The first data collection phase (2017-2019) examined the phenomenon of cross-border abortion travel. We collected 291 surveys and 61 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with pregnant people traveling mainly from European countries where abortion is legal (e.g. Germany, France, and Italy) to clinics in the UK, the Netherlands, and Spain. We also recruited a sub-sample of people from countries with restrictive abortion laws (Republic of Ireland before the 2018 law change, Poland, Malta) for comparison. For the second phase on barriers to access and in-country abortion travel, first (2017-2019) we collected 174 surveys and 51 IDIs in Spain. Then (2019-2022) we collected data also in Italy and France. Despite the pandemic, which interrupted the project and prevented us from collecting data in some locations, in France we collected 172 surveys and 39 IDIs, and in Italy 156 surveys and 93 IDIs. Finally, we also interviewed prominent abortion providers and key informants (experts and advocates for abortion rights) in all the countries involved in the project.
We presented our study results at national and international scientific conferences organized by important organisations, such as FIAPAC (International Federation of Professional Abortion and Contraception Associates), EASA (European Association of Social Anthropology), AAA (American Anthropological Association), ECPG (European Conference of Politics and Gender), and SMA (Society for Medical Anthropology). We also presented our findings at meetings organized by major international organisations, such as the International Planned Parenthood Federation - European Network, and the World Health Organization. Simultaneously, the PI and the team published eight articles based on the study’s results in important international public health, gynaecology, anthropology and gender studies journals, including BJOG. An International journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Reproductive Health, and Medical Anthropology Quarterly.
Our results show that abortion travel is a significant phenomenon in Europe and the search for care can be very difficult despite “relatively liberal” abortion laws. Women and pregnant people face a number of legal, procedural, and social barriers in abortion access in countries with legal abortion, which may lead to exceeding the GA limits, forcing them to travel abroad. This is the first study showing that GA limits are the main reason why thousands of pregnant people travel cross-border from countries with legal abortion. It also shows that GA limits delay access to care, creating potential risks to pregnant people’s health. Some participants tried to self-manage abortion prior to traveling, using unsafe methods (e.g. hitting their abdomen), which shows that GA limits can potentially harm pregnant people’s health. This study also shows that abortion travel, especially cross-border travels, pose many hardships, including economic burdens of travel and the care abroad. Furthermore, our results highlight the importance of key social agents for overcoming these barriers (e.g. family planning organizations, pro-choice websites, health professionals). Finally, our study raises questions about the impact of fragmented European abortion policies, which are deemed “liberal”, while they are actually restrictive, in exacerbating inequalities, and the meanings of “safe” / “legal” abortion when travel is necessary. We are publishing the results on the project’s website, which is a major dissemination tool to a wide audience, and an information hub for individuals seeking abortion care in Europe.
