title: Practices Regarding Rape-related Pregnancy in U.S. Abortion Care Settings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to explore current practices regarding screening for rape and response to disclosure of rape-related pregnancy in the abortion care setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional, nonprobability survey of U.S. abortion providers. Individuals were recruited in person and via emailed invitations to professional organization member lists. Questions in this web-based survey pertained to providers' practice setting, how they identify rape-related pregnancy, the availability of support services, and their experiences with law enforcement. Providers were asked their perceptions of barriers to care for women who report rape-related pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surveys were completed by 279 providers (21% response rate). Most respondents were female (93.1%), and the majority were physicians in a clinical role (69.4%). One-half (49.8%) reported their practice screens for pregnancy resulting from rape, although fewer (34.8%) reported that screening is the method through which most patients with this history are identified. Most (80.6%) refer women with rape-related pregnancy to support services such as rape crisis centers. Relatively few (19.7%) have a specific protocol for care of women who report rape-related pregnancy. Clinics that screen were 79% more likely to have a protocol for care than centers that do not screen. Although the majority (67.4%) reported barriers to identification of women with rape-related pregnancy, fewer (33.3%) reported barriers to connecting them to support services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Practices for identifying and providing care to women with rape-related pregnancy in the abortion care setting are variable. Further research should address barriers to care provision, as well as identifying protocols for care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois. Electronic address: rachel.perry@uci.edu.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Molly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Kristin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rankin
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cowett
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Bryna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harwood
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000029:Abortion, Legal; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011902:Rape; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States