Jenna Driscoll, MD: Lawmakers shouldn’t disregard the medical necessity for abortion
With the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, it is imperative that all persons with the ability to be pregnant are protected from unnecessary injury and death as new laws are passed to limit abortion. Unfortunately, life threatening bills are being proposed and some laws already exist that disregard the medical necessity for abortion.
Not all pregnancies are carried to term without complications to the fetus and/or the expectant mother. These complications can prove fatal and substantially limit life to one or both. In these situations, abortions are lifesaving medical procedures. Anti-abortion laws must take these situations into account. Ectopic pregnancies are a prime example.
Ectopic pregnancy is when an egg implants outside of the uterus in the fallopian tube. If not removed it can cause a rupture of the tube, internal bleeding and death to the mother. All persons forced to carry an ectopic pregnancy to term put their lives at risk unnecessarily, as an ectopic embryo will not survive past the first trimester.
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Another example, “spontaneous abortion,” describes a miscarriage that is experienced in approximately 25 percent of pregnancies. While this process may often occur without medical intervention, treatment in the way of medication and surgery may be required to ensure the safety of the mother by preventing or treating severe bleeding and infection.
There are several other situations in which pregnancies are nonviable and are likely to result in harm to the mother due to serious complications of the impact of birth and unfortunately this is more commonplace than advertised or discussed.
It may seem like a simple request that lawmakers consider medical expertise when proposing these bills; however, current medical knowledge has been neglected in the past. As physicians and medical personnel, we must protect and serve our communities, as well as provide citizens with the information to advocate for themselves. Now more than ever, it is crucial to set aside political ideology and personal beliefs to protect the health and safety of all those who might become pregnant.
Florida's current law protects the right of abortion at all gestational ages in the event of life or physical health endangerment. As a woman, daughter, friend, community member, physician and (hopefully) a mother one day, I plea for this right to stand.
Jenna Driscoll is a family medicine physician in Jacksonville.
This guest column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jenna Driscoll: Lawmakers can't disregard abortion as medical necessity
