U.S. Repro Watch provides periodic updates of news of interest on U.S. reproductive rights. Here are four recent updates you won’t want to miss:

Texas denies care

1. Texas hospitals are turning away women who are miscarrying.

• A Texas woman, Lynn Callaway, filed a federal complaint against two Texas hospitals, arguing they violated the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) when they denied her care for a miscarriage.
• EMTALA requires emergency rooms to provide stabilizing care—including abortions—to patients with emergency medical conditions.
• It took four days and a visit to a third medical provider for Callaway to finally get treatment while experiencing severe pain, bleeding, and signs of an infection.
• Cases like Callaway’s are commonplace since Texas banned abortion, despite legislators enacting a law claiming to clarify that doctors can provide care in certain cases, like miscarriages, without being punished.

Trump admin sued

2. Family planning organizations sued the Trump administration over new Title X requirements.

• The Department of Health and Human Services issued new guidelines requiring applicants to align with the agency’s priorities—ending diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and promoting “family formation”—to be eligible for the Title X grant.
• Plaintiffs argue that the requirements only further the Trump administration’s political agenda and violate Congress’ Title X mandate to provide a “broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods and services.”

Call to investigate NY crisis pregnancy centers

3. A watchdog group urged New York to investigate crisis pregnancy centers.

• The Campaign for Accountability called on New York Attorney General Letitia James to investigate crisis pregnancy centers for the unauthorized practice of medicine or deceptive advertising in the state.
• The group said at least five facilities in New York are fraudulently advertising free ultrasound services to diagnose ectopic pregnancies—an extremely dangerous condition requiring timely treatment.
• A licensed medical professional is legally required to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy, yet most staff at crisis pregnancy centers do not have a medical license, thus endangering the women seeking care.

MO judge blocks abortion restrictions

4. A Missouri judge permanently blocked several abortion restrictions as unconstitutional.

• These restrictions included a mandatory 72-hour waiting period and a requirement that the abortion pill mifepristone be taken in the presence of a doctor.
• The judge ruled these restrictions violate the voter-approved constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights, but upheld a requirement that patients see a doctor in person before receiving care.
• Planned Parenthood announced that as a result of the ruling, they can prescribe abortion pills for the first time since 2018.

Did you know?

Did you know?

Pop star Olivia Rodrigo announced Daisy Chain Fields, a new music festival in California, featuring women in music and supporting organizations advocating for women and girls. Net proceeds from the festival will go to several reproductive health organizations, including the Center for Reproductive Rights, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, and the National Institute for Reproductive Health. In announcing the festival, Rodrigo said, “By bringing together women in music and organizations helping shape a better future for women and girls, I hope we can build a community that inspires hope and positive change.”

Coming up

Coming up

July 4: 250th Anniversary of U.S. Independence

• This year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
• While the U.S. saw significant progress in the last 250 years, it has also dramatically regressed on human rights. Specifically, it is one of a handful of countries which have rolled back abortion rights; women and girls have fewer rights today than they did 50 years ago.

Learn more