type":"print"},{"value":"2045-2098","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2014,9,8]]}}}