The current event I chose is the recent Supreme Court decision,
Dobbs v. Jackson which overturns Roe v. Wade - giving the decision
back to the States. Below is a summary of the two articles I found on
this subject:
Dobbs
Decision Threatens Full Breadth of Ob-Gyn Training
This article, published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA), explains that almost half of the accredited ob-
gyn residency programs are in states that severely restrict or ban
abortions. Because of this, those residents will not have full training
and education in ob-gyn. The worry is, because of the lack of training
and education, residents will not be able to treat and manage
individuals who are experiencing miscarriages and pregnancy loss as
the medical procedures for these medical emergencies involve
abortion. This includes the requirement for ob-gyn doctors to have
clinical training in dilation & curettage. Without this required training,
these candidates risk becoming board-eligible to practice medicine in
their field. This, in turn, creates a shortage of these medical
practitioners in the states where abortion rights are limited or
banned altogether.
Dobbs Decision Presents Wide Ranging Ramifications for Women's
Rights
This article draws upon a webinar put on by the Women in Law
Section of the New York State Bar Association in reference to the
Dobbs decision. It is explained that this decision is the first from the
Supreme Court that removes rights from individuals rather than
granting more rights. The fear expressed is that Dobbs leaves the
door open for more overreaching decisions to make by the court
including rights that guarantee protection under the 4th (protection
from unreasonable search and seizure) and 5th (protection from
incriminating oneself) amendments as well as limits to privacy rights.
The article also goes on to explain that this recent decision could
cause a burden on communities that are struggling already with
providing for women and children.
How does this impact human services?
The first article describes how the Supreme Court decision impedes
the proper training of residents in the Ob-Gyn field. Without
properly trained medical professionals in the field and available to
the community, the potential for loss of life of pregnant individuals is
heightened. In addition to undertrained or unavailable medical
professionals, clinics and community health centers may become
overtaxed. In the second article, it is explained that clinics and
community health centers are unable to absorb the challenges that
come with rising maternal and infant needs. These shortcomings are
particularly present in the 26 states that have the most strict laws in
place. The inability to provide these services overstretches human
services agencies.
References
Dobbs Decision Presents Wide Ranging Ramifications for Women’s
Rights. (2022, October 24). Premium Official News.
Peachman, R. R. (2022). Dobbs Decision Threatens Full Breadth of
Ob-Gyn Training. JAMA, 328(17), 1668–1670. https://doi-
org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1001/jama.2022.13662
