Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The legal framework in Germany allows patients to access abortion services only under certain regulations without being legally prosecuted. There is a decline in abortion providers, despite abortion numbers remaining the same. This trend has been associated with the legal framework as well as the limited opportunity to learn about reproductive health topics during medical school. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the medical school curriculum regarding emergency contraception and abortion by conducting a study targeted at medical students in Germany. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess German medical students' opinion, knowledge and curriculum evaluation towards emergency contraception and abortion using a 70-item online survey. RESULTS: The responses of n = 1167 medical students from 34 German medical schools were analysed. The results showed that 97.3% of participants supported the statement that abortion should be legal. 76.8% of respondents did not believe that access to abortion in Germany is sufficient. Curriculum evaluations showed that many students were not satisfied with the curriculum offered at their faculty or had not been taught about abortion or emergency contraception. 82.4% of respondents indicated their willingness to offer abortion care in their future career. CONCLUSION: German medical students hold a primarily positive attitude towards abortion and show willingness to offer abortion care. However, the evaluation of the curriculum offered within their studies indicates a need for improvement, to sufficiently represent abortion and emergency contraception, with the aim of training and educating future abortion providers in accordance with current medical guidelines.