The Impact of Abortion Restrictions on Women’s Health and Healthcare ProvidersThe Impact of Abortion Restrictions on Women’s Health and Healthcare Providers The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has had profound implications for women’s reproductive healthcare. In states like North Carolina, where abortion access has been severely restricted, the impact has been especially pronounced. Impact on Women’s Health Dr. Beverly Gray, an OB/GYN at Duke Health, highlights the detrimental effects of abortion restrictions on women’s health: * Increased use of unsafe abortion methods: Women who cannot access legal abortions may resort to unsafe methods, putting their lives at risk. * Delayed prenatal care: Restrictions can discourage women from seeking prenatal care until they are forced to, potentially compromising the health of both the mother and baby. * Increased maternal mortality: Access to safe and legal abortion has been shown to reduce maternal mortality. Restrictions remove this option, putting women at a greater risk of dying due to pregnancy complications. Impact on Healthcare Providers Healthcare providers are also feeling the strain of these restrictions: * Ethical dilemmas: Providers may face ethical dilemmas when they are unable to provide essential reproductive healthcare to their patients. * Increased legal liability: Providers may be exposed to increased legal liability if they perform abortions or provide information about abortion options. * Reduced patient access to care: Restrictions force healthcare providers to limit or deny access to abortion care, even in cases where it is medically necessary. Urgent Need for Change Dr. Gray emphasizes the urgent need for changes to the restrictive abortion laws in North Carolina. She advocates for: * Prioritizing women’s health: Ensuring that women have access to safe and legal abortions, as well as comprehensive reproductive healthcare. * Protecting healthcare providers: Ensuring that providers are not unjustly burdened with legal restrictions or ethical dilemmas. * Expanding access to prenatal care: Removing barriers to prenatal care and promoting healthy pregnancies for all women.
It has now been two years since the U.S. Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion care, and since then numerous states—including North Carolina—have moved quickly to end or severely restrict access to abortion. In 2023, Republican state lawmakers in Raleigh passed a law banning abortion after age 12e week of pregnancy and imposes a number of additional, burdensome restrictions on early-stage abortions.
What has been the effect of these changes – both on women’s health and on the antenatal care they receive and on the health professionals who try to provide that care? Recently, NC Newsline spoke with one of the state’s most knowledgeable experts in the field, Duke Health OB/GYN Dr. Beverly Gray, to find out.
