Medical education videos launched to combat misinformation on US pro-life laws

Image credit: Juan Encalada via Unsplash

A new series of videos have been launched by Obstetricians and Gynaecologists which aim to provide medical professionals and policy makers with education on pro-life laws and life-saving medical treatments for pregnant women, in response to misinformation being spread by pro-abortion groups who try to claim, against the facts, that pro-life laws endanger pregnant women. 

Back in September, Life Institute reported on how pro-lifers sought to combat misinformation over the two tragic deaths of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller from Georgia. The pro-abortion lobby, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, attempted to blame Georgia’s heartbeat law for the deaths of these women.

However, according to a fact check analysis by Live Action, both women died due to a failed “safe” chemical abortion where doctors then failed to provide timely treatment.

According to The Public Discourse, a 2022 report says that approximately 80 per cent of maternal deaths are preventable. This comes after ProPublica, who have been reporting and misrepresenting these cases, also wrongly claimed that three other women died as a result of Texas’ abortion bans.

“The pro-abortion lobby wrongly attributes the cause of preventable maternal deaths to abortion regulations. The truth is more complex. In the absence of an honest approach to evaluating these tragedies, pregnant women will continue to suffer,” The Public Discourse said.

“Pro-life state laws both pre- and post-Dobbs prevent the intentional killing of preborn human beings, not essential obstetric care such as the treatment of pregnancy complications before, during, and after childbirth,” they continued. “Any misunderstandings to the contrary on the part of physicians probably stem from rampant misinformation about abortion laws.”

In light of these tragic cases and the misinformation published about them, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (AAPLOG) have launched an important series of videos which aims to provide education to medical professionals and even policy makers on life-affirming medicines, that are both safe and legal, which does not require an induced abortion. 

“We have seen a tsunami of medical misinformation, as essential healthcare such as ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage treatment are conflated with induced abortion,” APPLOG said.

“There are also physicians, who are not policy makers or attorneys, who are confused and afraid, at times, to provide life-saving care to women in difficult situations where a maternal-fetal separation is indicated due to a life-threatening condition, but the preborn child is still alive,” they continued.

“We have heard reports from our members of colleagues receiving faulty guidance from hospital lawyers or administrators, keeping them from providing care that would be perfectly legal even in the states with the most robust of prolife protections.”

The series consists of two videos, with the first titled “Practicing Obstetrics in States with Abortion Regulations: What Clinicians Need to Know”. This video discusses what is actually considered an induced abortion, what pro-life laws actually say, and the different types of medical interventions. Featuring AAPLOG board member and board-certified MFM physician Dr. Kerri Brackney, and attorney Katie Glenn Daniel, the video addresses the concerns medical professionals may have in regards to the legality of providing life-saving care to a pregnant woman. 

“In an engaging manner, Dr. Brackney and Ms. Daniel clearly illustrate how state abortion laws allow us to continue to provide the excellent and life-affirming care to our patients we always have,” AAPLOG said.  

The second video “Reversal of Mifepristone with Progesterone: A Review of the Evidence”, features AAPLOG member, Dr. Matthew Harrison, who discusses the use of the Abortion Pill Reversal (APR). APR is a safe treatment involving the provision of progesterone, used as a method to reverse the effects of the first abortion pill mifepristone, should a woman change her mind on her abortion.

AAPLOG report that APR is 70 per cent effective, but often many doctors are unaware of the existence of APR, or are led to believe that this treatment is either not evidence-based or even dangerous. The video consists of a review of medical literature on APR as well as the impact of APR through testimonials. 

“It is our hope that not only will this video lead to more physicians being aware of the evidence behind APR so that their patients can access this life-saving treatment when desired, but also that this will help spur more research into this crucial issue,” APPLOG said.

Sandra Parda of the Life Institute said that this is a “much-needed initiative to ensure that all doctors - and the public -  are informed that life-saving care can always be provided to a pregnant mother without access to abortion, which is life-ending”. 

“It is clear, based on the reported cases, that misconceptions surrounding pro-life laws, as well as the lack of understanding and knowledge over life affirming medicines, has played some role in the tragic and unnecessary deaths of these women - showing just how vital these educational videos are.”

She added that “despite what the pro-abortion lobby want us to believe, an abortion is never medically necessary to save a pregnant woman’s life. No doctor has to deliberately kill an unborn child to save their mother. We hope that these new videos will provide medical professionals with more insight to this, so that no mother or child dies due to a lack of knowledge over life-saving medicine.”

She added: “The fact that 80 per cent of maternal deaths are considered preventable is horrific and absolutely unacceptable - and that’s where our focus and the focus of policymakers should be, on actually improving maternal care rather than abortion.”