Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Fresno City Gets Extension in Herndon 4-Story Apartment Case

2 days ago

With Major Heat Risk Forecast, This Is a Good Weekend to Stay Indoors in Fresno

2 days ago

Trump Says Intel Has Agreed to Deal for US to Take 10% Equity Stake

3 days ago

Epstein Associate Maxwell Says She Never Saw Trump Behave Inappropriately

3 days ago

Pew: US Immigrant Population Declines for First Time in Nearly 60 Years

3 days ago

Powell, Citing Jobs Risk, Opens Door to Cuts but Doesn’t Commit

3 days ago

FBI Agents Search Ex-Trump Adviser Bolton’s Home, Source Says

3 days ago

Gaza City Officially in Famine, With Hunger Spreading, Says Global Hunger Monitor

3 days ago

Gavin Newsom’s Redistricting Plan Is on Its Way to Voters. What You Need to Know

3 days ago
With Roe in Doubt, States Weigh Letting Nurses Do Abortions
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 3 years ago on
June 1, 2022

Share

 

Abortion rights advocates saw a problem: There’s a limited pool of medical providers who can legally perform abortions. In some states, one solution has been to authorize more providers beyond just physicians.

But to allow other providers — such as advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants and certified nurse midwives — to perform early term abortions, changes in state laws were needed.

These legislative drives gained increased urgency once a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion showed the justices appear ready to overturn Roe v. Wade.

The proposed provider expansions face pushback from critics. They say letting non-doctors perform abortions could put women’s health at risk, especially if medical complications arise, and they question whether mid-level practitioners are qualified.

“All of these restrictions and bans that we’re seeing across the country are pointing more progressive states in the direction of, ‘How do we expand care?’” said Elizabeth Nash, state policy analysist for the Guttmacher Institute in New York, a think tank that supports abortion rights.

Here’s a look at how the provider issue is playing out:

WHAT WOULD THESE LAWS DO?

The goal, supporters say, is to expand abortion access ahead of a potential influx of out-of-state patients from places where abortion might become illegal. Having more providers will also reduce wait times for in-state patients, and improve access for underserved communities.

The various proposals authorize advance practice clinicians to provide medication abortions, in-clinic abortions or both.

Abortion rights advocates say these clinicians often perform more complicated procedures such as IUD insertions, early miscarriage management and endometrial biopsies, a procedure where a small piece of the lining of the uterus is removed to check for cancer or other issues.

Supporters say randomized trials have shown aspiration abortions — a common early term abortion that involves a suctioning procedure — can be safely performed by these clinicians.

“We know that this procedure is effective and has an incredibly low 1% complication rate,” said Amanda Skinner, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.

WHO IS OPPOSED?

When lawmakers in Connecticut considered a provider expansion bill earlier this year, the state’s medical society warned of a potential “slippery slope” toward what it called “mid-level providers” doing surgical procedures, which are more risky. In its submitted testimony, the Connecticut Medical Society said any new law should be very clear about limiting these providers to only in-clinic or in-office aspiration abortions.

Among those who are against expanding abortion is Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee.

“It’s not a surprise that the states would loosen or change the requirements of who can do them,” she said, calling it “a sign of desperation that they’re willing to put more women’s lives at risk.”

The focus, she said, should instead be on helping women “get through a difficult situation.”

WHERE HAVE NEW LAWS BEEN PASSED?

Responding to the Supreme Court leak, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, recently announced he wants to codify into law regulations adopted in 2021 by the State Board of Medical Examiners, which allow a range of medical providers to perform aspiration abortions, and to set up a fund to pay for training.

Four months earlier, he had signed a law guaranteeing abortion rights.

“We know without access,” Murphy said, “rights mean nothing.”

In Connecticut — a Democratic-leaning state where Roe is codified into state law — a provider expansion bill that passed with bipartisan support was signed into law earlier this month.

Abortion clinics in the state are already starting to see patients arrive from Texas, more than 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) away, where a new law restricts abortion after roughly six weeks.

That’s according to Skinner, the regional Planned Parenthood CEO, during an interview at a clinic in New Haven.

Right now, she says women face a frustrating two-week wait for in-clinic abortions at Planned Parenthood, which is the largest provider in the state.

Besides Connecticut, laws were enacted in Maryland, Washington and Delaware this year to help shore up their provider pools by allowing non-physicians to perform certain early term abortions. And lawmakers in California are currently considering a bill that would update a 2013 law and allow some nurse practitioners to perform abortions without the supervision of a doctor, as currently required.

WHAT ABOUT MORE CONSERVATIVE STATES?

Lawmakers in some states where Republicans control the legislature, the governor’s office, or both have tried to pass legislation expanding the pool of abortion providers.

The bills have faced an uphill battle.

North Carolina is surrounded by states with so-called trigger laws, which would immediately ban abortion if Roe is overturned.

The state has a shortage of physicians who perform abortions, and that will likely get worse if out-of-state women start seeking abortions there, said state Rep. Julie von Haefen, a Democrat.

“We have 100 counties in North Carolina. Ninety-three of those counties do not have an abortion provider. All of our abortion clinics are centralized in our urban areas,” she said. “So that is going to cause a big problem — even just for women just traveling within our state. We have a large state.”

