Dr Victoria Kinkaid - From Research Into Practice: Putting Servicewomen’s Voices at the Centre of Change

One of my biggest frustrations in academia is when research ends the moment it’s published—boxed neatly into a journal article or conference presentation—while the people whose experiences shaped that work see no tangible benefit. Not every study can lead directly to change, of course, but when we explored servicewomen’s experiences of abortion, I felt a strong responsibility to ensure the insights didn’t just sit on a shelf. The women who shared their stories with us did so with courage and honesty, and their voices deserved to travel further than an academic output.

This blog reflects on how we moved our findings beyond the page and into practice, and how research can be shaped to create meaningful, real-world impact within the defence community.

Humble beginnings. 

Our work began, like much good research, with frustration shared between colleagues. I was having a coffee with my mentor (and role model), Surg Lt Cdr Ruth Guest— a General Practitioner in the Royal Navy, Chair of Defence’s Women’s Health Special Interest Group, and at the time Junior Lecturer in the Academic Department of Military General Practice. The topic of abortion arose, and we asked ourselves a simple question: how do servicewomen experience abortion care?

Naturally, we turned to the literature to see what was already known. 

Identifying a gap. 

Our search revealed that almost all published research focused on the United States (US). US servicewomen were found to have a higher unintended pregnancy rate than the civilian population but a lower abortion rate— which was hypothesised as due to underreporting caused by fear of prosecution, or due to limited access. 

We subsequently wrote up this review, which has been published in the Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health (JMVFH)

A United Kingdom (UK) perspective. 

We found very little information on abortion statistics or experiences among UK service personnel. Women have served in the UK military for many decades and have been able to serve in all roles since 2018. Yet increased scrutiny in recent years—particularly through the Defence Select Committee chaired by Sarah Atherton—has highlighted persistent gaps in how servicewomen are supported. Their 2021 report, Protecting Those Who Protect Us, noted that gender-specific health needs were not being adequately addressed and that a general silence surrounded women’s health in the military.

Military Healthcare Delivery. 

To understand the context, UK service personnel receive primary care in military medical centres, which sit outside the National Health Service (NHS). Military healthcare providers offer occupational advice to service personnel and their line managers, ensuring both the individual and the Service are protected.

However, because of UK abortion law, abortions can only be accessed through NHS providers. This separation can create a disconnect and lack of continuity between the military medical centre, the serviceperson, and the abortion provider.

Addressing the gap. 

Our research aimed to fill this critical gap in understanding the abortion experiences of UK service personnel and to inform future support. We carried out a service evaluation using REDCap, asking participants general demographic questions, a binary question about whether they had ever had an abortion, and free-text questions exploring perceived barriers to care.

For those who indicated they had had an abortion, branching logic enabled us to explore their experience in more depth—including whether it occurred during service, whether service life influenced the decision, whether they were deployed at the time, and whether their military medical centre had been involved.

This work has been published in British Medical Journal Sexual & Reproductive Health (BMJ SRH).

Research Findings. 

We received 427 responses across all ranks and services—approximately 3% of all women serving in the UK Armed Forces (UKAF). Of these, 29% reported having had an abortion, and 82% of those had occurred during military service. However, only 54% informed or involved their military medical centre. Across all respondents, more than half perceived barriers to accessing abortion in the military.

Four key themes emerged from the free-text responses:

1. Life in the Military.

A male-dominated environment and strict hierarchy were seen as barriers to discussing abortion openly. Elements of military living—such as communal bathrooms and shared postal facilities—created practical challenges, particularly for telemedicine abortions.

2. Trust in information holders.

Many service personnel were uncertain about how their information would be handled by military medical centres and line managers. Stigma and fear of judgement made them less likely to seek support. Living in close proximity to healthcare providers or chain of command compounded these concerns.

3. Influences, barriers and access.

Deployments, training, and career courses were cited as factors influencing both the decision to have an abortion and the type of procedure chosen. In civilian literature, around 80% cite career or education as a reason for abortion; it remains unclear whether this number is higher or lower among service personnel.

4. Systemic lack of awareness.

There was a widespread feeling of limited knowledge about abortion, with no clear policy for service personnel or consistent awareness among military medical centres. This contributed to the silence and stigma surrounding the topic.

Research conclusions and limitations. 

UK service personnel face a range of complex factors influencing abortion decisions and access. While some challenges mirror those in civilian populations, others—such as restricted movement, communal living, instability, and hierarchical pressures—are unique to military life.

We recognise the limitations of our study. As a voluntary service evaluation, the survey is subject to selection bias. Future research using focus groups or interviews would allow richer exploration of experiences and may capture voices missing from this dataset.

Putting research into practice.

We’ve worked hard to ensure our research translates into practical, accessible resources for the people who need them most. Alongside publishing academic papers on this topic, we have presented our findings at multiple conferences—including to NHS abortion providers, GPs, and obstetrics and gynaecology clinicians—to broaden understanding and raise awareness across both military and civilian healthcare settings. We have also shared our findings directly with servicewomen and their line managers, and delivered education sessions to Defence healthcare professionals to strengthen confidence and support.

In partnership with service personnel, we co-created a suite of resources informed directly by our research: an abortion information leaflet for service personnel (including guidance for partners), a dedicated leaflet for line managers, an abortion best-practice guide for Defence healthcare staff, and an exercise-after-abortion guide requested by physical training instructors. Each resource is designed to make the pathway clearer, more compassionate, and better supported across Defence.

Future Work. 

We remain committed to this work, and one message has been clear: service personnel want access to abortion support that genuinely reflects the realities of military life. In September, we were delighted to receive grant funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust through their Serving Women: Seen & Heard 2025/26 programme to take this forward.

This funding will allow us to train 16 servicewomen to provide non-judgmental peer support to others considering an abortion or recovering from one—ensuring they feel heard, valued, and supported by someone who truly understands service life. Recruitment for volunteers will open in the coming months, and the project will run over two years.

If you would like to hear more about our work or are interested in collaborating, please get in touch.