My research focuses on sexual and reproductive health, with particular emphasis on how personal choices regarding whether, when, and how to have children are often influenced by political and societal factors. I specialize in abortion and abortion policy, both nationally and globally, and my research interests lie at the intersection of health and society.

I investigate how political directives, societal norms, economic interests, health systems, and religious beliefs affect individual reproductive autonomy. It is important to understand both the obvious and underlying mechanisms that shape and govern reproduction, in order to address future demographic changes without compromising individuals' rights to make decisions about their own lives.

My research interests also encompass health policy, society, and individual experiences, where health disparities often manifest. The healthcare system does not function equally for all groups, and this is a central theme in my research. Although my main focus is on sexual and reproductive health, I am also interested in how health policy affects individuals' experiences with the healthcare system in other areas, such as migration health

Vi må verne om det norske helsevesenet - Bergens Tidende 27.9.2019

Kvinnekroppen som forhandlingskort - Bergens Tidende 8.3.2019

When abortions become public - a case from rural Zambia - Presentation at anniverisy seminar for Centre for International Health 10.12.2018

Mange millioner jenter blir uønsket gravide - Bergens Tidene 02.12.2018

Kvinnekropper i politisk spill, igjen (Female bodies in politics, again) - guest blogpost at Maddam.no, October 31, 2018

Law, politics and adolescent sexual and reproductive health: evidence of impact - panelist in panel during Bergen Exchanges 21.8.2018

La oss snakke litt om abort (Let's talk about abortion) - guest blogpost at Maddam.no, June 14, 2018

 

Culture and health, medical anthropology, qualitative research methods, sexual and reporductive health and rights, ethnography

Media feature article

• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Erik Sveberg Dietrichs; Bjørn Kristian Danbolt (2025). Tre visjoner for fremtidens forskning. (external link)
• Jansen Karine Aasgaard; Astrid Blystad; Karen Marie Ingeborg Moland et al. (2019). Kvinnekroppen som forhandlingskort. (external link)
• Astrid Blystad; Karen Marie Ingeborg Moland; Haldis Haukanes et al. (2019). Kvinnekroppen som forhandlingskort. (external link)
• André Brodtkorb; Erik Sveberg Dietrichs; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2026). Fem råd til sektoren ved ansettelser og opprykk. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Karen Marie Ingeborg Moland; Frøydis Kristine Bruvik et al. (2023). Abortlov til vurdering. (external link)

Lecture

• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2018). Law, politics and adolescent sexual and reproductive health: evidence of impact. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2024). Etikksalong - Hvorfor trenger vi en ny abortlov?. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2019). Beyond legality – An ethnography of the Zambian abortion policy. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2021). Panel debate: People we come across. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2023). Beyond the law? Abortion policy and politics in Zambia. (external link)

Media interview

• Espen Halvorsen Bjørgan; Svenn-Erik Mamelund; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2025). Dansk forskningsfond dropper panelene til fordel for eksterne fagfeller. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2023). Forslag om å endre abortnemndene støttes av forskning. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2023). Å møte i abortnemnd virker meningsløst for mange. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2023). Ny forskning på abortnemndene: - Lite forståelsesfullt system for kvinnene. (external link)

Academic article

• Joseph M. Zulu; Astrid Blystad; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland et al. (2019). Why teach sexuality education in school? Teacher discretion in implementing comprehensive sexuality education in rural Zambia. (external link)
• Astrid Blystad; Haldis Haukanes; Getnet Tadele et al. (2019). The access paradox: abortion law, policy and practice in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zambia. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Haldis Haukanes; Joseph M. Zulu et al. (2019). Shaping the abortion policy – competing discourses on the Zambian termination of pregnancy act. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2016). Krevende kommunikasjon om svangerskap og fødsel - Om veiledning av innvandrerkvinner på en norsk helsestasjon. (external link)
• David Mukunya; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; James K. Tumwine et al. (2018). "We shall count it as a part of kyogero": acceptability and considerations for scale up of single dose chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care in Central Uganda. (external link)
• David Mukunya; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; James K Tumwine et al. (2020). “The cord is the child”: meanings and practices related to umbilical cord care in Central Uganda. (external link)
• Jennifer Jean Infanti; Jessica Omija Korpela; Chloe Maria Stephenson et al. (2025). Student experiences and perspectives on decolonising global health education: a qualitative study across five Nordic countries. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Haldis Haukanes; Joseph Zulu et al. (2020). Silent politics and unknown numbers: Rural health bureaucrats and Zambian abortion policy. (external link)
• Mulumebet Zenebe; Marte E.S. Haaland (2025). ‘The lesser evil’–Abortion and reproductive stigma among Ethiopian university students. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Joseph Mumba Zulu; Karen Marie Ingeborg Moland et al. (2020). When abortion becomes public - Everyday politics of reproduction in rural Zambia. (external link)
• Emily Mclean; Ingrid Miljeteig; Astrid Blystad et al. (2024). From political priority to service delivery: Complexities to real-life priority of abortion services in Ethiopia. (external link)
• Margarate N. Munakampe; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Joseph M. Zulu et al. (2021). From science to sustainable systems: Evidence based-decision making for adolescent fertility in Zambia. (external link)

Conference lecture

• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2025). Reproductive Interfaces: Politics, Power and Care in Second Trimester Abortions. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2019). Shaping the abortion policy: Competing discourses on the Zambian Termination of Pregnancy Act. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2023). Reproductive Justice and Democracy - Roundtable on Bergen Exchanges. (external link)
• Kristine Husøy Onarheim; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Sarah Hawkes (2020). Kultur over struktur i norsk innvandrerhelse? En studie av norsk helsepolitikk med fokuspå seksuell og kjønnsbasert vold blant flyktninger. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Marianne Kjelsvik (2023). Kvinners erfaringer fra abortnemnder - presentasjon av en samfunnsvitenskapelig studie. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2022). Beyond the law - polemics and controversy over Zambia's abortion policy. (external link)
• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2018). Beyond legality - An ethnogrphy of the Zambian abortion law. (external link)

Research report

• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Marianne Kjelsvik; Kaya Sinem Cetin et al. (2023). Kvinners erfaringer med abortnemnder. (external link)

Conference poster

• David Mukunya; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Thorkild Tylleskär et al. (2017). We shall count it as a part of kyogero?. Acceptability of single dose 7.1% chlorhexidine di-gluconate solution for umbilical cord care among women in Kampala and Mukono district, central Uganda: A qualitative study. (external link)

Letter to the editor

• Ingvild Reymert; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2024). HK-dir vil institusjonalisere et karrierehull. (external link)

Master’s thesis

• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Anne Karen Bjelland (2015). Krevende kommunikasjon om svangerskap og fødsel. En studie av møtet mellom jordmødre og innvandrerkvinner på en norsk helsestasjon. (external link)

Journal review

• Joseph M. Zulu; Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland (2019). Situating the Mexico City Policy: what shapes contraceptive access and abortion?. (external link)

Doctoral thesis (PhD)

• Marte Emilie Sandvik Haaland; Astrid Blystad; Karen Marie Ingeborg Moland et al. (2021). Beyond the Law - An Ethnography of Zambian Abortion Politics. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

SAFEZT - Competing discourses impacting girls’ and women’s rights: Fertility control and safe abortion in Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania

CISMAC - Centre for Intervention Science in Maternal and Child Health

Women’s experiences with abortion boards in Norway (WAB)