Von Haefen filed a comprehensive bill last year to remove what she calls “barriers” to abortions, including ending a ban on non-physicians performing abortions.

That legislation failed, and von Haefen is not optimistic it will come up for a vote this year. The state has a Republican-controlled General Assembly and a Democratic governor.

Similar bills to expand the abortion provider pool were proposed in Arizona and Nebraska, but they faltered as well.

Instead, abortion-rights lawmakers and lobbyists in Nebraska said they focused on successfully fighting off a trigger law and two other anti-abortion bills this year, according to Sofia Jawed-Wessel, an associate professor of health and kinesiology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

“I’m certain we will continue to push those pro-choice bills in future sessions, depending on the outcome of Roe and the very likely special session that will be called should Roe be overturned,” she said via email.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Fatally Shoot Man Armed With Knives After Standoff

DON'T MISS

Why Epstein’s Furious Grip on Washington Holds

DON'T MISS

US Envoy Meets Netanyahu on Lebanon and Syria, Israeli Officials Say

DON'T MISS

Gerry Spence, Renowned for Courtroom Victories and Unique Style, Dead at 96

DON'T MISS

Pentagon Working on Plans for Military Deployment in Chicago, Washington Post Reports

DON'T MISS

Widespread Protests Held in Australia to Support Palestinians

DON'T MISS

VP Vance Says Russia Has Made Significant Concessions Toward Ukraine Peace Deal

DON'T MISS

Israel Strikes Yemeni Capital Sanaa

DON'T MISS

Howard University President to Step Down This Month

DON'T MISS

Hollywood’s Biggest AI Debut? Las Vegas Sphere’s ‘Wizard of Oz’

UP NEXT

Why Epstein’s Furious Grip on Washington Holds

UP NEXT

US Envoy Meets Netanyahu on Lebanon and Syria, Israeli Officials Say

UP NEXT

Gerry Spence, Renowned for Courtroom Victories and Unique Style, Dead at 96

UP NEXT

Pentagon Working on Plans for Military Deployment in Chicago, Washington Post Reports

UP NEXT

Widespread Protests Held in Australia to Support Palestinians

UP NEXT

VP Vance Says Russia Has Made Significant Concessions Toward Ukraine Peace Deal

UP NEXT

Israel Strikes Yemeni Capital Sanaa

UP NEXT

Howard University President to Step Down This Month

UP NEXT

Hollywood’s Biggest AI Debut? Las Vegas Sphere’s ‘Wizard of Oz’

UP NEXT

Fresno State Bulldogs Can’t Find Answer for Daniels in Loss at Kansas

Gerry Spence, Renowned for Courtroom Victories and Unique Style, Dead at 96

16 hours ago

Pentagon Working on Plans for Military Deployment in Chicago, Washington Post Reports

16 hours ago

Widespread Protests Held in Australia to Support Palestinians

17 hours ago

VP Vance Says Russia Has Made Significant Concessions Toward Ukraine Peace Deal

17 hours ago

Israel Strikes Yemeni Capital Sanaa

17 hours ago

Howard University President to Step Down This Month

17 hours ago

Hollywood’s Biggest AI Debut? Las Vegas Sphere’s ‘Wizard of Oz’

17 hours ago

Fresno State Bulldogs Can’t Find Answer for Daniels in Loss at Kansas

1 day ago

Hegseth Authorizes Troops in DC to Carry Weapons

2 days ago

Texas, Florida Seek to Join Legal Challenge to Abortion Pill

2 days ago

Fresno Police Fatally Shoot Man Armed With Knives After Standoff

Fresno police officers fatally shot a 35-year-old man armed with knives Saturday afternoon after a standoff at an apartment complex, authori...

10 hours ago

Fresno police fatally shot Joseph Merical, 35, on Saturday, August 23, 2025, after a standoff at a west Fresno apartment complex. (Fresno PD)
10 hours ago

Fresno Police Fatally Shoot Man Armed With Knives After Standoff

U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry March 28, 2017 and obtained by Reuters July 10, 2019. New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
16 hours ago

Why Epstein’s Furious Grip on Washington Holds

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack attends an interview with Reuters in Beirut, Lebanon July 22, 2025. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

US Envoy Meets Netanyahu on Lebanon and Syria, Israeli Officials Say

Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos arrives at court with lawyer Gerry Spence. June 28, 1990. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

Gerry Spence, Renowned for Courtroom Victories and Unique Style, Dead at 96

The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, U.S, April 6, 2023. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

Pentagon Working on Plans for Military Deployment in Chicago, Washington Post Reports

Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in the 'Nationwide March for Palestine' protest in Sydney, Australia, August 24, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams
17 hours ago

Widespread Protests Held in Australia to Support Palestinians

Firefighters work at the site of a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in the village of Sknyliv on the outskirts of Lviv, Ukraine August 21, 2025. (Reuters File)
17 hours ago

VP Vance Says Russia Has Made Significant Concessions Toward Ukraine Peace Deal

Smoke billows from the site of Israeli air strikes in Sanaa, Yemen August 24, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
17 hours ago

Israel Strikes Yemeni Capital Sanaa

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend