Missouri Backtracks on Double Pelvic Exams for Abortion Patients
Missouri's top health official says that Planned Parenthood will no longer be required to perform pelvic exams on women 72 hours before they get an abortion, which had been coupled with a second pelvic exam on the day of the procedure. It's a requirement that MEvie Mead, the director of Parenthood Advocates of Missouri, called "state-mandated sexual assault" at a press conference earlier today. Mead credited "tremendous outrage and criticism from the medical community" for the change.
On Wednesday, CBS News broke the news that Planned Parenthood doctors would defy the "unethical" state regulation, which meant women seeking abortions were actually subjected to two pelvic exams: one at the time of the state-mandated "informed consent" meeting, and the other 72 hours later on the day they actually got an abortion.
That state's policy, Mead said, had "harmed over 100 women" who underwent the two pelvic exams at Planned Parenthood before doctors there concluded that it was unethical to continue adhering to the state regulation. Now, the state is recognizing the doctors' resistance.
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2019/06/21/missouri-backtracks-on-double-pelvic-exams-for-abortion-patients