Let's talk about abortion: a person‑centred approach to care

Approximately one in three women will have one or more abortions in their lifetime; while it can be safer than continuing a pregnancy and childbirth, it can also be heavily stigmatised. Legislation surrounding the regulation of abortion in the UK is varied and complex. In this context, women fear judgement and negative attitudes. Abortion care is becoming increasingly nurse led. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence suggest that women prefer care to be delivered by nurses and recommend their role to be maximised. Despite this, abortion is not routinely included in pre-registration nursing training and nursing in abortion care is predominantly restricted to the NHS-commissioned independent sector. This article aims to introduces nurses to person-centred abortion care through exploration of the legal, social, medical and surgical aspects of abortion.