Kat Cammack blames left\u2019s fearmongering after medical staff hesitated to give her drugs needed to end pregnancy<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Florida<\/a> Republican<\/a> congresswoman is blaming fearmongering on the left for the reluctance of hospital staff to give her the drugs she needed to end an ectopic pregnancy that threatened her life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kat Cammack went to the emergency room in May 2024 where it was estimated she was five weeks into an ectopic pregnancy, there was no heartbeat and her life was at risk. Doctors determined she needed a shot of methotrexate to help expel her pregnancy but since Florida\u2019s six week abortion ban had just taken effect medical staff were worried about losing their licenses or going to jail if they did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cammack looked up the state law on her phone to show staff and even attempted to contact the governor\u2019s office. Hours later, doctors eventually agreed to give her the medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Cammack, who opposes abortion and co-chairs the House pro-life caucus, told the Wall Street Journal<\/a> she blames messaging from pro-abortion groups for delaying her treatment, which is not banned under Florida\u2019s restrictive statutes<\/a>, who have created fear of criminal charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over a year later and once again pregnant and due to give birth soon, Cammack says the politics of the incident have stuck with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was absolute fearmongering at its worst,\u201d Cammack told the publication, but acknowledged that abortion rights groups might interpret her experience differently and blame Republican-led, restrictive anti-abortion laws for the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere will be some comments like, \u2018Well, thank God we have abortion services,\u2019 even though what I went through wasn\u2019t an abortion,\u201d she told the outlet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Florida\u2019s strict abortion ban, which took effect on 1 May 2024<\/a>, makes abortions illegal after six weeks, when most people aren\u2019t even aware yet that they are pregnant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After months in which medical staff were concerned that the law\u2019s wording made emergency procedures illegal, the state\u2019s healthcare agency issued official guidance<\/a> to \u201caddress misinformation\u201d on permitting an abortion in instances where the pregnant person\u2019s life and health are in danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cammack said she hoped that going public with her experience would help opposing political groups find common ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI would stand with any woman \u2013 Republican or Democrat \u2013 and fight for them to be able to get care in a situation where they are experiencing a miscarriage and an ectopic\u201d pregnancy, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Abortion rights activists say the law created problems. Florida regulators say ectopic pregnancies aren\u2019t abortions and are exempt from restrictions, but Molly Duane, with the Center for Reproductive Rights, told the Wall Street Journal the law doesn\u2019t define ectopic pregnancy, which can be difficult to diagnose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alison Haddock, the president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, told the outlet care in early pregnancy is a \u201cmedically complicated space\u201d and that doctors in abortion-restricted states worry \u201cwhether their clinical judgment will stand should there be any prosecution\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n