Positive

Around 6,600 abortions are performed in Singapore each year, with an estimated 90% of these women going through the process for the first time. These women span a wide range of ages (from early teens to their 40s), marital status, financial situations, and stages of pregnancy. A 2023 NUH study found that 34.7% of women seeking termination of pregnancy were unmarried, with a mean age of 24 years old.

Additionally, data from 2015-2019 shows that around 4 in 10 pregnancies in Singapore were unplanned, and approximately 1 in 4 of these unplanned pregnancies ended in abortion. Women with unplanned pregnancies, tend to experience higher levels of anxiety and negative emotions, increased depressive symptoms during pregnancy, and a higher risk of postpartum depression.

• Private clinic websites are often the top search results, but they can be overwhelming, skewed towards certain procedures, or perceived as untrustworthy given their business agenda

• Public healthcare information is fragmented, with medical and surgical abortions listed on separate pages and no guidance on how to choose between them

• Social service organisations offer valuable support, but only serve a small subset of women who experience unplanned pregnancies

• Reddit and forums are where many turn, but information is scattered across threads, outdated, or shared through informal direct messages

This leads to delays that can increase costs, reduce available options as the pregnancy advances, and add unnecessary anxiety during an already stressful time.

Decisions around unplanned pregnancies are time-sensitive, especially for those considering abortion, where gestational age affects which methods are available and how much they cost. Women deserve access to accurate, objective information so they can make informed choices without having to piece it together from unreliable or fragmented sources.

Providing this information isn't about steering women towards any particular decision. It's about ensuring they have what they need to make the choice that's right for their circumstances.

With Positive, women in Singapore can explore all options in one place, understand what each path involves, and access specific details on costs, timelines, and processes. Most of all, they can feel more equipped to make a decision and reflect on what is best for their circumstances.

• User testing with women who have experienced unplanned pregnancies has not yet been completed

• Currently available in English only - not yet in Chinese, Bahasa Melayu or Tamil

• The tool is not directly connected to any helpline, so women who want to speak with someone will need to navigate those services separately

Across the sessions, agency staff affirmed that the tool addresses a real gap and would be useful for their clients.

• The tone was described as “validating”, “soft”, and “sufficiently instructive”, which is important for women who are already feeling overwhelmed.

• The emphasis on privacy was appreciated, particularly the reassurance that any responses entered stays on the user’s device.

• Having all three options outlined clearly in a single place was seen as the most useful part of the tool

Feedback also surfaced areas where the tool could better meet users’ needs:

• Some of the staff noted that the site feels “cold” and “detached”. They also suggested a warmer opening message to establish intent and reassure users, such as “Hi, we’re so glad you’re here. We know this is a tough time…”

• Relatedly, feedback included request for larger fonts, bigger buttons, brighter colours, and calming visuals or illustrations

• Some sections have too many questions or too much text. For women in crisis, this can feel exhausting. They suggested streamlining the flow and reducing the number of reflection prompts

We’re exploring how social service agencies might integrate the tool into their existing workflows (e.g. QR codes during outreach events or sharing the link at counselling sessions).