Heather Gould, MPH

Heather Gould, MPH is a Project Director for UCSF’s Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH). She oversees research that is redefining how we measure and understand pregnancy desires and decision-making and examining how health care providers navigate legal and institutional policies to support pregnant patients. A founding member of the ANSIRH Program from its inception in 2002, Heather has over two decades of experience co-designing, managing, and implementing qualitative and quantitative sexual and reproductive health research studies. Her research has helped shift the public’s understanding of how pregnancy and abortion impact people’s lives. She has co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications in high-profile journals, such as Contraception and BMJ Open. Narratives from qualitative interviews she conducted are featured in the book, The Turnaway Study: Ten Years, A Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having— or Being Denied— an Abortion.

Prior to ANSIRH, Heather worked in prenatal care, family planning, and abortion care facilities, experiences which continue to inform her projects. Heather’ research is motivated by her strong commitment to research ethics, data security, and principles of reproductive justice. She received her MPH from the University of California, Berkeley, with a concentration on Maternal and Child Health.

For a full list of Heather Gould's publications, awards, and presentations, click here.

Citations

Roberts SCM, Gould H, Terplan M, Biggs MA. Beliefs about reporting self-managed abortion to government authorities among health professionals registering for a professional education webinar. Contraception. December 2025; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2025.111325.
Gould H, Claudia Zaugg, MPH, Scott KA, Roberts SCM. Mistrust Limits Possibilities for Patient-Provider Discussions Regarding Cannabis Use During Pregnancy. Women's Health Issues. October 2025; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2025.09.002.
Gould H, Claudia Zaugg, MPH, Biggs MA, Woodruff K, Long W, Mailman K, Vega J, Roberts SCM. Mandatory Warning Signs for Cannabis: Perspectives and Preferences of Pregnant and Recently Pregnant People Who Use Cannabis. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. February 2025; https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.23-00214.
Mosley EA, Mena-Meléndez L, Gould H, Hasselbacher L, Madera M, Moseson H, Seymour JW. Navigating "regulatory fog": Challenges to rigorous abortion research after the Dobbs v. Jackson decision. Contraception. January 2025; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2025.110815.
Rocca CH, Gould H, Elizabeth Gonzalez, Foster DG, Isabel Muñoz, PhD, Miriam Parra, RN, Ralph LJ. Cohort profile: the ADAPT study, a prospective study of pregnancy preferences, pregnancy, and health and well-being in the southwestern USA. BMJ Open. September 2024; https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-085372.
Upadhyay UD, Foster DG, Gould H, Biggs MA. Intimate relationships after receiving versus being denied an abortion: A 5-year prospective study in the United States. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. November 2022; https://doi.org/10.1363/psrh.12216.
Foster DG, Gould H, Biggs MA. Timing of Pregnancy Discovery Among Women Seeking Abortion. Contraception. August 2021; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2021.07.110. [Epub ahead of print]..
Rocca CH, Moseson H, Gould H, Foster DG, Kimport K. Emotions over five years after denial of abortion in the United States: Contextualizing the effects of abortion denial on women's health and lives. Social Science & Medicine. November 2020; 113567.
Rocca CH, Gould H. Desire to Avoid Pregnancy Scale_English. July 2020.
Rocca CH, Gould H. Desire to Avoid Pregnancy Scale_Spanish. July 2020.
Rocca CH, Samari G, Foster DG, Gould H, Kimport K. Emotions and decision rightness over five years following an abortion: An examination of decision difficulty and abortion stigma. Social Science & Medicine. January 2020; 248(2020):112704.
Rocca CH, Ralph LJ, Wilson M, Gould H, Foster DG. Psychometric Evaluation of an Instrument to Measure Prospective Pregnancy Preferences: The Desire to Avoid Pregnancy Scale. Medical Care. February 2019; 57(2):152-158.
