Anti-Choice Ohio Law Made Abortion Less Safe

Last updated on: August 31, 2016 at 2:57 pm by Libby Anne

Anti-Choice Ohio Law Made Abortion Less Safe 2016-08-31T14:57:24-04:00 Libby Anne

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

For years now, the anti-abortion movement has been passing restrictions on abortion in the name of protecting women. Last week we have yet more evidence that this is a feint. But first, we need some background. This past March, the FDA revised its guidelines for using mifepristone, the medical abortion pill. The Los Angeles Times editorial board explained as follows:

The Food and Drug Administration was absolutely right to re-label mifepristone, a drug used to induce abortions, to reflect a regimen already adopted by doctors. The FDA — which hadn’t changed its guidelines on the drug since it was approved for medication-induced abortions in 2000 — now calls for a substantially lower dose of the drug to be administered, and extends the time into pregnancy when it can be used. The agency also now suggests that misoprostol — a second drug used along with mifepristone to complete the abortion process — be taken a day or two later by the woman at home rather than in a doctor’s office. The new guidelines also recommend that qualified healthcare providers, not just doctors, be allowed to dispense the drugs.

That’s the way doctors have been using the drugs for years, saying that the process was safe and efficient and had fewer adverse effects than what the FDA had recommended on the old label. And it is easier for women. The advocacy arm of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists praised the FDA’s change, noting that it aligned with “current available scientific evidence and best practices.”

In other words, the FDA made its recommendations for mifepristone dosage and usage in 2000, but later evidence led doctors to administer the drug slightly differently. Abortion opponents knew that the way the doctors were administering mifepristone made it easier to obtain (extending the period during which it could be used and requiring fewer doctor visits). They urged states to pass laws requiring doctors to follow the FDA recommendations, and a number of states, including Ohio, did just that. Abortion opponents argued that this was about safety, but in practice it was about making abortions harder to obtain.

Well guess what? A study out of Ohio, where a law requiring doctors to follow the FDA recommendations when administering mifepristone went into effect in 2011, found that the statute made abortion less safe.

Ohio law required use of a medication abortion protocol that is associated with a greater need for additional intervention, more visits, more side effects, and higher costs for women relative to the evidence-based protocol. There is no evidence that the change in law led to improved abortion outcomes. Indeed, our findings suggest the opposite.

Here are some of the details:

…the law change was associated with a 9.4% absolute increase in the rate of requiring an additional intervention. … The percentage of women requiring two or more follow-up visits increased from 4.2% in the prelaw period to 6.2% in the postlaw period. … Overall, 12.6% of women reported at least one side effect during their medication abortion: 8.4% in the prelaw period and 15.6% in the postlaw period. …

It turns out that the way doctors were administering the drug was indeed safer than the regimen the FDA recommended. Surprise, surprise. The upside is that now that the FDA has changed its recommendations to reflect the way doctors have been administering the drug for years, Ohio doctors no longer have to follow the out-of-date FDA recommendations. The study itself makes this point as follows:

In March 2016, the FDA-protocol was updated, so Ohio providers may now legally provide current evidence-based protocols. However, this law is still in place and bans physicians from using mifepristone based on any new developments in clinical research as best practices continue to be updated.

Because it’s not about best practices or women’s safety. It’s about taking any steps necessary to prevent women from accessing reproductive healthcare.

Politics

abortion

Previous Post

August 31, 2016

Why You Should Pay Zero Attention to the GreatSchools Rating System

Next Post

September 1, 2016 American History, the National Anthem, and Isolated Racism

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atheism Evangelicalism/Fundamentalism Family Feminism Homeschool Meta Parenting Patriarchy Politics Purity Quiverfull Social Justice Uncategorized Worthwhile reads

Select a Month February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which is considered the greatest commandment in Christianity?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Fast often Love God Give money Go to church