Telemed abortions risky to women’s health, lives

The Gazette's Oct. 5 editorial “Focus on reducing unintended pregnancies” is flawed and provides a one-sided biased viewpoint on telemed abortions.

Telemedicine is meant to benefit patients living in rural areas with limited access to larger cities and hospitals. The 16 Planned Parenthood facilities offering webcam abortions are all located within an hour of a city and a hospital.

The woman never sees her ultrasound and is never examined by a doctor. It is all e-mailed to the doctor outside of her sight.

The failure of a doctor to physically examine the woman avoids detection of risk factors that could lead to complications following ingestion of the abortion pills.

Jenifer Bowen is correct when she states there have been no verified health emergencies among the telemedicine patients who have taken the abortion pill. This is because the women who take the pills are not mandated to return to Planned Parenthood for a follow-up visit. Furthermore, complications will result in emergency room visits that may or not be revealed as caused by abortion pills from Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood and its kind are always promoting service to its customers. We believe that service should never trump women's health. Abortions via webcam endanger women's health, and provide another option for Planned Parenthood to maintain their profit margin and abortion quotas.

Join with us to oppose this practice of placing young women's health and lives at risk.

Steven Brody

Executive Director

Dubuque County Right to Life Inc.