Can Women Die if They Can’t Have an Abortion?

Women who have high-risk pregnancies or pregnancy-related conditions sometimes require life-saving treatment. The medical community is committed to providing women with the care that they need.

Often (if not always), states that rigidly restrict abortion access, like Texas, the statute includes an exception for a medical emergency for the woman. 

Women will not be denied life-saving treatment, including pregnancy termination.

Is Treatment for an Ectopic Pregnancy the Same as an Abortion?

Some medical terms surrounding pregnancy-related conditions can be confusing when trying to understand what procedure is needed for which condition. 

For example, treatment for an ectopic pregnancy (non-viable embryo or fetus located outside the womb) is different than an elective or voluntary abortion (removal of a viable fetus from inside the uterus).

Ectopic pregnancies are always non-viable and can be life-threatening if left untreated. 

Depending on the treatment method, medical protocols for ectopic pregnancies can include a medication called methotrexate or surgical intervention. Elective abortion usually occurs through surgery that removes the fetus from the uterus or through a series of drugs called mifepristone and misoprostol. These end the pregnancy and induce cramping to expel the fetus and the pregnancy remains.

Is Treatment for a Miscarriage the Same as an Abortion?

A miscarriage can sometimes be called a “spontaneous” abortion but is defined by the Mayo Clinic as “when a pregnancy ends on its own before the 20th week of pregnancy.”

An elective abortion (which is what abortions normally are) is a pregnancy that a woman chooses (elects) to end on her own. 

The medications used for abortion can also be used for a miscarriage, although one ends a viable pregnancy and the other has the end goal of just emptying the uterus of the remnants of the already non-viable pregnancy. 

The medications used in treatment can be the same, but the end goal is different.  

Will Emergency Treatment To End Pregnancy Be Denied Post Roe?

Medical treatment related to health risks caused by pregnancy will continue to be provided. As the Secretary of Health and Human Services stated, treatment is the responsibility of medical professionals who will do everything possible to save the woman’s life, defining emergency medical conditions as “ectopic pregnancy, complications of pregnancy loss…preeclampsia with severe features.”

What Are My Options?

Please contact us today for your no-cost, confidential consultation where you can learn about your options and make an informed decision. Reach out and we will help you find the support and care you deserve.