Navigating choices around abortion can be daunting — that’s why Kate Wahl created the interactive website, It’s My Choice.
A PhD student in UBC’s department of obstetrics & gynecology, Wahl wanted to help inform individuals choosing abortion in early pregnancy about the differences between undergoing a medical abortion — commonly known as the abortion pill — or a surgical abortion.
“What we wanted to do was create something evidence-based that allowed people to learn about their options and … find the option that’s best aligned with their values and preferences,” said Wahl.
Hosted by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, Wahl’s website is rooted in evidence. While both abortion options are safe and effective, they differ in a number of ways such as in how long they take, how many appointments they require and where they can take place. Individuals can use Wahl’s site to learn what to expect from the two options and fill out a questionnaire to receive a personalized recommendation.
Since Canada only granted public access to medical abortion in 2017, Wahl said many Canadians still aren’t aware that a non-surgical abortion option exists for them.
Raising awareness of medical abortion availability is really important, Wahl said, especially for people who live in rural areas where access to procedural abortions can be more difficult.
“The tool is only as good as our efforts [to] disseminate it.”
Wahl’s team works to inform as wide a network as possible of health care providers about the site, allowing physicians and providers to refer it to others.
Wahl’s website also functions to help people who might feel nervous or uncomfortable speaking to their health care providers about abortion.
“It’s a very overwhelming thing to find out that you’re pregnant, if you weren’t planning to become pregnant,” said Wahl. “So to add that extra step of having a conversation about a stigmatized health concern is really tough.”
According to Wahl, most people prefer to digest information from the site before speaking to primary care providers.
“It gives a little bit more space to the decision than you might have in a clinical encounter just by itself.”
Wahl and her team partnered with potential patients while creating the website to ensure the end product was informed by the needs of the individuals that would be using it. One recurring piece of feedback was wanting the website to contain as much information as possible so people could feel mentally and physically prepared for their choice.
“The choice to have an abortion is obviously a very personal one,” Wahl said. “We really just want to make sure that when people are having that conversation, they’re supported to do it in a way that maximizes their safety.”
Moving forward, Wahl said her team is looking to develop more videos that provide visual aids to further help people and incorporate those into the site.
Wahl also said It’s My Choice is a tool based on current clinical practice guidelines for abortion care. As those guidelines change and evolve, Wahl said her team will update the tool to ensure it continues to be aligned with the best evidence available.
“I feel very proud to live in Canada, where we've got a long legacy of protecting sexual reproductive health and rights,” Wahl said. “I think here the next step is just to enhance access to those rights further.”
— with files from Eve Durant
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