New Abortion Ban Up for Senate Vote Could Prevent Doctors From Saving Lives of Mothers When a Pregnancy Goes Tragically Wrong

MADISON, Wis. — According to nonpartisan legal counsel for the state legislature, a new abortion ban, Senate Bill 179 (SB 179), scheduled to be considered by the State Senate tomorrow contains no provision to protect the life of the mother in a pregnancy related medical emergency. One Wisconsin Now Research Director and attorney Jenni Dye decried the Republican’s rush to pass legislation that inserts their judgment over Wisconsin families and doctors.

“Republicans have a choice to make tomorrow,” said Dye. “Are they willing to put their judgment before Wisconsin families and doctors? This dangerous bill would prevent families from making the decisions about difficult pregnancies that are best for them and bar doctors from giving their patients the care that could save their lives.”

At the Senate Health Committee meeting last week when the abortion ban was forwarded to the full Senate on a party line vote it was reported that the nonpartisan Legislative Council said the bill, “is silent as to the balancing of interests between the unborn child and the mother.”

The latest disturbing revelation about the the impact comes on the heels of earlier analyses that the ban includes provisions that could force a woman terminating a life-threatening pregnancy to undergo an invasive cesarean section (c-section) surgery that dramatically increases the chance of injury to or death of the mother.

Nationally recognized women’s reproductive health expert, Dr. Douglas Laube, in response to questions about the bill said, “…what it actually means in certain cases is that cesarean section — which really is a concept applicable much later in pregnancy — a cesarean delivery would need to be done…”

In addition, the GOP’s abortion ban makes no exception for rape or incest. An earlier news report quoted the Assembly author of the bill Rep. Jesse Kremer as saying he opposed such, “carve outs”.

Dye concluded, “It is appalling legislators would presume their judgment is better and choose to use state law to take away the ability of a family to decide how to handle a pregnancy that has gone horribly wrong. And it is dangerous that they would pass a law that provides no protections for the lives of mothers and could prevent a doctor from using their medical judgment to best treat their patients when their life is in grave danger.”