Gracie Breitenbach
Research Mentor: Jessica Dozier
Mentor Department: Systems, Populations and Leadership, Nursing
Author(s): Gracie Breitenbach, Tess Carichner, Yasamin Kusunoki, Jessica Dozier
Session: Session 3 (11:00 AM – 11:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 4
Abstract
Abortion coercion, defined as attempts to pressure or interfere with an individual’s decision to continue or terminate their pregnancy, is a significant yet understudied barrier to reproductive autonomy. This qualitative study aimed to explore the motivations and tactics used by intimate partners to influence individuals’ abortion decisions. We invited cisgender women, transgender men, and non-binary patients aged 18-29 from five family planning clinics in Michigan who reported lifetime abortion coercion in a parent survey (November 2024 to June 2025) to participate in 60-minute in-depth interviews. Seven women and one transgender man participated (n=8). Our team analyzed the data thematically using an iterative process of deductive and inductive coding, memoing, and regular discussions. Four participants described pressure to continue a pregnancy, and four described pressure to terminate a pregnancy. Perceived motivations to discourage abortion included wanting children and the associated status (i.e., “I’ll never be a dadâ€), whereas perceived motivations to encourage abortion included preferring to pursue personal aspirations over child rearing. Tactics to influence abortion decision-making by current and former intimate partners included moral reasoning against abortion conveyed through stigmatizing language, threats of abandonment if the participant did not comply with their desire, and withholding or withdrawing support pre- and post-abortion. Findings suggest that abortion coercion by intimate partners often operates by harnessing emotional and psychological appeals to influence individuals to abide by their wishes to continue or terminate a pregnancy.
