Increased knowledge about pregnancy is associated with increased odds of opposing legislation restricting abortion access, according to a recent study.
Takeaways
- Understanding pregnancy increases opposition to abortion restrictions, as revealed in the study.
- The 2022 ruling shifted abortion discourse, necessitating updated research on public views.
- With 1356 participants, the study explored how pregnancy knowledge influences abortion opinions across political affiliations.
- Enhanced sex education could bolster support for abortion access, per study findings.
- Support for 12-week bans mirrors that of 6-week bans, indicating a lack of moderacy in such restrictions.
Dobbs v. Jackson removed protection for abortion access in June 2022, leading to shifts in the political climate surrounding abortion discussion. Multiple studies have evaluated public opinions about abortion, but few were conducted prior to this decision.
Investigators conducted a study to determine how pregnancy knowledge impacts opinions toward legislation restricting abortion. The study included 1356 US adults, 43% of whom were Democrats or Democratic leaning and 38% were Republicans or Republican leaning.
“We found that people who had a better understanding of pregnancy were more opposed to legislation restricting access to abortion,” said Steven Greene, co-author of the study and a professor of political science at North Carolina State University.
“Basically, people who knew what a trimester was and who knew how we count the weeks of a pregnancy – that it’s done dating back to a woman’s last period, rather than to conception – are more likely to oppose laws limiting women’s access to the full range of reproductive health care options,” Greene added.
Additionally, support of 12-week bans was not improved among participants compared to support of 6-week bans, indicating these bans would not be an effective, moderate position. Greene concluded these results indicate that support for women’s access to abortion care may be improved by increased public sex education.
Reference
Study: The more people know about pregnancy, the more likely they are to support access to abortion. NC State University. January 24, 2024. Accessed February 7, 2024. https://news.ncsu.edu/2024/01/post-dobbs-attitudes-on-abortion-laws/
