There are many ways that students and physicians may share their experiences in provision of reproductive health care to advocate for change in their hospitals, communities, state or even nationally. Physicians have a unique opportunity to share the impact that abortion restrictions have on their patients through expert testimony. This panel will discuss ways that medical students and physicians can get involved in advocacy for abortion rights, including by offering legislative testimony, by participating in litigation, and by advocating for individual patients to get access to medically necessary care. The panelists will also discuss their personal experience and involvement in litigation and advocacy.

Contraception counseling is an important interaction between a physician and a patient. It requires a skill set in identifying whether a patient has a contraceptive need, knowing all options available to the patient, and counseling a patient on available contraception in an approach that is patient-centered. This session will include how to approach discussion of a patient’s reproductive goals, review of popular forms of contraception, and raise awareness of reproductive coercion and unconscious or explicit counselor biases. We will also use motivational interviewing techniques to explore patient’s values and needs in their contraception to provide patient-centered counseling.

Conscience is defined as one’s set of consistent, deeply held beliefs that are guided by moral integrity and guide one’s thoughts and actions. Conscience has long been invoked when healthcare providers object to participating in certain care, such end-of-life or reproductive healthcare (negative claims of conscience). Increasingly, however, healthcare providers are invoking conscience when they are prevented from participating in care that they feel morally compelled to provide, such as gender-affirming and abortion care (positive claims of conscience). Some examples of situations where healthcare providers might experience conflicts of conscience include at Catholic hospitals and in the post-Dobbs era. Catholic hospitals make up a substantial percentage of United States hospitals and follow a set of ethical and religious directives (ERDs) that restrict the provision of certain aspects of reproductive healthcare, including abortion and contraception. Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe versus Wade, an increasing number of states have restricted or fully banned the provision of abortion care. In these settings, healthcare providers will experience more situations that affect their ability to follow their conscience in healthcare provision. In this session, we will: (1) discuss conscience and moral distress that arises when healthcare professionals are prevented from providing care they feel to be morally just, (2) examine research looking at patient and provider perspectives on Catholic hospital and state-level restrictions on reproductive healthcare provision, and (3) engage in a values clarification exercise focused on how abortion restrictions challenge participants’ positive and negative claims of conscience. The purpose of this session is to understand current restrictions on reproductive care at Catholic hospitals as a lens into institutional conscientious objection. Catholic healthcare is unique because hospitals and clinics affiliated with the church must abide by the ERDs. We will review the rules as written by the Catholic bishops, current research into these restrictions from both patient and provider perspectives and discuss the implications using a reproductive justice framework. Additionally, the values clarification exercise will provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on their own feelings and values. Participants will be able to identify strategies for maintaining therapeutic relationships with patients who make healthcare decisions that one might disagree with.

This session will define terminology pertaining to refugees, asylum seekers, other people in need of international protection, and internally displaced and stateless people. Trends in the refugee crisis globally will be discussed. This session will introduce social determinants of health and cultural awareness, including relevant information from ACOG and the WHO. An introduction to implicit biases and health disparities will allow for critical reflection of reproductive healthcare among refugees and immigrants. Unique health challenges and barriers to care faced by refugees and immigrants will be discussed. Issues pertaining to health literacy and subsequent quality of care will be coupled with practical tips on how to build rapport with patients while using an interpreter. Interactive opportunities will allow learners to critique examples of interpreter use for problem-based learning. An example case of a refugee journey complicated by a rare reproductive health phenomenon will demonstrate effects of social determinants of health and how stigmatization and bias can generate distrust of health workers. Opportunities will be provided for learners to reflect in small groups to solidify their understanding.

Last year, Pregnancy Justice published its seminal report, The Rise of Pregnancy Criminalization, documenting 1400 cases of criminalization based on pregnancy or pregnancy outcomes from 2006 to Dobbs. We presented the results of our study along with a deep dive into the intersections of the medical community with pregnancy criminalization at the 2023 MSFC Conference. As the medical community remains a critical player both in perpetuating and combating pregnancy criminalization, this year’s presentation will build on last year’s presentation with our first analysis of post-Dobbs criminalization, based on a forthcoming report that we will publish in the fall of 2024. We will discuss how the landscape has shifted post-Dobbs, and the pathways to pregnancy criminalization. We will do a deeper dive into the essential role physicians can play both in preventing pregnancy-related prosecutions in the first instance and in supporting the defense of those accused. We will provide an overview of the landscape of pregnancy criminalization in the country including updated analysis, data, and case studies, and provide practical guidance to students to confront the issue of pregnancy criminalization both as providers and as advocates and experts to counter the use of inaccurate and harmful science that often undergirds many pregnancy-related prosecutions.

