Iowa OB/GYN, advocates concerned with medical emergency definition in new abortion law

DES MOINES, Iowa (WHO) — It’s been two weeks since the new abortion law has been enforceable in the state, and one OB/GYN is concerned with a specific portion of the exemptions.

“When you use imprecise language it sets everything up for confusion,” said Dr. Francesca Turner, an OB/GYN from Des Moines.

The bill states that “except in the case of a medical emergency or fetal heartbeat exception, a physician shall not perform an abortion…”. The definition for medical abortion is defined in Iowa Code 146a.1 .

Dr. Turner talked with WHO 13 about the definition and how she believes it’s problematic for doctors and patients in the state.

“The example that I use a lot is how much blood exactly does a woman have to lose,” said Turner. “What’s that line? I don’t know because when someone comes in bleeding I stop it and you would do that for any medical condition.”

Turner is referencing the part in the definition that says “when continuation of the pregnancy will create a serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.” Turner said that every single patient is unique and there isn’t a singular definition of medical emergency that makes sense in her mind.

Her concern is that this will make doctors who need to make a split decision in the operating room have their minds on whether or not their medical license is at risk if the procedure isn’t in line with Iowa law. Or, doctors may be forced to have their license on hold while a procedure is reviewed to determine whether they acted within the scope of the law. Turner says these aren’t things a doctor should be weighing.

“If you look at Iowa, so many of those hospitals don’t even have a hospital attorney to consult with,” said Turner. “It’s scary for physicians who want to follow standard of care but they also don’t want to break the law.”

She also mentioned the OB/GYNs leaving the state and how this law will impact rural hospitals who had already been struggling before the law was enacted.

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