Quick Take
In response to US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor argument against the idea that a fetus has consciousness and must be protected from abortion, social media users claim that termination of pregnancy is not necessary to save a life. We fact-checked and found the claim to be False.
The Claim
“Abortion is never medically necessary to save a woman’s life. Justice Sotomayor should get herself a more accurate talking point” writes a social media user. The post can be seen here.
Fact Check
For which case Justice Sotomayor rejected the argument on termination of pregnancy?
The case is Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, centers on the law, which bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The duration is much sooner than the current legal standard which is, 23 to 24 weeks into pregnancy.
In which scenarios abortion is medically necessary?
Early termination of pregnancy is recommended if there is an infection in the uterus that can break the water before 20 weeks into pregnancy.
The Cleveland Clinic suggests another uncommon, yet serious condition called Placental Abruption that separates the placenta from the uterus. In a severe case of heavy bleeding during placental abruption, a woman can go into haemorrhagic shock.
Moreover, a pregnancy-induced complication called Preeclampsia occurs in the 20th week of pregnancy and causes high blood pressure. A doctor can recommend abortion to prevent damage to organs. The Canadian Cancer Society claims, “some cancer treatments can harm a baby” during the first trimester, thus delaying the treatment.
Dr. Manjiri Mehta, Consultant – Gynaecologist & Obstetrician, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, says, “Pregnancy imposes significant physiological changes in a person’s body. These changes can exacerbate underlying or pre-existing physical or mental conditions. For example certain cardiac or renal diseases, psychological disorders can severely compromise health or can be life-threatening. In such conditions, termination of pregnancy or abortion is the only medical intervention to preserve patients health or save their life. Though, it is critical that the medical necessity is clearly defined before such a procedure is carried out.”
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