In 2022, the Dobbs decision enabled widespread state abortion bans, with Indiana among these states. Although the impact of this decision on obstetricians is well-documented, less has been said about the effects of these laws in emergency practice. Dr. Tucker Edmonds and colleagues took note of the lack of literature in this area and set out to explore how emergency clinicians navigate care for patients with vaginal bleeding in Indiana.
The study consisted of six weeks of site-based observations and interviews with 20 emergency clinicians, exploring clinical decision-making, documentation practices, and perceptions of legal risk. With legal uncertainty surrounding cases of vaginal bleeding, they found that the pressures of such uncertainty led to risks of “delaying care, eroding patient trust, and exacerbating inequalities.” To help prevent such risks, Dr. Tucker Edmonds and team call for “clear institutional guidance, interdisciplinary collaboration, and legal support,” so that emergency clinicians can provide proper care without fear of legal repercussions.
You can read the full paper here.