Policy Knowledge and Abortion Access for US Active-Duty Servicewomen: A Mixed-Methods Study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

More than 80,000 US military servicewomen are stationed in states enforcing abortion bans. US Department of Defense (DOD) policies must adhere to the Hyde Amendment, which restricts abortion coverage. Little research exists regarding active-duty servicewomen's (ADSW) knowledge of these policies or their experiences accessing abortion care. This study examines the reproductive health policy knowledge and lived experiences of ADSW who have accessed abortion care.

Methods

A 24-item questionnaire was designed to measure reproductive health policy knowledge and explore reproductive health experiences among ADSW. Via secondary analysis, a subset of 178 participants self-reported obtaining an abortion while on active duty. A convergent mixed-methods design (quantitativ

SUBMITTER: Russell C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12914618 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan-Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature