Women seeking an abortion in Queensland are facing bills of up $17,000, lack of support from doctors and social stigma, three years after the procedure was decriminalised, a new study shows.
University of Queensland researchers say women still face barriers to safe, timely and affordable pregnancy terminations in the state.
They're being impeded by affordability, unsupportive healthcare professionals, social stigma and domestic violence.
Researcher Maryanne Cleetus says in some cases those barriers were exacerbated by the pandemic.
"The effect of these barriers was extremely concerning - some clients said they had considered using unsafe termination methods or had undertaken self-harm," she said in a statement.
The UQ study looked at more than 87000 interactions between 1993 women and a pregnancy counselling service between December 2018 and June 2020.
About 84 per cent of those who contacted the service wanted financial help to pay for a termination, help navigating the healthcare system or counselling and support for their decision.
The remainder wanted grief or acceptance counselling after an abortion, particularly after being coerced or exposed to violence by intimate partners or their families.
The researchers also found the cost of an abortion varied significantly depending on a woman's location, situation and gestation.
One 23-year-old woman living in a remote area, who was 20 weeks' pregnant, told the counselling service she had been quoted $17,000 for an abortion.
Clients lacking financial means suffered mental distress and delayed access, the study said.
One 24-year-old who was 18 weeks pregnant said considered suicide when she was the quoted the price of the procedure, and also thought about self-abortion.
The study mentioned a mother who called the service to speak about her pregnant 16-year-old daughter.
"Mum said [client] has already tried to cut her wrists and is attempting to self-abort through self-harm," the report said.
Some 43 per cent of clients also reported family or intimate partner violence, including coercion and abuse.
"A client of unknown age at 18 weeks' gestation reported that the MIP [man involved in pregnancy] called them 'a murderer' for choosing a ToP (termination of pregnancy) and that he stole the money she had saved for ToP," the study said.
Many women faced social stigma from family and friends for choosing to terminate their pregnancy as well.
This made some reluctant to reveal their pregnancy, or abortions, to their social circles, the study said, meaning they had limited financial and emotional support.
The researchers noted that healthcare practitioners hindered some women, or refused to refer them to the public system for the procedure.
Some GPs advised women that termination was unsafe or unavailable in the public system, but the clients later found out that that wasn't true.
The researchers said the study showed decriminalisation alone hadn't guaranteed reproductive autonomy in Queensland.
They called for more state government investment in healthcare options, particularly preventative models to remove cost burdens.
Study co-author Dr Judith Dean said there needed to be more sexual and reproductive education for both consumers and health professionals as well.
"Our findings demonstrate the complexity of ensuring equitable access to termination of pregnancy care," she said.
