Having an abortion does not impact future fertility; fertility returns immediately after a medical abortion (UBC, 2024).

31% of Canadian women will experience abortion during their reproductive lifetime (approximately 1 in 3) (UBC, 2024).

People access abortion services for many reasons, including:

• Economic circumstances

• Social or cultural circumstances

• Disability or chronic illness

• Family planning / to space out the number of children born into their families

• To ensure that their existing children are properly cared for

• To end a pregnancy resulting from reproductive coercion or sexual violence

• Health concerns, even among intended pregnancies

On regret:

• The most common feeling reported after an abortion is relief (UBC, 2024).

• There is a greater risk of psychological harm when a person chooses to have an abortion but is refused one and birth is forced upon them, than if they are provided with compassionate abortion care (Foster, 2020; UBC, 2024)

Barriers to Accessing Abortion:

• Structural barriers — any financial, legal, or regulatory policies that impede access to services (UBC, 2024).

• Personal barriers — anything pertaining to the individual’s personal experience and lived reality (UBC, 2024).

• Note: Multiple intersections exist between structural and personal barriers.

Underserved Populations:

• Previous experience of discrimination within the healthcare system decreases overall access (UBC, 2024).

• While not all pregnant people will experience barriers, a lack of financial and logistical resources, as well as barriers to culturally safe, stigma-free healthcare, prevent certain people from accessing abortion care (UBC, 2024). Many of these factors are Social Determinants of Health (Government of Canada, 2024):

  • BIPOC

  • People with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, or disabilities

  • People living in poverty

  • People with low literacy and/or lack of education

  • Sexual and gender minorities (2SLGBTQI+)

  • Young people