The Dobbs decision has dramatically exacerbated obstacles to abortion access. Although clinicians and advocates work tirelessly to facilitate access to out-of-state abortion seekers, this option is not feasible for many with limited resources. Receiving abortion pills through the mail can ensure that women, transgender men, and gender non-binary individuals have the right to bodily autonomy and reproductive health care. In 2022, Massachusetts became the first state to pass a Shield Law that offers legal protection to clinicians who provide telemedicine abortion care to patients in any state or US Territory. Using HIPAA-compliant digital technologies, asynchronous telemedicine medication abortion care allows individuals to obtain affordable abortion services efficiently, privately, and at their own convenience, regardless of their zip code. In the first six months after its launch, The MAP provided medication abortion care to more than 2,000 patients almost all of whom live in ban, restricted, and telemedicine ban states. This session’s panelists will describe state Shield Laws and how Shield Law practices fit into the post-Dobbs ecosystem of abortion provision; present data on the safety and impact of telemedicine medication abortion services; highlight The Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project (The MAP) as a model Shield Law practice that offers asynchronous telemedicine services to abortion seekers throughout the US; and explain the importance of embedding Shield Law practices in a wider community of support.

Now more than ever, medical students have such an important and unique perspective and imperative in shaping and delivering evidence-based messaging on reproductive health issues. This workshop will review key components of written advocacy, including opinion writing, letters to the editor, commentary and public interest pieces, as well as written work in academic journals. Attendees will also learn and build skills in storytelling and creating elevator pitches for different settings for oral advocacy, including providing testimony, talking to legislators and public health officials, or answering questions from the media. We will also develop tactics on how to pivot responses in order to maintain the key message, and how to work with institutional policy when conducting this advocacy. The workshop will conclude with an activity of outlining a potential written or oral advocacy opportunity relevant to the trainee’s practice setting.

Though abortion has long been criminalized both in the United States and abroad, providers are increasingly concerned about abortion criminalization post-Dobbs as legal protections for abortion rights dwindle. Join If/When/How and Ipas to learn about how and why abortion criminalization happens, and what providers have been doing for decades to help disrupt the hospital-to-prison pipeline.

Following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling in 2022, the landscape of abortion services provision in numerous states across the United States has experienced further constraints. The repercussions for patients have been profound, as individuals residing in states with restrictions or bans face myriad medical complications, social stressors, and logistical challenges if they are unable to access services in states without such limitations. While the impact on patients is apparent, the effect of these legislative measures on medical education remains poorly defined, with no studies to date having assessed their influence on undergraduate medical training. While some research has explored the potential ramifications of these laws on choices of medical students and residents regarding future training and career paths, with qualitative data suggesting that many medical professionals gravitate towards programs situated in states where abortion remains legal. Nevertheless, no studies have examined the impact of state abortion policies on abortion curricula within medical schools across the United States. Prior to the Dobbs ruling, abortion education was not necessary for medical school accreditation, although many institutions opted to include it as a component of comprehensive reproductive health education. In light of the introduction of new abortion restrictions and outright bans in certain states, this study sought to elucidate the shifts in abortion education within states with complete bans, first trimester restrictions, second and third trimester restrictions, as well as states with no restrictions.

In recent years, the landscape of reproductive health and family planning across the US-Mexico border has been shaped by varying state abortion restrictions. This presentation aims to explore the contrasts between abortion regulations in Mexico and the United States and focus on how these disparities influence people’s decisions and access to reproductive care. First the presentation will provide an overview of abortion laws and restrictions in the United States and Mexico, with a focus on Arizona and border states in Mexico along with recent liberalization trends in states such as Oaxaca and Mexico City. Then the discussion will cover the legal and logistical implications for women seeking abortions on either side of the border. We’ll highlight community-driven initiatives, advocacy efforts, and cross-border collaborations that have successfully increased access to abortion services. Finally, broader implications for policy and practice in the US and Mexico will be examined, along with the potential to strengthen cross-border collaborative efforts to ensure reproductive rights regardless of geographical location.

