PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Morse, Jessica E.
AU  - Charm, Samantha
AU  - Bryant, Amy
AU  - Ramesh, Shanthi
AU  - Krashin, Janie
AU  - Stuart, Gretchen S.
TI  - The Impact of a 72-hour Waiting Period on Women's Access to Abortion Care at a Hospital-Based Clinic in North Carolina
AID  - 10.18043/ncm.79.4.205
DP  - 2018 Jul 01
TA  - North Carolina Medical Journal
PG  - 205--209
VI  - 79
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.ncmedicaljournal.com/content/79/4/205.short
4100  - http://www.ncmedicaljournal.com/content/79/4/205.full
SO  - N C Med J2018 Jul 01; 79
AB  - BACKGROUND In 2015, North Carolina became the 5th state to pass legislation requiring women to undergo state-mandated counseling 72 hours prior to abortion. Whether this legislation has changed the timing of abortion decision-making or receipt of care is not known.METHODS This is a cross-sectional study using anonymous survey data from women presenting for abortion at a hospital-based abortion clinic in North Carolina. Data were collected for 8 weeks immediately before and after implementation of the new waiting period.RESULTS 26/48 (54%) of eligible patients participated. More than half (56%) of women made their abortion decision relatively quickly (less than or equal to 3 days), but had a median time-to-care of almost a week.LIMITATIONS This small study is the 1st recent evaluation of abortion decision-making and receipt of care immediately before and after implementation of a 72-hour waiting period in a Southern state. Only women presenting for care at a single hospital-based clinic were surveyed. Data were self-reported.CONCLUSION In our clinical setting, most women decided to have an abortion quickly but still waited 10-15 days before receiving care. Extended waiting periods provide no medical benefits and the potential for harm and delay of care remains.