Biggs MA, Gould H, Barar RE, Foster DG. Five-Year Suicidal Ideation Trajectories Among Women Receiving or Being Denied an Abortion. American Journal of Psychiatry. May 2018; 175(9):845-852.
Woodruff K, Gould H, Biggs MA, Foster DG. Attitudes Toward Abortion After Receiving vs. Being Denied an Abortion in the USA. Journal of Sexuality Research and Social Policy. March 2018; 15(4):452-463.
Roberts SCM, Foster DG, Gould H, Biggs MA. Changes in Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use Over Five Years After Receiving Versus Being Denied a Pregnancy Termination. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. March 2018; 79(2), 293–301.
Berglas NF, Gould H, Turok DK, Sanders J, Perrucci A, Roberts SCM. State-mandated (mis)information and women’s endorsement of common abortion myths. Women's Health Issues. Mar-Apr 2017; 27(2): 129-135.
Sisson G, Ralph LJ, Gould H, Foster DG. Adoption Decision Making among Women Seeking Abortion. Women's Health Issues. March 2017; 27(2):136-144.
Foster DG, Barar RE, Gould H, Gomez I, Debbie Nguyen, Biggs MA. Projections and opinions from 100 experts in long-acting reversible contraception. Contraception. December 2015; 92(6):543-552.
Roberts SCM, Gould H, Upadhyay UD. Implications of Georgia's 20-Week Abortion Ban. American Journal of Public Health. August 2015; 105(8):e77-e82.
Rocca CH, Kimport K, Roberts SCM, Gould H, Neuhaus J, Foster DG. Decision Rightness and Emotional Responses to Abortion in the United States: A Longitudinal Study. PLOS One. July 2015; 10(7):e0128832.
Roberts SCM, Biggs MA, Chibber KS, Gould H, Rocca CH, Foster DG. Risk of Violence From the Man Involved in the Pregnancy After Receiving or Being Denied an Abortion. BMC Medicine. September 2014; 12:144.
Ralph LJ, Gould H, Baker A, Foster DG. The Role of Parents in Minor’s Decisions to Have an Abortion and Anticipated Coping After Abortion. Journal of Adolescent Health. April 2014; 54(4):428-34.
Roberts SCM, Gould H, Kimport K, Weitz TA, Foster DG. Out-of-Pocket Costs and Insurance Coverage for Abortion in the United States. Women's Health Issues. March 2014; (24)2:e211-218.
Dobkin L, Gould H, Barar RE, Ferrari M, Weiss E, Foster DG. Implementing a Prospective Study of Women Seeking Abortion in the United States: Understanding and Overcoming Barriers to Recruitment. Women's Health Issues. January 2014; 24(1):115-123.
Rocca CH, Kimport K, Gould H, Foster DG. Women’s Emotions One Week After Receiving or Being Denied an Abortion in the United States. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. September 2013; 45(3):122-31.
Gould H, Foster DG, Perrucci A, Barar RE, Roberts SCM. Predictors of Abortion Counseling Receipt and Helpfulness in the United States. Women's Health Issues. July 2013; 23(4):e249-55.
Biggs MA, Gould H, Foster DG. Understanding why women seek abortions in the US. BMC Women's Health. July 2013; 13:29.
Foster DG, Kimport K, Gould H, Roberts SCM, Weitz TA. Effect of abortion protesters on women’s emotional response to abortion. Contraception. January 2013; 87(1):81-7.
Foster DG, Gould H, Kimport K. How women anticipate coping after an abortion. Contraception. July 2012; 86(1):84-90.
Foster DG, Gould H, Taylor J, Weitz TA. Attitudes and Decision Making Among Women Seeking Abortions at One U.S. Clinic. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. June 2012; 42(2):117-24.
Gould H, Perrucci A, Barar RE, Sinkford D, Foster DG. Patient Education and Emotional Support Practices in Abortion Care Facilities in the United States. Women's Health Issues. May 2012; 22(4):e359-64.
Dobkin L, Gould H, Foster DG. Short-term morbidity associated with abortion and birth following an unwanted pregnancy. Population Association of America Annual Conference. April 2012.
Foster DG, Barar RE, Gould H, Schreiber CA, Weitz TA. Access to abortion services across the United States. October 2011.
Foster DG, Barar RE, Gould H, Weitz TA. Effect of clinic protesters on women’s emotional response to abortion. Contraception. September 2011; 84(3):303.
Gould H, Perrucci A, Barar RE, Foster DG. Review of Abortion Patient Information, Education and Emotional Support Practices in Clinics across the United States. April 2011.