Roe v. Wade left many women concerned about receiving care if they needed an abortion if their pregnancy became unsafe. These concerns are based on fear and not information.
Can Pregnancy Be Life-Threatening?
Sometimes, a woman’s life can be threatened by her pregnancy.
Miscarriage occurs when a woman’s pregnancy stops progressing. When this happens, the pregnancy usually passes on its own. Depending on the length of her pregnancy, a woman will likely only experience symptoms related to a heavy period.
Sometimes though, the pregnancy doesn’t completely pass by itself. If tissue from the pregnancy remains in the uterus for too long, a woman can develop an infection. In this situation, it is essential that she seek medical help.
Depending on how far along her pregnancy was, a provider will prescribe medication to cause the uterus to contract and force the pregnancy out of the body, or surgery will be recommended. Surgery following a miscarriage is called dilation and curettage (D&C). This procedure uses tools to hold open the cervix while the provider uses surgical tools and suction to remove the pregnancy.
Ectopic pregnancy is a condition that results when the pregnancy implants and begins growing somewhere other than the uterus. This condition is life-threatening to the woman and needs to be addressed by medical professionals.
Treatment for ectopic pregnancy is dependent on the size of the pregnancy. The woman’s physician will decide which is the safest option. Those options are either a medication called Methotrexate or surgery to remove the pregnancy. For more information, follow the Treatment link.
Care for Life-Threatening Pregnancies
Most states in the United States already have protections in place for life-threatening pregnancies, including Tennessee. This means that in the event that a woman’s pregnancy becomes unsafe for her, she will have access to the care she needs.
While women dying from not having access to abortion makes for dramatic television shows, the scenario is simply not based on fact. This misinformation spreads fear and can dangerously make women suffer in silence because they think help is unavailable or illegal.
To review, treatment for life-threatening pregnancies is not illegal!
Reach Out
Facing an unplanned pregnancy is hard enough without unnecessary fear. If you have other concerns that you would like to address, please let us know. Schedule a free appointment to get the facts you need to help you combat fears.