Abortion proponents have long tried to convince anyone who is not an ardent abortion supporter that women need abortion. But since the Supreme Court draft majority opinion in the Dobbs case was leaked in May of this year those claims have heightened to include that women’s health and safety are threatened when abortion is not readily available on demand and thus women who live in life states are at risk.
Earlier this year, the Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) issued a report refuting pro-abortion claims that states with strong laws protecting the unborn sacrifice medical care for women experiencing miscarriage or ectopic pregnancies.
The CLI report “Pro-Life Laws Protect Mom and Baby: Pregnant Women’s Lives are Protected in All States” reviewed 23 states with laws protecting the unborn from abortion. The report was updated in September after a new law in Indiana went on the books. Therefore, 24 states have implemented pro-life laws and not one prevents medical treatment to save a pregnant woman’s life.
“… legal and medical analysis shows that all states with strong pro-life laws currently on the books allow necessary and timely medical treatment for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and other procedures necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman,” the report states.
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Heartbeat International’s legal counsel agreed with that assessment.
“There's not a single law in the country that I'm aware of that would allow for a woman to be arrested even for having an intentional abortion, let alone a miscarriage,” said Danielle White. “It's really unfortunate because these lies are preventing women from seeking life-saving medical care, and they're getting in the way of women who want to potentially save the lives of their children.”
Distrust of the pro-life movement and lack of education play roles in people’s fear and uncertainty, White said.
“I think there's a real distrust between the sides, so it's hard for someone who has that deep distrust for pro-life to wrap their minds around the reality that we're good with women receiving life- saving care,” she said. “I think the distrust between the two sides is playing into that and also just a lack of education, people just not being educated about the development of the unborn child.”
“It's become so political that people are still stuck in their old ways of thinking about this issue,” said White.
The medical community could help but seems to choose not to, White added.
“The pro-abortion medical establishment is not helping – they’re just muddying the waters,” she said. “They're not offering clarification or doing the hard work of talking through these issues. It feels to me like they're seizing on the confusion and not helping to clear it up.”
CLI legal scholar Mary E. Harned stated in the report, “A plain reading of any of these statutes easily refutes the false and dangerous misinformation being spread by pro-abortion activists. Further, none of these laws prohibit a medical professional from acting as necessary when facing a life-threatening medical emergency. To claim otherwise is either ignorance of the law or willful misrepresentation.”
“… flood gates of pro-abortion propaganda and misinformation,” were opened upon the overturn of Roe v. Wade a June Live Action article on the matter stated. “One of the most popular claims being spread right now is that treatment for miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies will be banned in pro-life states. This is false.”
“… treating a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy is legal. Everywhere,” it went on to say.
CLI’s report and the Live Action article review pro-life laws on the books in various states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, and Wyoming.
The CLI report also highlights miscarriage management procedures as well as medical intervention for ectopic pregnancies and other life-threatening medical conditions during pregnancy.
Knowing and understanding what the laws say and what medical situations are life-threatening during pregnancy and how those are treated, is necessary, according to White.
“People haven't had to make that really critical distinction of a baby who has already died and the woman needing help delivering that baby and life-saving medical care associated with that versus a baby who has not already died,” White said. “It just underscores the whole crux of the issue for the two different sides, for pro-life people concerned about the intentional killing of an unborn child. Pro- abortion people tend to be more focused on the woman's body, what's going to happen with her body. This is a place, when it comes to miscarriage management, those two interests simply are not at odds.”
Pregnancy medical resource centers can be a voice of reason and a source of truth, White added.
“When women come into centers and they're receiving ultrasounds, for example, they routinely receive instructions like, ‘This is what you should do if you've experiencing bleeding; these are signs of an ectopic pregnancy; these are signs that would warrant a trip to the emergency room,’” White said. “I think that they're in a great position to put women's minds at ease, that if a woman needs medical care, she can safely receive medical care.”
The complete CLI report is available HERE.
Editor's note: Heartbeat International manages Pregnancy Help News.
