New Study Finds Informed Consent Gaps for Abortion Drugs as Women Report Unexpected Pain, Bleeding

Survey data show 30% of women reported unexpected levels of bleeding and 30% experienced unexpected levels of pain

Washington D.C.—A new peer-reviewed study by Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) scholars explored women’s perceptions of the informed consent process for drug-induced abortions and the information and support they felt they needed. The authors’ findings demonstrate that women desired robust information on abortion symptoms and emotional impact but that those needs were not always fully met. The authors examined what types of information women sought out, including through online communities, and what additional support they felt they needed.

To conduct this study, the authors used a mixed-methods analysis. First, they reviewed 179 narratives from online media and forums documenting U.S. women’s experiences with informed consent during a drug-induced abortion. Key themes emerged that consistently pointed to women’s need for clearer information. Those findings directly informed an online survey of 362 women ages 23-55 who had taken abortion drugs within the last five years to assess their experiences with informed consent. The consistency between qualitative and quantitative findings across both phases strengthens confidence in the results.

Key Findings

• Because they didn’t know what was “normal,” many women turned to the internet for information about abortion side effects like excessive pain and bleeding, help processing difficult emotions, and urgent reassurance during the abortion process.
• 30% of women reported unexpected levels of bleeding and 30% experienced unexpected levels of pain.
• Women felt the greatest need for more information about bleeding, pain, and mental and emotional health.
• Many women experienced mixed or complex emotions: feelings of relief were strongly connected with sadness, anxiety, guilt, and grief.
• Although women turned to the internet for more information about their drug-induced abortion, 94% of survey respondents said they didn’t want additional information. This suggests women may not recognize gaps in the information they received, raising concerns about true informed consent.

Maka Tsulukidze, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., CLI associate scholar and lead author, said:

“This study’s design allowed us to draw on two independent sources of evidence pointing in the same direction. When findings converge like this, it gives us greater confidence that we are capturing something real about women’s experiences. The goal of this research is to ensure that the evidence base for informed consent practices for drug-induced abortions is as rigorous and complete as possible.”

Tessa Cox, senior research associate at CLI and one of the authors, said:

“These findings raise real questions about whether women are being given all the information they want and need to be fully informed. Our results underscore a serious reality: Informed consent for abortion drugs needs to be far more than just a box to check. Given the broader context of the increasing availability of abortion drugs online and through the mail, there are serious ramifications, not only as the lives of unborn babies are ended by these drugs but also as women’s safety is put at risk. The stakes are too high for informed consent to be treated as a formality.”

To read the study, click here.

Charlotte Lozier Institute was launched in 2011 as the education and research arm of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. CLI is a hub for research and public policy analysis on some of the most pressing issues facing the United States and nations around the world. The Institute is named for a feminist physician known for her commitment to the sanctity of human life and equal career and educational opportunities for women.

###