complete literature review

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*** This sample was adapted from a Monroe College student’s final paper. ***

Literature Review

Introduction to Literature Review

Safe and available access to maternal health services while abortion restrictions and

stigmatization continues to pose issues for young pregnant women (Janighorban et al., 2022).

With abortion restrictions on the rise and limited access to providers, it is imperative to assess the

risk factors that this imposes on pregnant women and women’s reproductive rights. The literature

review included only peer-reviewed, research articles and literature regarding the factors of

limited access to sexual reproductive services and prenatal care for women long-term. Some of

these factors include socioeconomic status, defective life skills, and mental health issues were

analyzed. The databases used to conduct the literature review was ProQuest and Medline from

the Monroe College library. Keywords and phrases included in the search for the articles

documented in the literature review reflect the following: abortion, abortion access, impacts of

abortion restriction, and maternal health service limitations.

Review of Literature

Limited Access of Care

Janighorban et al. (2021) conducted a mixed-methods research study using semi-

structured interviews in order to explore the impediments to access when it concerns

reproductive and sexual health services. This study was conducting using 120 female participants

ages 14-19, and 22 key informants that worked as midwives, psychologists or social workers in

April 2019 to June 2020 in Iran, specifically Isfahan, Tehran and Mashhad. Through in-depth

semi-structured interviews, the study participants explained in depth their experiences of barriers

to sexual and reproductive/maternal health services among teenage girls. They found that the

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*** This sample was adapted from a Monroe College student’s final paper. ***

ineffectiveness of key organizations in providing sexual and reproductive health services as well

as lacking in political, legal, and social support indicate that the sexual and reproductive health

of these girls is not a priority for Iranian society. They were able to conclude in their research

that the long-term effects of the severe limitations to sexual health services, specifically when it

concerns abortions and prenatal services in this age group, were family challenges, easily

succumbing to peer pressure, inability to make informed decisions when it pertains to sex, and

lack of knowledge in relation to sexual health threats, and psychological distress (Janighorban et

al., 2021).

Hadju et al. (2022) conducted secondary, quantitative research analysis in order to

identify the long-term consequences of restrictive access to abortion, specifically following the

change in abortions laws after 1974 in Hungary. The study was conducted through a secondary,

quantitative research methodology, using the 2011 census in Hungary. They were able to

conclude from their research that children born after the law change to women under the age of

35 were less likely to seek higher education. They also found that these children were also far

more likely to become teen parents themselves. The restrictive abortion policy in Hungary

ultimately resulted in negative impacts on the socioeconomic results in the lives of the children

born after the law was put in place. As a whole, they saw that children born after the law change

had worse educational outcomes, and the law change overall reflect an unwantedness effect

(Hadju et al., 2022).

Changing Stigma and Expansion of Research

Maxwell et al. (2021) conducted a qualitative research analysis in October of 2019.

Unlike the previous studies (Hadju et al., 2022; Janighorban et al., 2021), Maxwell et al. (2021)

ABORTION RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITED MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES 5

*** This sample was adapted from a Monroe College student’s final paper. ***

conducted this research study in order to figure out how providers can help normalize abortion,

challenge the stigma, and challenge sociocultural narrative surrounding the topic. Everyday

discussion as it pertains to abortion is generally negative, instilling shame and distress around the

topic and discussion, even though it is a common gynecological procedure. They conducted the

research study using a qualitative research approach, and conducted 20 interviews using thematic

analysis. From their research, they were able to identify four interconnecting themes among the

providers interviewed: 1. Resistance to abortion from their colleagues 2. negative sociocultural

abortion accounts. 3. Aims to achieve positivity or neutrality around abortion procedures. 4.

presenting abortion as normal and a part of maternal, sexual, and gynecological healthcare.

Further, they explained that abortion should not be considered wrong or viewed as inherently

negative, and it can be presented as a routine component of sexual and reproductive healthcare.

Presenting abortion neutral and positive ways can help limit and resist negative framings of the

procedure (Maxwell et al., 2021).

Lastly, Pabayo et al. (2022) carried out a secondary, quantitative research analysis in

order to determine if there was a connection between infant mortality risk and limited abortion

services in the states with varying restrictions among abortion laws in different states in the

United States. The data used for this studied came from infants born from 2008-2010 and used

this data comparatively to infants born in different regions of the world in 2015 and 2017. The

data was collected in the United States, at varying academic institutes including University of

Alberta, located in Alabama, University of Nevada, University of Utah, Columbia University,

and Montclair State University. They looked for a causal relationship between restrictive

abortion laws and infant mortality, and pulled direct statistics and numbers from LBID and

NCHS in accordance, and assessed specific laws and drew their research from there. They were

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*** This sample was adapted from a Monroe College student’s final paper. ***

able to conclude that Infants born to Black mothers, single mothers, and low-income mothers

have higher infant mortality rates compared to infants born to White mothers, married mothers,

and moderate/high-income mothers. They were unable to find a definitive causal relationship,

but when they tested the relationship between infant mortality and five different abortion

restrictive laws they chose, they were able to determine that there is an increase in risk of infant

mortality when the laws are more restrictive.

Analysis of Literature

Maxwell et al. Hajdu et al. (2021), Janighorban et. al (2022) and Pabayo et al. (2020) all

used qualitative research as component of the methodology used when conducting their research.

All four studies indicate that there are negative impacts on health outcomes and demonstrate a

violation to human and women’s reproductive rights when it comes to abortion access and

restrictive abortion laws. The more restrictive abortion laws overly complicate the provider-

patient relationships. They have been able to conclude that this specifically effects younger

women when it comes to reproductive health and shows negative impacts in the long run,

specifically to socioeconomic status, family planning, mental health implications, and fear and

avoidance associated with current healthcare systems. Comparatively, in Pabayo et al. (2020),

their research focuses more heavily on the risks of mortality among infants when abortions laws

are more restrictive, while Hadju et al. (2021) and Janighorban et al. (2022) focus more on the

implications to young mothers and their social and economic status following the inhibitions of

abortion access as opposed to discussing the morality implications are discussed in the former.

Meanwhile, Maxwell et al (2021) discuss the overall impacts to the healthcare system, and being

able to access a quality provider that has been trained and 1. Allowed to perform specific

procedures and 2. Properly trained to do so.

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*** This sample was adapted from a Monroe College student’s final paper. ***

The Discussion would go here,

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