“An abortion doula is a person who provides emotional, informational and logistical support to a person who is seeking or having an abortion. Abortion doulas often work independently, in a collective or within abortion clinics to provide services to clients…. During the pandemic, their roles have shifted; they have had to help abortion-seekers navigate the ever-changing laws that put specific limitations on how abortions can be conducted.
Indeed, the covid-19 pandemic shifted how people were able to access abortions. Many clinics shut down amid stay-at-home orders, and in March 2020, some states deemed surgical abortions “inessential health care,” making the procedure briefly unavailable in certain places. State and federal legislation also placed restrictions on medication abortions, making it more difficult for those who quarantined at home or wanted to self-manage their abortions.”
