TY - JOUR T1 - Training abortion doulas in Northern Ireland: lessons from a COVID-19 context JF - BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health JO - BMJ Sex Reprod Health DO - 10.1136/bmjsrh-2021-201098 SP - bmjsrh-2021-201098 AU - Emma Campbell AU - Naomi Connor AU - Suzie Heaney AU - Fiona Bloomer Y1 - 2021/06/17 UR - http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/early/2021/06/17/bmjsrh-2021-201098.abstract N2 - Historically, societies have long-standing traditions of birth doulas, as lay persons who support the pregnant woman/person during the birthing process, with contemporary studies affirming their positive impact.1In parallel, abortion doulas have held roles in assisting in abortion.2 The role centres on emotional and social support, with evidence of their impact increasing in the last decade.3–5 While some doulas operate within specific roles, a full-spectrum doula is involved in all reproductive health outcomes.3While the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges for sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH) broadly and in particular abortion services,6–8 it also presented opportunities including abortion doulas working alongside clinical services to complement and be integrated within SRH. In this article we set out the development of abortion doula training in Northern Ireland (NI), within the pandemic context.As co-convenors of the activist organisation Alliance for Choice (AfC), two of the authors (NC and EC) have been supporting abortion seekers in NI for a combined total of 16 years, assisting approximately 700 abortion cases during this time. Providing this … ER -