Understanding late termination of pregnancy among women in Scotland: an exploratory research study (WELTOP)

This study explored the experiences of women in Scotland who request a termination of pregnancy at 16 or more weeks’ gestation, with the goal of informing service delivery and future research in this area. The project investigated the reasons women present for later abortion, the consequences for them, their experiences of traveling to England for the procedure, and the perspectives of women who ultimately did not have a termination. Data were collected through in-depth qualitative interviews with 23 women attending participating National Health Service clinics between January and July 2013. Interviews addressed the timing of presentation, decision-making processes, social and practical factors, and experiences of accessing services. Thematic analysis was conducted, guided by the conceptual framework of candidacy, to identify emerging issues related to delayed recognition of pregnancy, life circumstances, conflicting roles regarding motherhood, and barriers associated with travel for care. The resulting dataset comprises interview transcripts detailing women’s experiences of later abortion in Scotland and can be used to examine decision-making, access to reproductive healthcare, and the social context of late termination.