DES MOINES, Iowa – Last Thursday, an Iowa House subcommittee approved a bill requiring abortionists to provide information to women seeking a medical abortion about the potential side effects and risks involved.
HSB 672 requires that before a medical abortion is performed, a physician must inform women of all of the risks commonly associated with a medical abortion. Also, they are to be told that it may be possible to reverse the intended consequences of medical abortions, but time is of the essence to do so. It also requires abortion facilities to provide information and assistance on reversing medical abortions on their website and inform women seeking medical abortions of that link.
Also, facilities that perform medical abortions are required to post the following message on a sign, clearly visible to patients, and on medical discharge forms after an abortion-inducing drug is dispensed:
Recent developing research has indicated that a medication abortion utilizing an abortion-inducing drug is not always effective in ending a pregnancy. It may be possible to avoid, cease, or even to reverse the intended effects of a medication abortion that utilizes an abortion-inducing drug. Please consult with a health care professional immediately.
The subcommittee vote was along party lines with State Reps. Shannon Lundgren, R-Peosta, and Joel Fry, R-Osceola, voted in favor of the bill. State Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, voted against the legislation.