miscarriage

Most Americans also say women should be allowed to travel for medical care – including an abortion, a new KFF poll finds.

Most Americans support abortion for pregnancy-related emergencies

5:39am March 07, 2024

by Maria Godoy

The majority of American voters, including Republicans, support protecting access to abortion for women who are experiencing pregnancy-related emergencies, such as miscarriages, a KFF poll finds.

Wisconsin's 1849 abortion law bans abortion with very limited exceptions. With a history of miscarriages, Kristen Petranek decided to stop trying to have a third child because of the risks she could face during pregnancy and the way miscarriage care can be affected by abortion bans.

Because of Wisconsin's abortion ban, one mother gave up trying for another child

4:05pm December 09, 2022

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Kristen Petranek has a history of miscarriages – and she has diabetes, which makes pregnancy risky. She fears that if something goes wrong, her state's law may inhibit doctors from helping her.

Weeks after her miscarriage was confirmed, Christina Zielke started bleeding heavily while on a trip out of town. At an ER in Ohio, she was given tests but no treatment, and discharged soon after, still bleeding. She says she was told the hospital needed proof there was no fetal development.

Her miscarriage left her bleeding profusely. An Ohio ER sent her home to wait

6:21pm November 15, 2022

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

State law at the time prohibited abortion after around 6 weeks. Legal experts say this kind of law leaves doctors uncertain of what's legal and can put patients in dangerous situations.

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Elizabeth and James Weller at their home in Houston two months after losing their baby girl due to a premature rupture of membranes. Elizabeth could not receive the medical care she needed until several days later because of a Texas law that banned aborti

Because of Texas abortion law, her wanted pregnancy became a medical nightmare

1:58pm July 26, 2022

by Carrie Feibel

New, untested abortion bans have made doctors unsure about treating some pregnancy complications. That's led to life-threatening delays, and trapped families in a limbo of grief and helplessness.

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Workers who suffer miscarriages may face repercussions if they try to take a lot of time off at work. There are no national laws that mandate sick leave for workers, let alone specific protections for people dealing with a miscarriage.

Health & Safety

Workers have few job protections during the trauma of a miscarriage

1:57pm January 27, 2022

by Bryce Covert

About a quarter of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. Despite the large number of workers affected, no national laws protect them when they need time off to deal with the loss.

Health & Safety

Pregnant Moms Advised To Get COVID-19 Vaccination

3:52pm August 04, 2021

by David Ford

Health groups are issuing new recommendations urging pregnant women to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

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Mifepristone is a medication used to end early pregnancies and to relieve the symptoms of miscarriage. It's heavily restricted by the FDA.

Health & Safety

Restrictions On Abortion Medication Deserve A Second Look, Says A Former FDA Head

1:39pm August 20, 2019

by Luisa Torres

The FDA heavily restricted mifepristone — a drug that ends early pregnancies — when it approved it 19 years ago. A former FDA commissioner asks whether the current restrictions should be revisited.

Dr. Lisa Hofler runs a University of New Mexico clinic that stocks mifepristone but doesn't routinely provide prenatal care. She and her colleagues can schedule same-day appointments for women diagnosed with miscarriages elsewhere.

Health & Safety

A Drug That Eases Miscarriages Is Difficult For Women To Get

6:07pm January 10, 2019

Despite evidence that mifepristone can help recovery from miscarriages, access to the medicine, which is commonly used to provide abortions, remains limited.

Becky Shaw's first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage in 2014. The following year, she and her husband, Ben, had Parker, their "rainbow baby," as babies born after pregnancy loss are often called.

Health & Safety

Michelle Obama's Miscarriage Story May Help Other Women Share Theirs

10:44am November 16, 2018

by Emmarie Huetteman

A memoir from the former first lady is bringing fresh attention to miscarriages and could help illuminate and normalize the common loss of a pregnancy.

Walgreens has released a statement defending its pharmacist's right to decline to fill a prescription on ethical or religious grounds.

Walgreens Pharmacist Refuses To Provide Drug For Ariz. Woman With Unviable Pregnancy

8:50pm June 25, 2018

by Kat Chow

The company released a statement defending its pharmacist's right to decline to fill a prescription on ethical grounds. The state pharmacy board plans to investigate whether Arizona law was followed.