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Hi @BeckerGOP, I’m a practicing ob-gyn and researcher on abortion and contraception, and thought you might want some help understanding ectopic pregnancy since your bill (HB182) gets some things wrong. I’ll clear up a few things in this thread.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the pregnancy implants outside of the uterus, most commonly in the Fallopian tube (that’s the little tube that carries the egg from the ovary to the uterus). Rarely the ectopic pregnancy can develop somewhere else like the cervix or the abdomen.
Somewhere between 1-3% of pregnancies are ectopic. Based on that, I estimate that at least 2,000 Ohio women have an ectopic pregnancy each year.
Unfortunately, ectopic pregnancies cannot continue to a live birth. If untreated, as a pregnancy grows, the Fallopian tube (where 96% of ectopics develop) gets stretched to the point of rupture & can cause massive bleeding. 4% of maternal deaths are related to ectopic pregnancy.
Luckily, there is treatment for ectopic pregnancy, including medication & surgery. This treatment is very effective & allows women to retain fertility so they can get pregnant in the future if they want. I was concerned to see HB182 removes insurance coverage for this treatment.
Unfortunately, an ectopic pregnancy cannot be “reimplanted” into the uterus. We just don’t have the technology. So I would suggest removing this from your bill, since it’s pure science fiction.
Your bill is dangerous on many levels, @BeckerGOP, since it creates even more obstacles for patients seeking safe abortion—especially for women of color and those with low incomes.
While we’re in the middle of a maternal mortality crisis, it is unconscionable to consider placing obstacles in the way of treatment for ectopic pregnancy. Thanks for listening, @BeckerGOP, and feel free to reach out if you have more questions!
