Appeals Court Upholds Part of Indiana Law Requiring Abortion Facilities to Report Medical Complications
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Updated
Aug 10, 2021
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A federal court of appeals has upheld part of an Indiana law that requires abortion facilities to report any complications from abortions to the state.
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, located in Chicago, ruled this week in favor of the state of Indiana, rejecting Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky's argument that the Complications Statute of Senate Enrolled Act No. 340 was "unconstitutionally vague." The Act was signed into law in 2018.
Pro-life groups responded to the decision, saying they were happy with the ruling, The Christian Post reports.
"We're thrilled to see the Seventh Circuit rule in favor of this common-sense abortion Complications Statute and against abortion-rights extremists," said Mike Fletcher, Indiana Right to Life’s President, in a statement. "Abortionists and hospitals should have to report complications related to abortion, as women have a right to know the serious harm an abortion could do to them, both physically and mentally."
Todd Rokita, Indiana's Republican Attorney General, said on Twitter that the ruling is "a huge win for the safety of women.
"Complications from abortion have been notoriously difficult to track, resulting in a skewed understanding of the danger abortion poses to women," he said.
This decision by the Seventh Circuit is a huge win for the safety of women. Complications from abortion have been notoriously difficult to track, resulting in a skewed understanding of the danger abortion poses to women. https://t.co/FPLPNDUo4Q
— Todd Rokita (@AGToddRokita) August 5, 2021
The local Planned Parenthood in Indiana first filed a lawsuit over the law in 2018.
The statute mandated that physicians report "any adverse physical or psychological condition arising from the induction or performance of an abortion."
It also requires abortion facilities to submit to annual inspections.
The complications statute lists the events that will need to be reported in abortions, including infection, uterine perforation, renal failure, cardiac arrest, an allergic reaction to abortion-inducing drugs, coma and death. Failure to report adverse events could lead to a Class B misdemeanor which could result in a six-month stint in prison and up to $1,000 in fines.
Planned Parenthood officials have said the law "is both irrational and violates due process."
Photo courtesy: Arseny Togulev/Unsplash
Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner.
