Advancing the science on measurement, determinants, and outcomes of pregnancy and abortion coercion in global settings: a scoping review.
5 affiliations
- 1Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
- 2Programme Division, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, NY, United States.
- 3Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
- 4Independent Researcher, South Thomaston, ME, United States.
- 5Departments of Social, Behavioral, and Population Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States.
Abstract
Reproductive coercion-behaviors that interfere with women's autonomous reproductive decision-making-is increasingly recognized but remains unevenly defined and measured across settings. We conducted a scoping review and searched MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, for English-language studies from 1995 to April 2023. Of 8,515 records identified, 119 studies met inclusion criteria; 56% were quantitative, 55% were published during 2020-2023, and most were conducted in high-income settings (58% United States; 13% Australia). Conceptualizations evolved from a narrow focus on pregnancy coercion and birth control sabotage toward inclusion of abortion coercion, provider-level dynamics, and experiences during motherhood, though consensus is lacking. Measurement was dominated by the Miller reproductive control scale and adaptations; act-based items for abortion coercion were scarce. Reported prevalence spanned ∼1%-58% depending on timeframe, setting, and measure. Multi-level risk factors included unstable or non-marital partnerships, partner concurrency, co-residence with in-laws, and lower household wealth; partner education and employment were protective in several contexts. Reproductive coercion frequently co-occurred with intimate partner, sexual, and domestic violence yet showed independent associations with reduced contraceptive self-efficacy and use, increased covert contraception, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infection, and adverse mental health. Evidence on interventions centers on clinic-based, trauma-informed education and counselling, with implementation barriers related to training, time, and referral pathways. Advancing the field requires a harmonized, intent-sensitive, act-based definition and improved measures, especially for abortion coercion, together with more diverse research in low- and middle-income countries and coordinated legal, health, educational, and community responses to protect women's reproductive autonomy.
Related
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- Impact of Social Determinants of Health in Early Pregnancy on Racial and Ethnic Differences in Post-pregnancy Cardiovascular Health
- Antenatal care, birth outcomes, health, development, maternal bonding and nutrition among children of women seeking abortion in a health facility in Nepal (2019-2024): a prospective cohort study.
- Beyond Iron Supplementation: A Narrative Review of the Structural Determinants of Anaemia in Pregnancy in India.
BibTeX
@article{liang2026advancing,
title = {{Advancing the science on measurement, determinants, and outcomes of pregnancy and abortion coercion in global settings: a scoping review.}},
author = {Mengjia Liang and Cassie Landers and Sara E Casey and Goleen Samari and Rachel Snow and Kelli Stidham Hall},
journal = {Frontiers in global women's health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fgwh.2026.1854104},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42904168},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Advancing the science on measurement, determinants, and outcomes of pregnancy and abortion coercion in global settings: a scoping review.
AU - Mengjia Liang
AU - Cassie Landers
AU - Sara E Casey
AU - Goleen Samari
AU - Rachel Snow
AU - Kelli Stidham Hall
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - Frontiers in global women's health
DO - 10.3389/fgwh.2026.1854104
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42904168
AB - Reproductive coercion-behaviors that interfere with women's autonomous reproductive decision-making-is increasingly recognized but remains unevenly defined and measured across settings. We conducted a scoping review and searched MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, for English-language studies from 1995 to April 2023. Of 8,515 records identified, 119 studies met inclusion criteria; 56% were quantitative, 55% were published during 2020-2023, and most were conducted in high-income settings (58% United States; 13% Australia). Conceptualizations evolved from a narrow focus on pregnancy coercion and birth control sabotage toward inclusion of abortion coercion, provider-level dynamics, and experiences during motherhood, though consensus is lacking. Measurement was dominated by the Miller reproductive control scale and adaptations; act-based items for abortion coercion were scarce. Reported prevalence spanned ∼1%-58% depending on timeframe, setting, and measure. Multi-level risk factors included unstable or non-marital partnerships, partner concurrency, co-residence with in-laws, and lower household wealth; partner education and employment were protective in several contexts. Reproductive coercion frequently co-occurred with intimate partner, sexual, and domestic violence yet showed independent associations with reduced contraceptive self-efficacy and use, increased covert contraception, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infection, and adverse mental health. Evidence on interventions centers on clinic-based, trauma-informed education and counselling, with implementation barriers related to training, time, and referral pathways. Advancing the field requires a harmonized, intent-sensitive, act-based definition and improved measures, especially for abortion coercion, together with more diverse research in low- and middle-income countries and coordinated legal, health, educational, and community responses to protect women's reproductive autonomy.
SN - 2673-5059
ER -