Committee Opinion on Abortion Access and Training

The Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women has published a Committee Opinion on Abortion Access and Training. Despite a decrease in abortion rates over the past decade, numerous political, social, and provider barriers limit access to abortion services. Barriers include state restrictions and mandates limiting access, lack of public funding for abortion services, and the decrease in abortion providers. Abortion education and training are limited in medical schools and in residency programs. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports education in family planning and abortion for both medical students and residents and abortion training among residents. In addition, ACOG supports availability of reproductive health services for all women, including strategies to reduce unintended pregnancy and to improve access to safe abortion services. Members can access the opinion by clicking on the link below. Non-members can request copies by e-mailing underserved@acog.org.

Committee Opinion #424: Abortion Access and Training

Family Planning and Abortion Training Opportunities:

The Fellowship in Family Planning-The objective of the program is to develop specialists focused on research, teaching, and clinical practice in contraception and abortion by receiving training in clinical and epidemiologic research, developing clinical and teaching skills, working internationally, and connecting to a rapidly expanding network of family planning experts. For more information, go to: 

http://www.familyplanningfellowship.info/what-fellowship-family-planning 

The Kenneth J. Ryan Residency Training Program in Abortion and Family Planning-A national program with the goal of formally integrating and enhancing family planning training for residents in obstetrics and gynecology. It strives to create academic settings for didactic education, clinical training, and research. For more information, go to: 

http://bixbycenter.ucsf.edu/training/training/kenneth_j_ryan_training.html.