Dr. Ingrid Skop, Vice President and Director of Medical Affairs at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, criticized the "fearmongering" and "lies" of the media and Democratic Party regarding abortion restrictions, emphasizing that these narratives harm women seeking life-saving care.
Charlotte Lozier Institute Vice President and Director of Medical Affairs Dr. Ingrid Skop has denounced the "fearmongering" and "lies" of the media and Democratic Party regarding abortion restrictions, citing the harm it inflicts on women seeking life-saving care.
A recent ProPublica article attributed the deaths of two Georgia women, Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, following chemically induced abortions in 2022 to the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the state's new abortion limits. Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats have attacked Georgia's laws, alleging they obstructed life-saving care for these women.
Fearmongering About Abortion Laws Hurts Women, OB-GYNs Warn
Dr. Skop is among several OB-GYNs who have criticized the ProPublica story as misleading. She stressed that Georgia's abortion laws, like those of every other state, explicitly allow abortions to save the mother's life. Additionally, the laws exempt abortion procedures such as dilation and curettage (D&C) if the unborn baby is already deceased, as was the case for Thurman.
"The laws are very, very clear that an abortion can be done to save the life of the woman," Dr. Skop said. "And the laws do not apply to abortion procedures such as dilation and curettage (D&C) if the unborn baby is already dead."
Fearmongering About Abortion Laws Hurts Women, OB-GYNs Warn
Dr. Skop believes that the distortions of the laws, not the laws themselves, have harmed women, leaving them hesitant to seek life-saving care and confusing doctors about providing it.
"The lies about pro-life laws are hurting women," Dr. Skop said. "The pro-life laws are not hurting women, but the lies are hurting women."
Fearmongering About Abortion Laws Hurts Women, OB-GYNs Warn
Dr. Christina Francis, CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), shared similar concerns.
"We are seeing the direct results of spreading lies and misinformation about these laws," Dr. Francis said. "Women are being harmed by that because they are delaying in seeking care."
Fearmongering About Abortion Laws Hurts Women, OB-GYNs Warn
AAPLOG board member Dr. Susan Bane expressed outrage over Thurman's death and the media's failure to adequately inform doctors.
"If her care was delayed because of her physicians' understanding of the law, they were misinformed," Dr. Bane said. "This highlights the importance of giving medical professionals and the public accurate information about abortion drugs and abortion laws."
ProPublica defended its story, emphasizing its finding that the deaths of Thurman and Miller were preventable. However, OB-GYNs continue to question the accuracy of the media's portrayal of abortion restrictions, arguing that it poses a risk to women's health.
