Policy change allows British Columbia midwives to prescribe abortion pill

British Columbia (BC) government officials announced last week that midwives will now be allowed to prescribe the abortion pill Mifegymiso.

Key Takeaways:

• Midwives in British Columbia will now be able to prescribe and manage the abortion pill.

• BC officials say the move will make abortion easier to access, especially for rural women.

• The abortion pill carries a number of risks for women, especially without doctor oversight. There is no explanation for what women, especially those in rural areas, will do if they experience complications.

The Details:

BC Health Minister Josie Osborne announced the policy change, which allows midwives to manage and prescribe Mifegymiso (a combination of the abortion pill drugs mifepristone and misoprostol), on May 7.

“At a time when reproductive health is under attack, we’re taking action to protect and uphold it here in BC,” Osborne said, continuing:

“These scope of practice changes makes it easier for people to access safe, compassionate and timely abortion services closer to home, while also strengthening pregnancy care. As a rural resident, I know how essential this is for people in communities where access can be limited. These changes will break down barriers and support more people across all their care needs.”

According to CBC News, the government is working in coalition with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives to implement the policy changes.

"We are hopeful that this will also help individuals access perinatal services and promote continuity of care, as they will not have to see multiple health providers over the course of their pregnancy," the college said.

British Columbia will now join Quebec and Saskatchewan in allowing midwives to offer the abortion pill.

Why It Matters:

Though pro-abortion officials are hailing the move as a win, it will actually be putting women in greater danger.

Multiple studies have found that the abortion pill is dangerous to women, with complications including severe cramping, contractions, and heavy bleeding, as well as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and headaches. The abortion pill procedure has also been found to be four times more dangerous than a first-trimester surgical abortion.

1st Trimester Abortion | The Abortion Pill | What Is Abortion?

Even one pro-abortion organization, Gynuity, found that six percent of women who take the abortion pill will require care at an ER or urgent care facility due to complications.

Last fall, there were news reports that a Nova Scotia woman nearly bled to death after taking the abortion pill, after previous reporting that a 19-year-old Ontario teen died from an infection following a chemical abortion.

At the time, Campaign Life Coalition’s Pete Baklinski lamented the pill's availability:

“How many more women must suffer—or, God forbid, die—before Health Canada admits it made a grave mistake in approving this drug? One death is already too many. And how many more preborn children must perish before our nation awakens to the horror of the holocaust it has unleashed through the abortion pill?”

“Mifegymiso is an enemy of women and of humanity,” he declared. “It must be banned.”

While abortion supporters say that giving midwives the ability to prescribe the abortion pill will benefit those in rural areas, there is no explanation as to what happens to the woman who takes these pills and then experiences complications — especially if she has been given the pill without a doctor's direct oversight.

When she experiences complications, is there a hospital nearby? If she's given the abortion pill by her midwife, there may be no doctor close by to treat her.

The Bottom Line:

The abortion pill is never safe, as it poses significant harms to women and is fatal to preborn children. If officials really cared about women, they would eliminate access to this dangerous drug — not expand it.