School of Rural Medicine
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Medical termination of pregnancy (MTOP) involving the use of the medications mifepristone and misoprostol has been available in Victoria since 2012, allowing for the termination of an intrauterine pregnancy of up to 63 days gestation, in the comfort of the woman’s* own home.
A variety of obstacles have been identified as limiting factors in access to MTOPs in rural areas. These tend to four fall into 3 broad categories: financial barriers, geographical barriers, and limited clinic options or appointment times.
When barriers exist to accessing terminations of pregnancy, it puts the health of women at risk. Some consequences of these barriers include the negative impacts on mental health, delays in accessing care, and consideration of self-induction. Many studies have covered the barriers that rural women face in accessing appropriate early medical abortion (EMA) care, however there is minimal data on the best model of care for rural MTOP services.
Kayla Chrisp (4th year medical student)
Dr Catherine Keniry, CSU SRM and Hollie Timmins, Nurse Practitioner, Community Health, SHDH.
Our aim is to explore patient experiences of the current MTOP model of care at Swan Hill Community Health. We hope to answer the question 'How accessible are medical terminations of pregnancy in Swan Hill, and how can this service be improved?'
We're seeking women who:
A 30 - 40 minute interview.
The information provided will remain confidential and consent can be withdrawn at anytime. Please note we will not require any information that identifies your workplace.
For more information and to continue with your interest in participating in this project, please click the box below for the participant information sheet which provides a link at the end for you to register your interest.