Researcher shifts dissertation to track abortion access changes after Roe v Wade overturn
Betsy Pleasants adapted her UC Berkeley graduate project in spring 2022 to study Reddit conversations following the Supreme Court decision that ended Roe v Wade.
Project shift at UC Berkeley
Pleasants was originally researching pandemic effects on abortion services when a leaked draft opinion emerged. Her thesis committee agreed to change the focus immediately after the court finalized its decision in June. The new work tracks barriers to care and online resources for health information.
Analysis of Reddit forum posts
The team examined thousands of entries from the r/abortion community using natural language processing tools. This approach allowed them to monitor emerging restrictions in real time across different states. Pleasants now works at the University of North Carolina Center for Women's Health Research.
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