Prior Abortions and Barriers to Abortion Access Reported by Pregnant Women Veterans

Abstract: The Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Administration does not cover or provide abortion under any circumstances —a policy more stringent than the federal standard, which allows for coverage in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment. While Veterans obtain abortions at rates similar to women in the general US population, there is little data describing abortion experiences among Veterans. We conducted telephone surveys to learn about prior abortion experiences among pregnant Veterans using VA healthcare. The findings of the research highlight potentil harms of current VA abortion policy, and the need for change.