Concerns about delays in emergency treatment, especially after childbirth, are being raised by physicians regarding a new Louisiana rule that mandates that abortion drugs used for miscarriage and postpartum care be kept in secured cabinets.
Physicians worry that the law may have a detrimental effect on women’s health care.
Healthcare professionals are deeply concerned about a new Louisiana law that mandates the storage of the abortion drugs misoprostol and mifepristone in locked cabinets, even in an emergency.
In the state, the drugs—which are also used to treat miscarriages and halt excessive bleeding during childbirth—are now categorized as prohibited substances.
Healthcare professionals, such as New Orleans emergency physician Dr. Jennifer Avegno, is concerned that the law may postpone critical interventions during labor, when every second matters.
She stated, “When someone is bleeding after giving birth, minutes can make a difference.”
Governor Jeff Landry approved the bill, which places these drugs in the same class as sedatives like Valium and Xanax—a classification that medical professionals feel is needless.
They contend that it causes stigma for patients and makes normal, essential care more difficult to obtain.
Supporters of the bill argue that it protects women, while detractors worry that it may deter medical professionals from recommending these drugs in situations other than abortion, such as managing miscarriages.
Additionally, patients who are provided the medications may not be aware of their legal rights, which could cause therapy to be delayed or denied.
Louisiana’s healthcare practitioners are extremely concerned that the new law may reverse gains achieved in lowering postpartum deaths, particularly from hemorrhage, as the state has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the country.
