FIGO President Dr Jeanne Conry condemns the introduction of Missouri House Bill 2810

Reproductive autonomy, including access to safe abortion services, is a basic and non-negotiable human right of every woman and girl. FIGO’s President, Dr Jeanne Conry, has made the following statement on the inclusion of ectopic pregnancy in Missouri House Bill 2810.  

FIGO strongly condemns the introduction of Missouri House Bill 2810, which, if followed in its entirety, would mean that women seeking treatment for an ectopic pregnancy could be prosecuted, and jailed. Ectopic pregnancies are a life-threatening gynaecological emergency and although in the USA only 1-2% of pregnancies are ectopic, they account for 3-4% of pregnancy-related deaths, and are the leading cause of first-trimester maternal deaths on a global scale.  

Treatment of an ectopic pregnancy is time-sensitive, essential health care. Not only can an ectopic fetus not survive, but the person suffering an ectopic pregnancy cannot survive without removal of the pregnancy. Such a law change would be catastrophic for women’s health and cause thousands of additional, preventable deaths in the USA. 

FIGO continues to call for the total decriminalisation of safe abortion, so that no one is punished for providing safe abortion or for having an abortion. Abortion care must be treated like any other essential health issue in medicine, for which the standard of care is based on best practice guidelines, training and delivery.