Exploring Young Adult Womxn's Experiences with Emergency Contraception and Abortion Care in Northern Ontario During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Methods Qualitative Study

Abstract

Timely access to emergency contraception services and abortion care is vital for sexual and reproductive health. Rural communities in Canada, including Northern Ontario, face various barriers when accessing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services. This qualitative multi-methods study aimed to explore young adult womxn's experiences with emergency contraception services and abortion care in Northern Ontario before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to understand the facilitators and barriers to accessing these services and avenues for improving care in general and during future public health emergencies. This study consisted of two components: an online survey with young adult women and other pregnancy capable people who reside in Northern Ontario and have experience with emergency contraception or abortion care, and in-depth interviews with a subset of the survey participants. The findings of the study highlight barriers to accessing emergency contraception services and abortion care in Northern Ontario, as well as a lack of knowledge and education on these critical components of sexual and reproductive health. The COVID-19 pandemic further impacted experiences accessing sexual and reproductive health services in Northern Ontario. Exploring adaptive strategies to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services and education for young adult women and other pregnancy capable people living in Northern Ontario is warranted.