The Turnaway Study

“A remarkable piece of research…. The Turnaway Study will be understood, criticized, and used politically, however carefully conceived and painstakingly executed the research was. Given that inevitability, it’s worth underlining the most helpful political work that the study does. In light of its findings, the rationale for so many recent abortion restrictions-namely, that abortion is uniquely harmful to the people who choose it-simply topples.” -The New Yorker “Foster’s findings are particularly relevant now, as the coronavirus pandemic, the economic downturn and ongoing efforts to restrict abortion access have made the procedure even more difficult for many to obtain.” -The Huffington Post “The Turnaway Study provides definitive evidence that abortion access strongly enhances women’s health and well-being, whereas denying abortion results in physical and economic harm. Based on a ten-year investigation, the book combines engaging, in-depth stories of women who received and were denied abortion care along with study data from 50 peer-reviewed papers published in top medical and social science journals.” -Ms. magazine “Required reading for anyone concerned with reproductive justice.” -Kirkus, starred “Foster’s clearheaded account cuts through the noise surrounding this contentious issue. Policy makers and abortion rights activists should consider it a must-read.” -Publisher’s Weekly “Foster listens to the ‘turnaway women, ’ and lets their stories, even more than her own scholarship, disrupt the accepted moral and political narratives that regulate access to abortion.” -Library Journal “If you read only one book about democracy, The Turnaway Study should be it. Why? Because without the power to make decisions about our own bodies, there is no democracy. There is no freedom and justice without reproductive freedom and justice.” -Gloria Steinem “Dr. Foster brings what is too often missing from the public debate around abortion: science, data, and the real-life experiences of people from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Foster’s book offers the first in-depth look at the impact of being denied abortion on mental and physical health, economic wellbeing, relationships, and families. This should be required reading for every judge, member of Congress, and candidate for office - as well as anyone who hopes to better understand this complex and important issue.” -Cecile Richards, co-founder of Supermajority, former president of Planned Parenthood, and author of Make Trouble “The Turnaway Study demonstrates the power of narrative in illuminating why women seek abortions. I have always been a feminist, and I believe we have a responsibility to safeguard reproductive rights for women everywhere–and for future generations. In this book, statistics and stories meet to reveal the consequences of denying women this service, as well as what happens when they receive it. The Turnaway Study is an essential read.” -Isabel Allende, author of A Long Petal of the Sea and The House of the Spirits “Dispelling so many of the prevailing myths about why women seek abortion, this compelling, carefully researched, and unique study makes clear how public policies can so powerfully harm women as they make this deeply personal decision. The moving stories of real women will help illuminate for all of us - both pro-choice and anti-abortion advocates - how restrictive policies can damage the lives of women and their families and why no woman should be turned away when she seeks an abortion.” -Judy Norsigian and Jane Pincus, authors of Our Bodies, Ourselves “Discourse and dialogue about abortion are far too often a fact free zone, filled with emotion and ideology and bereft of the wisdom of social science. Foster has been at the forefront of changing this destructive dynamic. She has spent years studying the impact on real people and real lives of being able to access abortion services. Her work challenges how we evaluate morality in public policy–i

Diana Greene Foster is a professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences and director of research at Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH). An internationally recognized expert on women’s experiences with contraception and abortion, she is the principal investigator of the Turnaway Study. She has a bachelor’s of science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a doctorate from Princeton University. She lives with her husband and two children in the San Francisco Bay Area.