Provider Shortages and the Pipeline

Due to changes in the political climate, access to safe and legal abortion is dramatically changing in the United States. A patchwork of state laws in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, as well as, clinical, educational, and logistical factors exacerbates an already looming national shortage of abortion providers. Abortion has been siloed from other forms of comprehensive reproductive healthcare, and this directly affects the experience of both patients and providers. This chapter will explore the professional characteristics of individuals who provide abortion care, highlight the unique challenges for abortion providers, and discuss the public health impact of the marginalization of abortion care.