– State and federal abortion regulations hinder some women’s access to essential miscarriage medicine
– Restrictions had been temporarily relaxed due to COVID-19 but are now back in place
– Advocates call for permanent policy changes to improve women’s health and reproductive rights
Miscarriage Drug Access Hindered by Legalities
32-year-old Lulu, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has had a hard time returning to her body’s previous balance after miscarrying four months ago. Not unusual after a miscarriage, she bled for six weeks straight and hasn’t yet regained her normal menstrual cycle.
The crucial drug to help women like Lulu is unfortunately often out of reach due to state and federal abortion laws. For women who’ve suffered a miscarriage, this drug assists in ensuring that all tissues related to the pregnancy are safely expelled from the body. However, the assemblage of restrictions tied to abortion complicates its accessibility.
COVID-19: A Reprieve and Reinstatement of Restrictions
Temporary loosening of regulations proved to be a relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing women to receive this prescribed medication via mail. Sadly, the increasingly conservative-leaning Supreme Court chose not to entertain a case around permanently lifting these restrictions further, effectively returning the situation to its pre-pandemic state.
The Breezy Take
One cannot help but notice the ironic and painful twist to this scenario: rules intended to protect unborn lives make recovery from lost pregnancies more difficult for women. Sweeping these aggregating impediments under the umbrella of ‘abortion restrictions’ may appear straightforward legally but may not quite mirror the intricacy of women’s reproductive health issues. There is a growing call for modern policies, underpinned by medical understanding and empathy, to separate cases like these from abortion laws and better cater to the urgent needs of women like Lulu.
Original article: https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/30/state-federal-abortion-rules-prevent-many-women-from-accessing-crucial-miscarriage-drug/