Florida abortion law confusion: GOP rep says hospital delayed ectopic pregnancy care; blames fearmongering, not policy

Florida Republican Congresswoman Kat Cammack has said that fear surrounding the state’s strict abortion laws delayed her emergency treatment for an ectopic pregnancy last year.

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Cammack said hospital staff were initially reluctant to administer methotrexate, a drug used to terminate ectopic pregnancies, over concerns they could face legal repercussions. In May 2024, Kat Cammack sought emergency care when she was five weeks into a nonviable ectopic pregnancy that posed a serious threat to her life. Medical personnel hesitated to treat her following the enactment of Florida’s six-week abortion ban on May 1.

Cammack said she attempted to clarify the law herself by looking it up on her phone and contacting the governor’s office. Doctors ultimately administered the medicine after several hours.

Although she co-chairs the House pro-life caucus and opposes abortion, Cammack criticised what she described as “fearmongering” from abortion rights groups, arguing that it contributed to the uncertainty among healthcare providers.

She acknowledged that critics might attribute the delay to Republican-led abortion restrictions but maintained that her experience did not constitute an abortion under Florida law.Florida’s six-week abortion ban prohibits most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, a point at which many individuals may not yet be aware they are pregnant. State health officials later issued guidance affirming that abortions are permitted when a pregnant person’s life or health is at risk.

The law’s wording had caused confusion in medical settings during the initial months of enforcement. Activists and physicians have voiced concerns over the law. Molly Duane of the center for reproductive rights noted that the law does not explicitly define ectopic pregnancy, a condition that can be challenging to diagnose. Alison Haddock, president of the American college of emergency physicians, told The Wall Street Journal that early pregnancy care is "medically complicated" and that doctors worry their clinical decisions could be subject to prosecution.Cammack hoped that going public with her experience would help opposing political groups find common ground. Now in the final stages of a subsequent pregnancy, Cammack said the politics of the incident has had a lasting impact on her. “I would stand with any woman – Republican or Democrat – and fight for them to be able to get care in a situation where they are experiencing a miscarriage and an ectopic pregnancy,” she said.