Tag Archives: conscience clause

Irish Woman Savita Halappanavar, 31, Dies Because Hospital Refuses Abortion

Jessica WakemanNovember 14, 2012 //
"Pro-Life" No More
How one woman lost faith in the pro-life movement. Read More »
I Had An Abortion
A mother writes about choosing to have an abortion. Read More »
Abortion Rights
abortion photo
All of The Frisky's posts about reproductive rights. Read More »
Savita Halappanavar

A young dentist named Savita Halappanavar died last month in Ireland because University Hospital Galway repeatedly refused to perform an abortion. Doctors would not terminate the clearly-failing pregnancy while she was undergoing a painful miscarriage because the fetal heartbeat was still present. Her fetus was eventually removed from her body when the heartbeat stopped, but not after she suffered over three days in pain. After her liver, heart and kidneys slowed and were barely functioning, Halappanavar died at age 31 of septicemia (blood poisoning) and E.coli ESBL. Keep reading »

OK Doctor Refuses To Provide Emergency Contraception To Rape Victim In ER

Jessica WakemanJune 6, 2012 //
Today's Lady News photo
  • An Oklahoma doctor working in an emergency room refused to provide emergency contraception to a 24-year-old rape victim because EC is against her personal beliefs. (Yes, the doctor was a woman.) According to the rape victim’s mother Rhonda, the doctor said, “I will not give you emergency contraceptives because it goes against my beliefs.” And guess what! It is perfectly legal for this doctor to do this in the state of Oklahoma because it has a so-called “conscience clause.” This poor rape victim and her mom had to travel to another hospital to get EC and prevent an unwanted pregnancy from rape. This is embarrassing, Oklahoma. [Think Progress]
  • Washington state’s same-sex marriage law will be voted on in a November referendum, after opponents of marriage equality have gathered enough signatures to put it on the ballet. In the meantime, the measure to allow civil marriage will sit in limbo. [USA Today] Keep reading »

Kansas Advances “Conscience” Bill To Let Pharmacists Refuse You Morning-After Pill

Jessica WakemanMay 3, 2012 //
Pharmacist Refusal
Idaho pharmacist refused to dispense anti-bleeding meds after abortion. Read More »
Hitler Was Pro-Choice?
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Politician sensibly invokes Hitler in the abortion rights debate Read More »
PP Targeted
Planned Parenthood believes it's the target of a sting operation. Read More »
I Took Plan B
Our writer took the morning-after-pill to thwart unwanted pregnancy. Read More »

The Kansas state legislature advanced a so-called “conscience” bill yesterday that will make it easier for health care providers to refuse to provide women’s health services that they personally find morally objectionable. According to the Kansas City Star, a doctor could refuse to give chemotherapy to a pregnant woman with cancer because the fetus might be harmed by the chemicals; a pharmacist could refuse to dispense the morning after pill, the abortion pill, and possibly even birth control. Anti-abortion folks in the medical profession claim they should not have to go against their conscience even if it means providing the medical services for which their customers depend on them. But women’s health supporters say it’s all part of a larger attempt to restrict women’s reproductive rights. Keep reading »

Today’s Lady News: Idaho Pharmacist Refuses Medication For Woman Who Had Abortion

Jessica WakemanJanuary 13, 2011 //
  • A pharmacist in Nampa, Idaho, refused to fill a prescription for anti-bleeding medication for a woman, telling her she would not give it if it was being used after an abortion. Planned Parenthood of the Greater Northwest said the woman needed Methergine, which is used to stop bleeding after an abortion or childbirth. Idaho passed a so-called “conscience clause” law which allows pharmacists to refuse to dispense medication to patients based on their own beliefs. [KBOI]
  • A military panel is set to request that the Pentagon overturn its ban on women serving in combat. [NPR]

Keep reading »