On Wednesday, a group of major obstetric organizations, concerned that abortion might be limited because of the nation’s focus on the coronavirus, issued a statement insisting that abortion not be considered a procedure that should be delayed because of the coronavirus crisis.
The group included The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the American Gynecological & Obstetrical Society, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Society for Academic Specialists in General Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Society of Family Planning, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
The statement they released asserted:
As hospital systems, clinics, and communities prepare to meet anticipated increases in demand for the care of people with COVID-19, strategies to mitigate spread of the virus and to maximize health care resources are evolving. Some health systems, at the guidance of the CDC, are implementing plans to cancel elective and non-urgent procedures to expand hospitals’ capacity to provide critical care.
While most abortion care is delivered in outpatient settings, in some cases care may be delivered in hospital-based settings or surgical facilities. To the extent that hospital systems or ambulatory surgical facilities are categorizing procedures that can be delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic, abortion should not be categorized as such a procedure. Abortion is an essential component of comprehensive health care. It is also a time-sensitive service for which a delay of several weeks, or in some cases days, may increase the risks or potentially make it completely inaccessible. The consequences of being unable to obtain an abortion profoundly impact a person’s life, health, and well-being.
The group asserted that they “do not support COVID-19 responses that cancel or delay abortion procedures. Community-based and hospital-based clinicians should consider collaboration to ensure abortion access is not compromised during this time.”
On March 8, observing International Women’s Day,the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stated its opposition to pro-life laws implemented across the country, writing:
Every woman deserves to be a partner in shared decision-making with her clinician about the medical decisions that affect her health and well-being. Every woman deserves to live in a society where she is free of penalty or punishment when making choices regarding her health and her body that are best for her. And every woman deserves to receive respectful care.
Our journey here in the United States and around the world to uphold these principles through our medical care and advocacy efforts is a distinct honor. ACOG is committed to upholding #EachforEqual by continuing to oppose laws or policies that intend to strip women of their reproductive rights and access to safe care and by improving the delivery of maternal and women’s health care for women everywhere.
On Wednesday, Mother Jones published an article suggesting that telemedicine, where physicians “administer medication via webcam and a remotely-controlled drawer” should be utilized for abortions during the coronavirus crisis. Mother Jones opined:
There’s the obvious social distancing it allows (though states have different regulations regarding where telemedicine appointments can take place and who must be present to preside over them). But Dr. Daniel Grossman, the director of the research group Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, points out another key, though less readily apparent benefit: In a pandemic, hospitals in particular are forced to prioritize infected patients, which may mean abortion care gets de-prioritized, despite the time-sensitive nature of the procedure. Telemedicine allows abortion providers to bridge the gap.
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