AG says Plan B is legal in Missouri. Here’s how Ozarks hospitals are dealing with new law.

After a Kansas City health system announced that it would no longer provide emergency contraception, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Gov. Mike Parson's office clarified Wednesday that the state's trigger law does not ban Plan B or other emergency contraception.

Saint Luke's Heath System, which operates hospitals in both Missouri and Kansas, announced Tuesday that emergency contraception would not be provided at Missouri locations before reversing course on Wednesday after Schmitt's declaration.

Missouri's trigger law, passed last Friday morning after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision regarding Roe v. Wade, has prompted hospitals across the state to re-evaluate some of their procedures.

The leadership team at CoxHealth in Springfield is reviewing the recent legislation and developing guidance for providers and staff, said director of corporate communications Randy Berger.

"It is currently too early to know all the details of how the changes will affect our policies and processes," Berger said.

Mercy Hospital Springfield will only provide emergency contraception for victims of sexual assault. This is not a new change to Mercy's policies.

"For victims of sexual assault, Mercy’s highly trained staff does a thorough exam," Mercy media relations and communications manager Sonya Kullmann said in a statement. "After appropriate testing, medications that would prevent ovulation or fertilization can be given."

More: Missouri officials, advocates and candidates react to Roe v. Wade overturning, abortion ban

As for other regional hospitals, Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar is not making any changes to how it handles emergency contraception.

"I don't anticipate a lot of change," Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ron Davis told the News-Leader. "I think our physicians are used to helping out patients, supporting them, giving them general care. I don't see it having a huge impact because those services (abortion) have not been available here anyways."

The News-Leader also reached out to Freeman Heath System, which has several locations in southwest Missouri. Media specialist Lisa Olliges said the heath system did not have anyone who could accommodate an interview request on this topic.

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade the morning of Friday, June 24 with its ruling in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Missouri was one of 13 states with a trigger ban. This automatically banned abortion after fetal visibility — when the fetus can survive outside of the womb — in Missouri.

"Nothing in the Dobbs decision or subsequent state action rendered individual drugs illegal," Kelli Jones, spokesperson for Parson, said in a statement. "Section 188.017, RSMo criminalizes the performance of an abortion absent a medical emergency. An abortion is defined in Missouri law as taking action with the intent to destroy an embryo or fetus. Abortion and contraception are different things, one ends life while the other prevents pregnancy.

"A medical professional’s intent when prescribing medication is always relevant to the lawfulness of their action. The Department of Health and Senior Services is reviewing its regulations related to these issues to ensure the regulations are up-to-date and conform with state law."

More: Missouri was restricting abortion before Roe v. Wade was overturned. Here's a look at the timeline.

The Department of Health and Senior Services echoed this in a statement Thursday morning.

"Before and following the Supreme Court of the United States' ruling ... Missouri law does not ban the use of contraception methods," the statement read. "DHSS is currently reviewing regulations related to abortion facilities to ensure their accordance with state law."

For more information about women's health resources in Missouri, DHSS recommended visiting health.mo.gov/womenshealth or calling Missouri's Maternal and Child Health Line at 800-835-5465.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: What Ozarks hospitals plan for Plan B, emergency contraception