Aim: To review the literature on attitudes of health care professionals to termination of pregnancy and draw out underlying themes.
Background: The controversy surrounding therapeutic abortion is unremitting with public opinion often polemic and unyielding. Nurses and midwives are at the centre of this turmoil, and as more termination of pregnancies are being performed using pharmacological agents, they are becoming ever more involved in direct care and treatment. Attitudes towards termination of pregnancy have been found to vary depending on the nationality of those asked, the professionals involved, experience in abortion care, as well as personal attributes of those asked such as their obstetric history and religious beliefs. The reasons for women undergoing abortion were also found to influence attitudes to a greater or lesser extent.
Conclusion: This paper explores research studies undertaken into attitudes of health care professionals towards termination of pregnancy, to appreciate the complexity of the debate. It is possible that the increased involvement of nurses in termination of pregnancy, that current methods demand, may lead to change in attitudes. Consideration is given to a number of remedies to create an optimum environment for women undergoing termination of pregnancy.
Relevance to clinical practice: This paper establishes via a literature review that attitudes in those working in this area of care depend upon a variety of influences. Suggestions are made for measures to be put into place to foster appropriate attitudes in those working in termination of pregnancy services.