Coathanger Check

"Many health care providers routinely face pressure to change their medical practice -- often in direct opposition to their personal convictions . . . Health care providers shouldn't have to check their consciences at the hospital door. "

Don't I know it! I faced down threats to help a critically-ill infant and got canned for it.

The opening quote, made in December by USDHHS assistant secretary of health, Adm. Joxel Garcia, references a federal regulation that protects health care workers who refuse to perform abortions or other medical procedures because of religious or moral reasons.

Seven states, the ACLU (of course) and Planned Parenthood (of course) have sued to block the protections afforded health care workers.

From the Connecticut AG: "Women's health may be endangered -- needlessly and unlawfully -- if this rule is allowed to stand" . . . the regulation "intentionally shrouds" abortion in "new and unnecessary ambiguity," encouraging individuals to define it and to "deny virtually all forms of contraceptions, even emergency contraception to rape victims."

I think the AG protests too much. I think we're a creative and diverse country and this regulation can work to protect healthcare workers AND make sure women are getting services from people happy and willing to provide them . . . as opposed to being under the care of those being coerced. I just don't think the coat-hangers will be coming out anytime soon.

But hey, we gotta pay the damned lawyers. Enlightenment dictates that it's got to be all or nothing. Resistance is futile.

When I went to medical school, I wanted to be an OB. But (please forgive the crudeness), during my 3rd & 4th year clinical rotations in medical school, I found myself not-at-all interested in what was going on between Mom's legs (or, unfortunately & increasingly, in/on the surgical field) . . . and instead wanting to follow the babies . . . especially the sick ones . . . out of the nursery.

Thus, a Pediatrician was born. A really good one. One worth certainly more than "a dime a dozen".

On a more intellectual level, I also decided that I could not go into Obstetrics unless I could provide comprehensive care (including abortions) to women. And, even though I am resigned to the evils of this word - and reluctantly support a woman's right to chose, I simply could not ever do that.

That being said, I do respect the right of physicians who did go on to become OB's - yet who have also decided they cannot ever do abortions - to draw a line, and to say no.

As for the oh-so-noble intentions of Planned Parenthood, and the ACLU and the Attorneys General filing these lawsuits (none of whom ever spoke up for me when I begged for help), I think I get it:

Become a doctor. Take an Oath to "First Do No Harm". Go into public service. Work for a "non-profit" in your own hometown. Save a newborn's life. Your life & practice is destroyed. Your reputation is trashed and your patients are scattered to the wind. Taxpayer dollars are wasted. On top of all that, you're swindled by perjury, contempt and fraud. No one in government oversight even blinks.

But in the United States of America, if you are a doctor or pharmacist accepting any kind of federal reimbursement for your services, you must be willing to KILL (nothing ambiguous about it) unborn babies (who, as we all know, have no constitutional right to life) in order to keep your funding or your job.

It makes perfect sense to me.