Two Missouri OB-GYNs said family planning has become increasingly anxiety-inducing for many patients, especially those with high-risk pregnancies, since abortion was outlawed in 2022.
Dr. Betsy Wickstrom says she’s still lacking clarity on what constitutes a medical emergency under Missouri’s abortion ban, despite the law having been in place for more than two years.
In Missouri, health care providers who perform abortions not deemed necessary emergencies can be charged with a class B felony, which means up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.
So Wickstrom, a high-risk obstetrician in Kansas City more than three decades into her career, must first consult a team of lawyers.
“When we have something that looks like it’s skirting the line and there’s a flicker of a heartbeat, but someone is desperately ill, sure I can call up the attorney,” she told reporters Monday. “But they’re not going to put the hospital’s licensure on the line. They’re going to say ‘you know, good thing you live next to Kansas.’”
Read more here: https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/16/missouri-doctors-obgyns-support-amendment-3-abortion/
