The Impact of Gestational Timing and Method in Enacted Abortion Stigma

Abstract

Induced medical abortion is a common gynecological procedure. Despite its frequency, abortion remains a topic of substantial controversy, with most women who have received abortions reporting stigma from multiple sources (Cockrill et al. 2023). The 2022 Dobbs decision deemed medical abortions constitutionally unprotected (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2022). Public sentiment regarding abortion, recipients, and morality are therefore contested and abortion patients endure stigma (Hanschmidt et al., 2016). In study 1, students were presented with one of two vignettes, which contained a story about a woman who decided to seek an abortion at either 5 or 16 weeks’ gestation. Students then completed the Stereotype Content Model (Fiske et al., 2002) to measure competence and warmth. In study 2, participants were presented with one of three vignettes describing a woman who recently became pregnant and received either a medication abortion, surgical abortion, or abortion denial. Then, participants completed an adapted Relational Compassion Scale and the Stereotype Content Model. In study 1, an independent-samples t-test found that ratings of warmth were not significantly lower in the 16-week gestation condition (M = 3.62, SD = 1.04) compared to 5-weeks (M = 3.75, SD = 0.97) (t = 0.575, p = 0.66, d = 0.12). In study 2, a one-way ANOVA found that ratings of warmth were not significantly lower based on abortion method between any of the three conditions (F(2, 130) = [.385], p = .681). Additionally, ratings of compassion were not significantly different based on abortion method condition (F(2, 131) = [.537], p = .586)