Criminal Penalties for Physicians in State Abortion Bans

Introduction Therehavebeenseveralhigh-profilecasesregardingexceptionstosavethehealthorthelifeofpregnantpatientsinstateabortionbans.MajorcasesthathavereachedtheUSSupremeCourt(Moylev.Idaho)andTexasSupremeCourt(Zurawskiv.Texas)havehighlightedthesignificantchallengesforphysiciansprovidingpregnancy-relatedcareinstateswithabortionbans.Accordingtoa2023KFFsurvey,61%ofOBGYNspracticinginstateswhereabortionisbannedreportbeingconcernedabouttheirlegalriskwhenmakingdecisionsaboutpatientcareandthenecessityofabortioncarefortheirpatients.Someoftheconcernaboutlegalrisksstemsfromthe“reasonablemedicaljudgment”legalstandardusedinmoststatesforwhenanabortionqualifiesforanexception.Thislegalstandarddoesnotdefertothetreatingphysician’sjudgmentbutratherallowsacourttoreviewcircumstancesaftertheabortionhasbeencompletedandrelyonthetestimonyofothermedicalexpertstodeterminewhetherthetreatingphysicianmetthestandard.Someanti-abortionadvocates,legislators,an