What recent abortion bans across American states could mean for the country’s future healthcare-wise.
Welcome to the Topic “What recent abortion bans across American states could mean for the country’s future healthcare-wise.”
In the ending days of the month of June, the entire nation was shocked and downright outraged by the Supreme Court's uncalled-for decision to reverse Roe v. Wade, a legal policy that had persisted for decades in its permitting safe and easily accessible abortion all across American states. This sudden, albeit somewhat expected, turn was a dark and backward step in the journey of America's progress.
But being an inevitable reality, you might have wondered what the future of female reproductive healthcare could be looking like if it was that easy to make such a monumental decision for the American legal system despite heavy opposition. Read on to find out what the implications of these decisions will look like and what this means for all of us.
Firstly, how would an abortion ban affect women who are in need of this medical procedure?
Contrary to popular belief, abortions are not always about choosing not to keep a child; in fact, in many instances, the fetus itself is not able to survive or presents a profile that could be dangerous, even fatal to the mother. Ectopic pregnancies are conditions where it is pretty much determined that the fertilized embryo cannot and will not reach the state of a surviving fetus since it lies outside the uterus; in these cases, medications or surgical procedures are allotted to help end them.
The reversal of Roe v. Wade means that this is no longer an option. Simply stated, it would mean that women are expected to keep sustaining these failed pregnancies despite the medical dangers they entail and the fatal implications they have. Lengthy and complicated approvals now have to be undergone by doctors to schedule these essential procedures, and in these cases, time is of the essence, which means that untimely treatment often results in more complications.
However, this is not the only angle from which disruptions to female healthcare need to be looked at. In a country where teen pregnancies and a severe lack of formal college education go hand in hand, informed decisions about their future are a right all young women should have without any strings or conditions attached. It is absurd that small life choices made from a lack of education about safe sexual experiences are laid out as a foundational decision that may affect a woman's entire future.
Secondly, does this rule equally apply to those with different resources?
Many social media personalities came forward with messages of rage and despair following the decision put forth by the Supreme Court, but one message they echoed, which was undeniable, is that the Supreme Court's assertion does not ban abortions; it only does so for safe abortions. Because the fact of the matter is that people are still going to be seeking this medical procedure when needed and if not available by fair means, there are always other ways to do it.
Moreover, this simply means that those with limited resources will be affected, while those who have the financial means to seek care otherwise are and will easily continue to do so. What this translates as is a greater affinity for illegality and the build-up of a lot of resentment for those belonging to social statuses that are already being stretched and now are being cornered in every way possible.
Thirdly, what does this mean for the multi-dimensionality of medical education?
Classifying abortion as an illegal medical procedure in most states makes it, so the skill and experience required to conduct safe procedures are eradicated. Abortion care does not solely pertain to pregnancy termination; rather, an essential set of skills are also passed on as part of it. The overturn of the legality of abortion will create a gap in the knowledge and essential patient care skills that many, in fact, all medical students are required to learn.
According to recent analyses, almost half of all medical students are expected to be required to take part in programs that will treat abortion as illegal and thus outlaw it. This is alarming because obstetric care relies a lot on abortion care to ensure that patients are provided with the best course of action that prioritizes the safety and health of patients above all us. The reversal of Roe v. Wade has backtracked this progress and all it entails substantially and could actually translate to medical health professionals who have little to no exposure to performing safe abortions even when needed.
Does this end here, or is there more?
An interesting fact about the overturn of Roe v. Wade is that it is only the stepping stone for further backward steps. The eradication of safe reproductive care is not only restricted to abortions. In fact, even factors such as contraceptives and the education that goes with safe sex practice all very much fall into the same premises. It is not too far-fetched to assume that the ability to choose and plan one's family and parenthood will also be stripped away under another wave of pro-life stances that have already taken away women's right to make informed choices for themselves and their bodies.
Moreover, fertility procedures that are considered unconventional also very much fall under aspects of obstetrics that might not be accepted or approved in the near future. This means that the reversal of Roe v. Wade is not only a stance against those wishing to choose parenthood but also against those working towards it who are unable to conceive naturally.
Here’s the takeaway:
Taking away of the progress that had been made in the departments of female reproductive healthcare for the past half of a century in America is not only an isolated instance. Rather, this is expected to become somewhat of a domino effect that will take with it much of the development made in the name of unaccepting and conservative views. Fortunately, many organizations and individuals with resources are taking steps to help women affected by this ruling in obtaining access to safe and rightful procedures.
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