“I’m Not Able to Give a Child a Good Life”: Reasons for Wanting an Abortion Among Abortion Fund Applicants in the Rocky Mountain West

Introduction: Following the reversal of Roe v. Wade and subsequent state bans, abortion funds, which provide financial and other types of support for people who are seeking an abortion, have become increasingly important for connecting pregnant people to abortion care. Despite their vital role, abortion funds remain under-represented in sexual and reproductive health literature. Methods: This research utilizes 9 years of deidentified qualitative data from an abortion fund in the Rocky Mountain West to investigate the reasons why people seek abortion care. Results: Reasons for seeking an abortion are organized into three major themes with additional subthemes: (1) financial reasons, with subthemes (a) can’t support another child financially; (b) unemployment; (c) pursuing an education; (d) housing insecurity; (2) health and safety, with subthemes (a) physical health of the pregnant person; (b) medical issues for the fetus; (c) mental health; (d) substance use; (3) relationship dynamics. Conclusion: This study is unique for its regional focus, which highlights the disproportionate effects of structural inequalities on reproductive justice for rural populations. The results of this study underline how dynamic factors shape pregnant peoples’ decision to seek abortion care and contribute to emergent qualitative literature investigating abortion funds in the USA. Policy Implications Implications of this study point to an increased need for a reproductive approach to healthcare access, which includes comprehensive healthcare, secure housing, financial support, and access to substance use treatment.