Florida has become the latest state to push back against what it deems as “disinformation” and false claims about prohibiting necessary medical procedures for women after the governor signed a heartbeat abortion ban into law.
The Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration published a new rule Thursday — the day after the state’s new six-week abortion ban took effect — that outlines “Medical Records Procedures for Treatment of Premature Rupture of Membranes and Other Life Threatening Conditions.”
The rule is prefaced with a warning about “an immediate danger to the health, safety, and welfare of pregnant women and babies due to a deeply dishonest scare campaign and disinformation being perpetuated by the media, the Biden administration, and advocacy groups to misrepresent the Heartbeat Protection Act and the state’s efforts to protect life, moms and families.”
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“Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), ectopic pregnancy, and molar pregnancy are medical conditions that can occur when the gestational age of an unborn child is greater than six weeks, and can present an immediate danger to the health, safety, and welfare of women and unborn children in hospitals and abortion clinics if immediate and proper care and treatment is not rendered,” the agency states.
The rule adds, “Each hospital shall maintain written policies and procedures governing the maintenance of medical records for the treatment of premature rupture of membranes, ectopic pregnancies, trophoblastic tumors, and other life-threatening conditions.”
Hospitals will be required to admit patients experiencing a premature rupture of membranes for “observation unless the treating physician determines that another course of action is more medically appropriate under the circumstances to ensure the health of the mother and the unborn baby.”
It continues: “When a physician attempts to induce the live birth of an unborn baby, regardless of gestational age, to treat the premature rupture of membranes, and the unborn baby does not survive, the incident does not constitute an abortion … the treatment of an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion … the treatment of a trophoblastic tumor is not an abortion.”
Prior to publishing the emergency rule in the Florida Administrative Register, the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration included a “myth vs. fact” sheet in an X post in an effort to combat “lies and misinformation surrounding Florida’s Heartbeat Protection Act.” The agency also responded to the assertion that “women will be jailed as a result of the law” by stating that “Florida’s criminal abortion penalties do not apply to pregnant women.”
The fact sheet maintains that “Florida works to ensure the health and safety of mothers and babies by continuing to hold medical providers accountable to the standards of their oath to protect and ensure the health and well-being of their patients.” It also addresses the contention that “women who experience the tragic loss of a pregnancy, commonly known as a miscarriage, will be denied treatment.”
“Florida law does not prohibit the removal of the pregnancy for women who experience a miscarriage in any circumstance,” the fact sheet declares. The Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration also pushes back on the claim that “women will be forced to give birth even if their life or health is in jeopardy.”
According to the fact sheet, “Florida law includes exceptions to save the pregnant woman’s life or avert a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function. Exceptions exist for pregnancies resulting from rape, incest, human trafficking, and for emergency medical procedures to save the life of the mother.”
Florida isn’t the only state to establish what pro-life advocacy groups are referring to as “Med Ed” laws in an effort to inform medical professionals what procedures they can and cannot perform under pro-life laws.
In March, South Dakota became the first state to implement a “Med Ed” law through the legislative process.
Under House Bill 1224, approved by Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, the South Dakota Department of Health is required to create a video explaining “criteria that a practitioner, exercising reasonable medical judgment, might use in determining the best course of treatment for a pregnant woman experiencing life-threatening medical conditions and for her unborn child.” In addition to House Bill 1224, a handful of other states have also enacted similar measures administratively.
The pro-life group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America has identified Oklahoma and Kentucky as additional states that have enacted “Med Ed” laws using the executive branch. In a statement released Thursday reacting to the new rule in Florida, the advocacy group signaled that the Texas Medical Board was considering a rule similar to Florida’s.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
