RICHMOND, Va. — The consequences following the Supreme Court's Dobbs' decision overturning of Roe v. Wade two years ago were discussed at the VCU Wilder School of Government and Public Policy Wednesday.
In a presentation titled "The Dobbs Decision: Looking at the Health Policy Consequences Two Years Later," associate professor emerita of internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology at the VCU School of Medicine, Dr. Wendy Klein, shared data pointing to growing complications for pregnant women's health when denied abortions as healthcare. "We are now seeing harm to those facing severe pregnancy complications."
Pregnancy complications include among others, ectopic pregnancies, fetal anomalies, obstetric challenges and spontaneous miscarriages. "We are hearing a lot of reports of women who are with spontaneous miscarriages who are being turned away from emergency rooms and left to miscarry in bathrooms and parking lots," said Klein.
The University of Idaho estimates that Dobbs' decision will increase pregnancy deaths by 21 percent.
The consequences reach way beyond the immediate health of a pregnant woman. More doctors are choosing not to practice or even continue their careers in Ob-gyn in states where there is a risk of being criminally charged for following medical standards of care. "Physicians are caught between their mandate to prioritize a patient's well-being and avoiding criminalization."
The June 24, 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization launched lawmakers in more than 14 states to enact various abortion bans. The issue is expected to be key in the upcoming November elections with Democrats accusing Republicans of bulldozing a woman's right to make their own healthcare choices.