With abortion restrictions rapidly increasing across the country, pregnancy prevention is essential and access to affordable emergency contraception (EC) is more crucial than ever. This panel, led by Emergency Contraception for Every Campus (EC4EC), will describe common barriers to EC access for students and winning strategies for expanding EC access on campus, including sexual health wellness kiosks and direct peer distribution. We will describe best practices for EC access programs and how to get started. With facilitation by an experienced EC4EC student leader and current MS/MPH candidate, three medical students will discuss how their leadership on campus has made a big impact on EC access for students. They will explore how medical students can engage with students in other schools on campus (including public health, law, and undergrad) in the movement to ensure affordable EC access for everyone who needs it, without barriers or stigma.

Abortion after 24 weeks is a subject that many physicians and even more politicians misunderstand. We’ll be discussing language, techniques, training, career paths, and advocacy. Erika Christensen will discuss her experiences as a patient, storyteller, and advocate. Dr. Benedict Landgren will share his experiences training in third-trimester care straight out of residency. Dr. Leilah Zahedi-Spung will discuss approaching all-trimester care from the MFM perspective. Participants should expect to leave with an understanding of how to discuss later abortion, what options can be offered to patients, and how to find later-abortion training opportunities.

Before and after the Dobbs decision, people in the USA have chosen to use abortion pills outside of the formal healthcare system. The safety and portability of misoprostol, with or without mifepristone, means that people have the option to end an unwanted pregnancy without clinician involvement, deciding on the location, timing and accompaniment that best meets their needs. The practice of self-managed abortion (SMA) redefines the concept of “provider” and can reduce abortion stigma and increase community empowerment and knowledge. What is the role of doctors and other clinicians in this new landscape? How can healthcare providers support those who prefer self-managed abortion – or have no other option? How can clinicians mitigate the potential criminalization of those who choose to source abortion pills on their own? This workshop will share what we know about the prevalence of SMA in the USA, the international context and history for the practice, the growth of community knowledge to support SMA, and how clinicians educate the field about the impact of criminalizing patients who present after SMA.

This session will center and workshop the findings of a qualitative study (Medication abortion among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders – NAPAWF) NAPAWF conducted on participants’ barriers and knowledge of medication abortion. Culture, stigma, language, and community intersect and impact individual access and awareness to abortion care and medication abortion. Experts from the community will also discuss how women of color are exploring ways to advocate for robust enforcement of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act which mandates anti-discrimination requirements of covered entities under the ACA.

Abortion care is a topic that is neither required nor standardized across medical schools. In response, since 2021, medical students at the UCI School of Medicine have led a mandatory lecture and discussion on the basics of abortion for all second-year medical students. Our curriculum focuses on the basics of abortion care, including epidemiology, timing, risk factors, and outlines the steps for medical and procedural abortions. We integrate a case discussion where students practice pregnancy options counseling. In the conference workshop, we will outline steps taken to create and sustain the lecture annually as well as share some of the key pieces of the student workshop. We will review student feedback throughout the years and the changes made in response. We hope that sharing the process of implementing our Abortion 101 lecture can guide other medical students in advocating for an abortion care curriculum at their schools. This session will provide students with the skillset and resources to create a similar student-led abortion curriculum at their institution.

Do you want to advocate for reproductive healthcare change but don’t know how? This session is for you! The term “advocacy” is often paired with thoughts of public speaking, public outreach, and being the face of the change they are fighting for. For some, this opportunity is exciting. For others, not so much. Each personality type brings its own strengths to the table. Social butterflies enjoy opportunities where they can speak to audiences and advocate for change. The social media savvy leverage their platforms to disperse information to the world. Introverts are insightful and perceptive to deficiencies or unintended bias. Each of these groups notices a problem, develops an idea for a solution, and draws attention to it. This session will discuss advocacy strategies that each of these personality types can pursue now. Audience interaction will be facilitated with Mentimeter to let attendees share ideas and perspectives. By the end of the presentation, each attendee will walk away with individualized advocacy techniques that propel them to act and advocate for their patient population.

Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) is a safe and easy method of providing early surgical abortion. It is also used for miscarriage management, treatment of failed medical abortion, or endometrial biopsy. MVA provides a low-tech alternative to electric vacuum aspiration that is gentler, quieter and used throughout the world in low resource settings. The session provides a hands-on learning opportunity using papayas as a uterine model.

