Attitudes of medical students towards abortion and their willingness to perform abortion: meta-analysis

Abstract

Background and Objectives: This study evaluates the opinion of medical students about abortion and their willingness to perform the abortion. Methods: After a systematic review, meta-analyses of proportions were performed to achieve percent estimates of medical students’ opinions about abortion and willingness to perform the abortion. Results: 15 studies appraising 6341 medical students were included. Most medical students opined that abortion should be provided if the mother's life is threatened (89%), in case of rape (84%), if the mother's mental health is affected (79%), if the fetus is seriously defective (73%); and on mother’s request (37%). Medical students informed that they would perform abortion if the mother's life is threatened (87%); in case of rape (77%); if the fetus is seriously defective (78%); if the mother's mental health is threatened (65%); in case of teenage pregnancy (51%); on mother’s request (25%); and if court rules (19%). Religiosity was associated with significantly lower proabortion (favoring legalization of abortion) attitudes of medical students (OR: 0.10 [95% CI: 0.04, 0.24]; p<0.00001) but longer duration of medical education was associated with higher proabortion attitudes (OR: 1.75 [95% CI: 1.42, 2.14]; p<0.00001). Conclusion: Attitudes of medical students towards abortion are generally ambivalent where the majority opine that abortion should be performed under certain circumstances. Keywords: Abortion; medical students; attitudes; opinion.