OBGYNs Worry About Legal Risk, Standard of Care post-Dobbs

In a survey by KFF, a majority of OBGYNs in states that banned abortions in the past year said they were concerned about legal risks and that their ability to provide the necessary standard of care had worsened. 61 percent and 55 percent of those surveyed agreed with the statements this spring.

37-40 percent of OBGYNs in these states said their ability to manage miscarriages and pregnancy-related emergencies had gotten worse, compared to just 6-8 percent in states where abortions remained legal.

OBGYNs in states with restrictions but not outright abortion bans were just about as worried about their legal risk. They were even more unsure about having a good understanding of the legal aspects surrounding abortions than those in states where abortions had been banned.

70 percent of all OBGYNs said that racial and ethnic inequities in maternal care had worsened post-Dobbs. 68 percent said that the management of pregnancy-related medical emergencies had gotten worse, while 64 percent see pregnancy-related mortality worsening. 55 percent said that the decision was detrimental to attracting new OBGYNs to the field.

KFF surveyed the equivalent of 569 full-time U.S. OBGYNs in clinical practice between March and May 2023. 18 percent of them provide abortions while a large majority (used to) refer and offer information on the procedure.