Bayer cordially invites you to attend an IUD Educational Program presented by Kelly Schmidt, WHNP-BC, MSN, RNC, Bayer Medical Educator, US Medical Affairs. This educational program will review clinical information and placement steps for Mirena® (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 52mg, Kyleena® (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 19.5mg, and Skyla® (Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 13.5mg. Hands on simulation will follow the didactic program, to allow attendees practice with IUD placement.

The aim of this session is to offer insights into abortion training for ob-gyn and family medicine residents after the Dobbs decision. A group of doctors and residents will talk about applying to programs in various states, the availability of training in states with bans versus those where abortion remains legal, changes in training volume, and how this might impact careers after residency. Additionally, there will be an extensive Q&A session where the audience can seek advice and guidance as they prepare for residency or apply to programs.

Post Dobbs, individuals residing in states with abortion bans are increasingly obtaining abortion pills through the mail from online sources. Many of these individuals prefer to engage with the health care system in their home state after taking abortion pills—leaving them potentially vulnerable to criminalization. We will share findings from a novel study of people residing in Florida, Indiana, and Louisiana who ordered abortion pills online in 2023 and 2024; findings will focus on respondent care-seeking behaviors, concerns, and demographics, and speak to the post-abortion care needs and potential legal risks faced by individuals having abortions in banned states. From a legal and policy perspective, we will share information about the state of criminalization around pregnancy outcomes, how the previous legislative session has impacted the issue, and the role of health care providers.

To learn about opportunities and challenges for self-managed abortion in restrictive settings from the perspective of abortion accompaniment networks that support women and people who can become pregnant.

Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) is a safe and easy method of providing early surgical abortion. It is also used for miscarriage management, treatment of failed medical abortion, or endometrial biopsy. MVA provides a low-tech alternative to electric vacuum aspiration that is gentler, quieter and used throughout the world in low resource settings. The session provides a hands-on learning opportunity using papayas as a uterine model.

Bayer cordially invites you to attend an IUD Educational Program presented by Kelly Schmidt, WHNP-BC, MSN, RNC, Bayer Medical Educator, US Medical Affairs. This educational program will review clinical information and placement steps for Mirena® (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 52mg, Kyleena® (levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 19.5mg, and Skyla® (Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system) 13.5mg. Hands on simulation will follow the didactic program, to allow attendees practice with IUD placement.

Clinicians who want to participate in abortion services or advocacy often face hurdles and discrimination in employment, including having their jobs threatened when they want to advocate publicly about abortion or moonlight as abortion providers. Barriers to providing care have been heightened since Dobbs. Although this discrimination occurs in all kinds of health care settings, including public and private hospitals, religiously affiliated institutions and secular institutions, employers often use religious or moral objections to abortion to justify discriminating against employees. During this session, I will discuss the types of discrimination and barriers physicians face when employers try to prohibit them from participating in abortion services or advocacy and the current climate after Dobbs. I will present legal information on clinicians’ potential rights and strategies to combat barriers to providing care and participating in advocacy. I will discuss current ongoing work to support providers who are facing employment barriers to participating in abortion care or advocacy. Finally, the space will be opened for questions and discussion of ways physicians manage these kinds of situations.

Providers are essential voices as legislative/administrative bodies consider policies to promote or restrict access to care. Medical professionals center the needs of patients, bringing their years of education and experience to debates that impact us all. Providing testimony is a critical part of legislative/administrative processes. Effective testimony can help advance a bill/regulation, educate the public, and attract media attention. Opportunities to testify often have little notice and require preparation. This session will equip attendees with an understanding of the process from the provider perspective, offer techniques for incorporating personal experiences, and give an opportunity to practice.

In times of political restrictions placed on bodily autonomy, communities have frequently come together to organize, educate, and provide needed services to people seeking to take charge of their own reproductive health. This session will be a crash course in creating reproductive educational experiences that are relevant to your community as a piece of the long legacy of reproductive organizing. Attendees will learn about the radical history of abortion support and abortion-related organizing, then we’ll discuss a series of abortion doula trainings held in Georgia in collaboration with the Georgia Doula Study, Dopo Abortion Support, and Kuluntu Reproductive Justice Center. We’ll go over potential curriculum, best practices, and lessons learned from these successful trainings as well as share resources and strategies for you to create a location-specific abortion support training in your backyard.