DOI: 10.1097/aog.0000000000005483 ISSN: 0029-7844

Abortion Trigger Laws Compared With the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act

Steven B. Cherry
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
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In 2022, the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization reneged the Constitutional right to an abortion. Many states now enforce laws that ban abortions. There are significant conflicts between state abortion laws and federal regulations that mandate proper assessment, treatment, and stabilization of patients who present for emergency care. This conflict places physicians in an untenable position when treating patients who have a pregnancy that endangers their life. In states that deem abortion a felony, transfer of these patients can extricate the physician, who is in a difficult position. Currently, it is the only reasonable option for hospitals and physicians who are trapped between conflicting state laws and Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act rules and regulations.

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