Abstract
Purpose
At least one national study has shown that most women having abortions have consulted
with male partners before terminating a pregnancy. However, little is known about
the extent to which women perceive men to be supportive of their abortion decisions
or which relationship characteristics are associated with male knowledge of and support
for the abortion.
Methods
We used data from a nationally representative sample of 9,493 women obtaining abortions
to examine perceptions of male knowledge and support for the abortion according to
three relationship characteristics: Union status, length of relationship, and exposure
to intimate partner violence (IPV).
Main Findings
The overwhelming majority of women reported that the men with whom they got pregnant
knew about the abortion, and most perceived these men to be supportive. Cohabiting
and, to a lesser extent, married women as well as those in longer relationships were
more likely to report both of these outcomes, even after controlling for demographic
characteristics. Exposure to IPV by the man involved in the pregnancy, reported by
7% of abortion patients, substantially reduced the likelihood that women perceived
the men to know about or to be supportive of the abortion.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that most women obtaining abortions are able to rely on male partners
for social support. Education and counseling efforts that incorporate or reach out
to male partners may increase support for women obtaining abortions. However, this
strategy may not be appropriate for all women, especially those exposed to IPV.
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Biography
Rachel K. Jones and Ann M. Moore are Senior Research Associates, and Lori F. Frohwirth is a Research Associate, all at the Guttmacher Institute.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 31, 2011
Accepted:
October 28,
2010
Received in revised form:
October 28,
2010
Received:
June 18,
2010
Footnotes
Funded by an anonymous donor.
Identification
Copyright
© 2011 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
