LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) –After Roe v. Wade was overturned many health officials got worried about misinformation when it comes to exactly what emergency birth control is and what medication abortion is. Tonight officials said that they want to clear things up.
“Education is key”, Sparrow Hospital Chief of Staff, Dr. LaKeeya Tucker D.O. said.
Dr. Tucker says there’s been some confusion when it comes to these medications.
“They are two different agents, that emergency contraception is not an abortion pill”, she said.
Today, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is launching a new public effort that focuses on what it calls giving women and families the best, most accurate information about these medications.
“The more educated that individuals are about how the medicines really work then they can feel more comfortable and confident with using the medications,” Dr. Tucker said.
Leonard Fleck is a professor of medical ethics at MSU. He says more needs to be made clear when it comes to pregnancy care and abortion care overlapping.
“In the ER the physician has no way of distinguishing what happened but nevertheless from that legalistic point of view he could be charged with assisting to complete an abortion if, in fact, the woman ended up in the ER because she attempted to abort herself,” Fleck said.
Dr. Tucker says that no matter what, she’s committed to giving her patients the best care.
“I do know that at Sparrow Hospital we can certainly speak to continuing to provide safe care for all mothers to be regardless of where there are at any stage,” she said.
Michigan’s top health official wants it to be clear that emergency contraception and medication abortion are still legal in the state.
