Design and validation of a questionnaire to measure access to and quality of abortion services in Argentina.

Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine

In Argentina, Law 27610, which legalized voluntary termination of pregnancy, was the result of years of activism and political alliances. To monitor its implementation, between 2022 and 2024 an instrument was developed to assess the accessibility and quality of abortion services, considering users' experiences. We conducted a three-phase study that included expert panels, cognitive interviews, and a pilot test of the instrument with individuals who had undergone abortions. These efforts led to the creation of the questionnaire Measuring Accessibility and Quality in Abortion Services (MACA), which can be applied within the Argentine health system. This questionnaire can be used for monitoring purposes, to identify areas for improvement in health services, and to detect inequalities in access based on geographic and social characteristics.