Lack of information a major barrier for women seeking abortions in Ireland

They're calling for changes.

Over half of people looking to get an abortion in Ireland still don't know how to go about it and are continuing to travel abroad to access services. New research shows that there is a substantial lack of public information on abortion since the repeal of the Eighth Amendment. Measures are now being suggested to be brought in to allow for more access, including an online hub for women to share experiences and ask questions, more counselling, and the introduction of safe access zones. Looking for more information on what to expect, more of the research about the lack of information is set to be published on Wednesday. A key finding was that patients have not been properly informed about the level of pain or amount and duration of bleeding they might experience with an early medical abortion, or how to manage these effects of the medication. One respondent to the study stated: "I wish there was more information on what a normal abortion looks like, and how long it can last." Another participant said that "reading people’s experiences gave me an incredible sense of not being alone," and suggested that an online forum would be a huge benefit so others can ask questions. Many also did not know that abortion services in Ireland are free of charge. The report is also recommending that an informational campaign is rolled out as many also didn't know that once a pregnancy is over 12 weeks access to abortion is extremely limited. 54% of respondents didn't know where to get an abortion, while 32% said they didn't know where to even find information on the service. One person called for more information to be provided by "local GPs, or even those in regional towns, to maybe increase the chances of them providing abortion care."