The Guardian ·
Abortion bans make ‘evidence-based medicine’ impossible in some cases, new report says
Some 41 states restrict abortions, a ‘core component’ of maternal fetal practice, high-risk pregnancy non-profit says
Maternal fetal specialists should see abortion care as a “core component” of their practice in states where laws restrict abortion, according to a new special statement from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM).
Some 41 states ban abortion at some point in pregnancy, and these legal restrictions make it difficult or impossible for clinicians to practice “standard-of-care, evidence-based medicine”, the report, released on Tuesday, says.
The Dobbs decision made it even more challenging for patients to access abortion care in the US, as more restrictions went into effect in some states. Deaths from ectopic pregnancies nearly doubled between 2020 and 2025, a ProPublica analysis found, and later-abortion providers in haven states report that patients are showing up “later and sicker”.
