Reproductive Health
ANA Position Statement
Approved: March 7, 2022
Statement of ANA Position
The purpose of this Position Statement is to guide ANA’s advocacy and policy engagement on issues related to nursing and sexual and reproductive health (SRH).
ANA affirms:
- Everyone has the right to privacy and the right to make decisions about SRH based on full information and without coercion.
- Nurses are obligated to share with their patients in an unbiased manner all relevant information about SRH choices that are available and to support that patient regardless of the decisions that patient makes.
- Abortion is a reproductive health alternative that nurses and other providers can discuss when counseling patients.
- SRH care should be widely available, accessible, and affordable for all.
- Nurses have the right to refuse to participate in SRH care based on ethical grounds, as long as patient safety is assured, and alternative sources of care have been arranged.