The Big Chill: In small towns, it’s not the heat of the abortion debate that the concern – it’s the cold shoulder.

For small-town healthcare providers, their fear about the impact of providing abortion services in their community might be cutting looks in the grocery check-out line or a gradual loss of patients.  And community chill can often be intimidating enough to dissuade qualified clinicians from offering medication abortion services.  At first glance, choosing not to offer abortion is simply a cautious professional decision on the part of an individual healthcare provider.  But put in the context of the women in these communities, this provider’s decision can mean limited or no access to abortion.

For a handful of family physicians, the potential good of providing trumps fear.  Despite doctors’ concerns over the possible kick-back, they strongly believe that providing this service will help the very community whose reaction they fear.

From AAP’s perspective, training family medicine doctors is not about recruiting heroes (though I do feel like abortion providers regularly earn that title).  Training is about getting individual clinicians the information, resources, and contacts they need to feel comfortable and supported as they include abortion care in their practice.

My up-coming training in Alamosa, a town of 8,600 residents sandwiched in the mountains, offers specific support to clinicians practicing in the area.  This training not only brings trainers experienced in abortion care, but includes those who practice in nearby communities.  Offering the technical skills in a community context is a critical component of the training.  And for those clinicians who do go on to provide medication abortion, they not only have the support of AAP, but their peers in the community.  This network can go a long way to sustaining providers in rural communities.  Because whether a conservative chill is realized or only anticipated, it’s good to know there is other community support in place.

About Anne Devereux, Colorado Field Consultant

Ms. Devereux’s experience includes over ten years of work with national and international non-profit organizations. In addition to working with AAP she is a Medical Assistant at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.