Do all roads lead to the same destination? Proximity to abortion providers, abortions, and their conditions in Portugal
研究葡萄牙堕胎服务提供者距离对堕胎概率和条件的影响,发现距离越远,堕胎越少、越晚,更多由公立医院转介到私立诊所,且手术堕胎风险增加。
Abstract In Portugal, 65% of gynecologists conscientiously object to performing abortions, limiting the provision of abortion services across the country. This paper exploits quasi-random variation in abortion supply related to changes in doctor availability to examine how variations in proximity to an abortion provider affect the probability a pregnancy is aborted and the conditions under which abortions occur, including when, where, and how. Using a novel dataset of the universe of legal abortions in Portugal, I find suggestive evidence that there are fewer abortions among women living further away from a provider relative to women living closer. I also find evidence that these women have abortions later, are more likely to be referred by public hospitals to private clinics, and have an increased risk of having a surgical abortion.