
Donna Harrison, M.D.
Associate ScholarDr. Donna Harrison is a physician, board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology. She is currently serving as Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the largest non-sectarian pro-life physician organization in the world, with over 6000 members across the United States, and associate members on every continent. Under her leadership, AAPLOG has doubled membership, launched the annual Matthew Bulfin Educational Conference, developed an up-to-date website and social media presence, and launched systematic outreaches to the medical, legal and policy communities to discuss the effects of abortion on women.
Dr. Harrison’s research interests include selective progesterone receptor modulators, endometrial contraception, maternal mortality, and abortion mortality and morbidity. She has authored peer reviewed papers on maternal mortality, mifeprex abortion mortality and morbidity, the approval of RU-486 and Ulipristal (Ella) as well as other topics concerning endometrial contraception. Dr. Harrison is a Continuing Medical Education Speaker in the United States and internationally on topics of Medical Abortion with Mifepristone and Misoprostol, Adverse Events associated with Mifepristone and Misoprostol, Emergency Contraception with Ulipristal, Maternal Mortality, and Abortion Morbidity.
She is an Adjunct Professor at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL, teaching post graduate seminars at the annual Center for Bio Ethics and Human Dignity summer workshops. She is Associate Editor of the peer reviewed medical journal “Issues in Law and Medicine”.
Dr. Harrison is married to Dr. Mark Harrison, M.D., and is the mother of 5 children and 5 grandchildren.
Research Authored
A Cohort Study of Mental Health Services Utilization Following a First Pregnancy Abortion or Birth
A first pregnancy abortion, compared to a birth, is associated with significantly higher subsequent mental health services utilization following the first pregnancy outcome. The risk attributable to abortion is notably higher for inpatient than outpatient mental health services.
A Post Hoc Exploratory Analysis: Induced Abortion Complications Mistaken for Miscarriage in the Emergency Room are a Risk Factor for Hospitalization
Previous research indicates that an increasing number of women who go to an emergency room for complications following an induced abortion are treated for a miscarriage, meaning their abortion is miscoded or concealed.
Overlooked Dangers of Mifepristone, the FDA’s Reduced REMS, and Self-Managed Abortion Policies: Unwanted Abortions, Unnecessary Abortions, Unsafe Abortions
The failure of abortion providers to support and undertake prospective longitudinal studies of a nationally representative sample of women contributes to our belief that the ideological biases of abortion providers have led to a combination of disinterest, willful ignorance, or even a conspiracy to hide the widespread dangers of unwanted and contraindicated abortions.
A Longitudinal Cohort Study of Emergency Room Utilization Following Mifepristone Chemical and Surgical Abortions, 1999–2015
Existing research on postabortion emergency room visits is sparse and limited by methods which underestimate the incidence of adverse events following abortion. Postabortion emergency room (ER) use since Food and Drug Administration approval of chemical abortion in 2000 can identify trends in the relative morbidity burden of chemical versus surgical procedures.
Deaths and Severe Adverse Events after the use of Mifepristone as an Abortifacient from September 2000 to February 2019
Objectives: Primary: Analyze the Adverse Events (AEs) reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after use of mifepristone as an abortifacient. Secondary: Analyze maternal intent after ongoing pregnancy and investigate hemorrhage after mifepristone alone.
Estimating the Period Prevalence of Mothers Who Have Abortions: A Population Based Study of Inclusive Pregnancy Outcomes
The prevalence of induced abortion among women with children has been estimated indirectly by projections derived from survey research. However, an empirically derived, population-based conclusion on this question is absent from the published literature.
Estimating the Period Prevalence of Publicly Funded Abortion to Space Live Births, 1999 to 2014
Although a majority of women who have an abortion report having 1 or more children, there is no published research on the number of abortions which occur between live births, after a first child but before the last. The objectives of this research, therefore, were to estimate the period prevalence of an induced abortion separating live births in a population of Medicaid eligible enrollees and to identify the characteristics of enrollees significantly associated with the use of abortion to enable child spacing.
Pregnancy Outcome Patterns of Medicaid-Eligible Women, 1999-2014: A National Prospective Longitudinal Study
The objective of this study was to describe the characteristic patterns of subsequent pregnancy outcomes evolving from each of three initiating outcome events (birth, induced abortion, natural fetal loss) occurring in a Medicaid population fully insured for all reproductive health services.
Improving the Metrics and Data Reporting for Maternal Mortality: A Challenge to Public Health Surveillance and Effective Prevention
The current measuring metric and reporting methods for assessing maternal mortality are seriously flawed. Evidence-based prevention strategies require consistently reported surveillance data and validated measurement metrics.
Doctors Who Perform Abortions: Their Characteristics and Patterns of Holding and Using Hospital Privileges
Controversy exists regarding whether doctors who perform abortions should be required to hold hospital admitting privileges, but no research exists as to the extent to which they actually hold and use such privileges.