Docs v. SCOTUS: What physicians of different specialties have to say about Roe v. Wade

The firestorm otherwise known as the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade has sparked arguments and discussions among healthcare professionals on the medical implications for women who live in states where abortion is or could soon become illegal. Numerous doctors' groups have issued statements condemning the court's decision and highlighting the impact on patient care. "We know that now depending on where you live, depending on the state you reside in your zip code, your care may be vastly different," said Dr. Jamila Perritt, president and CEO of the U.S. organization Physicians for Reproductive Health. "And so these implications are really long and far reaching, not to mention the implications that we're going to see for things like infertility care, management of pregnancy loss and maternal mortality and morbidity." Read: At home medicated abortions improve access to care: advocates The U.S. already has "abysmal" rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, she added, particularly for Black women, who are three to four more times likely to die during childbirth and the postpartum period. "And so continuing to not make space, not make a way for folks to get the care that they need, we know that the impacts on maternal morbidity and mortality are going to be great as well," said Dr. Perritt. The American Psychological Association underlined the "strong relationship" between unwanted pregnancy and domestic abuse. "Specifically, psychological science suggests that the inability to obtain an abortion increases the risk for domestic abuse among those who are forced to stay in contact with violent partners, putting them and their children at risk." Read: U.S. court's plan to overturn abortion rights could exacerbate inequities in Canada Meanwhile in Michigan—where the ruling could herald a return of a 1931 criminal abortion ban—the state's chief medical officer, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, lamented that this would "not only punish women seeking abortion care, but it will also punish and criminalize healthcare providers who have dedicated their lives to providing the best care for their patients." Doctors will be forced to choose whether to "honor our oath to our patients, to our communities and to our profession, or uphold a law that is unjust and discriminatory and does not reflect the wishes of the majority of Michigan residents," Dr. Bagdasarian wrote in a statement. In Canada, many doctors and physician groups have spoken out. Dr. Vesta Michelle Warren, president of the Alberta Medical Association, described the striking down of Roe v. Wade as a "deadly threat" to the healthcare that women need and deserve. "Falling back to a world without Roe v. Wade raises a horrifying spectre of serious morbidity and mortality for the many who will now be unable to safely terminate a pregnancy," Dr. Warren wrote on behalf of the AMA. "We will be looking into the implications for Alberta-based physicians who provide services to American patients, as we may now face an influx in border communities and our larger cities." Dr. Roopan Gill, an obstetrician-gynecologist with Médecins Sans Frontières and the University of Toronto, said people will still seek abortions but the procedure will be riskier and more expensive. “The people who are going to suffer most from this are not wealthy, white, cis-hetero women," Dr. Gill told the Canadian Medical Association Journal. "It’s going to be Black women, people of colour, people with low-socioeconomic status, LGBTIQ.” Read: Liberal government gives $3.5 million to abortion access projects in Canada As expected, Roe v. Wade dominated conversations on social media. Dr. Alika Lafontaine, president-elect at the Canadian Medical Association, underlined the need for ensuring the seats of political and legal power are occupied by the right people. There are many, many reasons why women get abortions, wrote Boston fertility doctor Dr. Emily Seidler. Even those who want babies so badly may need to seek out the procedure. Dr. Amy Tan, a family physician who holds director, faculty mentor and associate clinical professor roles at the University of British Columbia, had a lot to say on the subject. Dr. Aline Charabaty Pishvaian, director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre at John Hopskins School of Medicine at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., is a pro-lifer with strong views against the court decision. Dr. Elad Sharon, senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute in Washington, D.C., and Dr. Shikha Jain, an oncologist at University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System in Chicago, frame the overturning of Roe v. Wade within the context of their specialties. A viewpoint from the lens of rheumatology and pediatrics from Dr. Grant Schulert at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. What if you have a high-risk pregnancy or a miscarriage? Two doctors paint a dire scenario. Here's what one advanced nurse practitioner in the U.S. reported about what one doctor in her workplace had to say.

Docs v. SCOTUS: What physicians of different specialties have to say about Roe v. Wade

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