A woman inside Wisconsin was left to bleed for more than 10 days after suffering an incomplete one miscarriage how doctors in the state struggle to navigate cancellation laws in a postroe America.
Carley Zeal, a southern Wisconsin OB/GYN and fellow Physicians for Reproductive Health, narrates The Washington Post that the unidentified woman miscarried and the fetal tissue had to be removed from her uterus.
However, due to Wisconsin’s absolute ban on abortion, the woman was turned away by emergency room staff at a state hospital.
dr Zeal said she saw the woman more than 10 days later when she was still bleeding profusely and at serious risk of infection.
She treated the patient with drugs to expel the fetal tissue from her uterus – the same drugs used in many abortions.
“That really delayed her care,” said Dr. Zeal. “I saw her a week and a half later with an ongoing miscarriage and bleeding, which increased the risk of serious bleeding and infection.”
The US Supreme Court overthrew the landmark Deer vs Wade June 24 decision ending 50 years of federal abortion protections and returning access power to the individual states.
In Wisconsin, nearly all abortions were outright outlawed because of an outdated 1849 law that criminalizes performing abortions and carries a penalty of up to six years in prison.
The only exception to the state ban on abortion is when the mother’s life is in danger.
Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul have challenged the 1849 statute, arguing that it should be unenforceable because of its age and that the 1980s statutes supersede prohibition.
Demonstrators near the US Capitol on June 24 as Roe was toppled against Wade
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In the meantime, however, abortion providers have been forced to halt supply and doctors are urging them to understand how to treat patients, including women suffering from miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies and other complications.
dr Zeal tells The Washington Post that another doctor had asked her for a second opinion on a patient suffering from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy.
“She knew exactly what she had to do there [the patient] was bleeding and would definitely die if nothing were done,” said Dr. Zeal. “But she wasn’t sure what she needed to document to make sure she wouldn’t be charged with a crime.”
Confusion over whether doctors can treat patients without being prosecuted has become a growing problem in several states.
Multiple reports point to delays in patient care as doctors have been forced to consult other doctors and attorneys for approval.
With access to abortion broken in the US, Democrats are trying to introduce sweeping federal protections.
On Friday, the US House of Representatives passed two bills: the Women’s Health Protection Act and the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act.
The Women’s Health Protection Act would codify abortion rights across America.
But while the bill passed the House of Representatives, it’s unlikely to exonerate the Senate, which has a 50-50 split between Republicans and Democrats.
