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Access depends on where you live
At Sex Sense, we often get calls and emails from people about abortion access in BC. An unwanted pregnancy or one that occurs in circumstances where it cannot continue is often a very stressful situation and we are always here to help our clients navigate it in the easiest way possible.
Access to abortion varies depending on where you live. For those living in Vancouver, access to abortion is good: there are four clinics in the city. Places like Victoria and Kelowna also have larger publicly listed clinics.
And thankfully, the advent of medical abortion (sometimes called medical abortion or the “abortion pill”) and telemedicine has helped change the abortion access landscape so that even some much smaller rural communities have a local provider. However, access to abortion may be more difficult in these areas, or access may be limited.
The good news: Medical abortion and access
The reason it has so positively impacted abortion access in BC. is that medical abortion does not require a specialized abortion clinic, but can occur through a trained health care provider such as a doctor or nurse. They can do the necessary tests, prescribe the medication, instruct the patient on how to use it, and provide follow-up to ensure the abortion is complete.
The Willow Clinic in Vancouver and another in the Interior offer remote medical abortion via telemedicine when there is no more local option. Other clinics do a mix of in-person and virtual visits.
You can learn more about medication abortion and how it compares to suction abortion here.
The bad news: Stigma and unequal access to abortion
Abortion providers in small communities or rural areas often fear negative consequences for themselves and their families. This makes it difficult to know who to ask or how to find an abortion provider, making access to these places more difficult.
Sex Sense can help with this. If you or someone you know has had a positive pregnancy test and would like to access abortion services, calling or emailing us is a great place to start.
Abortion providers in small communities maintain a very low profile due to the unfortunately and unnecessary stigma surrounding abortion care. This stigma can also prevent other health care providers from offering abortion care, making it harder to access in many places.
The stigma is unfortunate because all it does is make a difficult situation more difficult. It is unnecessary because abortion is both necessary health care and a common experience. In Canada, about one in three people who can get pregnant will have at least one abortion during their reproductive life.
Despite the fact that access to abortion in B.C. is better than in the past, there are huge areas of the province with inadequate abortion provision. This can force some people to travel sometimes long distances outside their home community to access care. Also, some places lose local access to abortion when the only provider there retires or moves away.
The solution: Improving access to abortion in BC: Midwives
What else could be done to improve abortion access in BC? Many people want to know how things could be better and how they can help.
Quebec provides a great example of how things can change for the better and quickly. Quebec until recently had the most limited access to medical abortion. But in July 2022, the Quebec College of Physicians made major changes to increase access to abortion. These included allowing midwives to prescribe Mifegymisothe drug used for medical abortion.
Midwives in BC they could be empowered to do the same, which would be a huge step forward for access. According BC Contraception and Abortion Research Group“expanding the role of midwives in Canada to include comprehensive sexual and reproductive care is an important step in facilitating equitable access to abortion services.”
If you want to see this happen, please do write your MLA. We could use everyone’s help to ensure equal access to abortion throughout BC.
You can find more abortion-related resources on our website here.
Please note: Sex Sense is a free, pro-choice, sex-positive and confidential service. Our team of registered nurses, counselors and sex educators offers information and resources about sex, sexuality and sexual health.
This post contains general information that may not apply to everyone. It is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and treatment or counseling and other mental health support. If this is a topic that affects you, please respond with questions about your own specific situation. We will reply to you privately and provide the appropriate information resources.
