Hospitals Violated Federal Law by Denying Emergency Abortion, Says HHS

Two hospitals, Freeman Health System in Joplin, Mo., and University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., are under investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services for violating the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) by refusing to provide an emergency abortion to a woman with life-threatening pregnancy complications. The National Women’s Law Center filed the initial complaint against the hospitals after doctors refused to terminate the pregnancy of Mylissa Farmer, who had lost all of her amniotic fluid and was at risk of severe blood loss, sepsis, or death. Farmer ended up traveling to an abortion clinic in Illinois for emergency treatment.