Florida Congresswoman Faces Treatment Delays Amid Abortion Law Concerns

A Republican congresswoman from Florida blames liberal fearmongering for the hesitation of hospital staff to administer necessary medication for her ectopic pregnancy, a condition that threatened her life.

In May 2024, Kat Cammack was rushed to the emergency room, only to find she was about five weeks pregnant with an ectopic pregnancy, absent of a heartbeat, and her life in peril. Doctors concluded she needed a methotrexate injection to terminate the dangerous pregnancy. However, due to Florida’s newly implemented six-week abortion ban, medical personnel were apprehensive about potential legal repercussions.

In an effort to persuade the staff, Cammack researched the law on her smartphone and even reached out to the governor’s office for clarification. After several tense hours, the doctors relented and administered the medication.

Cammack, co-chair of the House pro-life caucus and an opponent of abortion, told the Wall Street Journal that she holds pro-abortion advocates accountable for the delay in her medical care, citing fear of criminal charges despite her treatment being lawful under Florida’s stringent regulations.

Now, over a year later and expecting a child once more, Cammack reflects on the lasting political impact of the episode.

“It was the epitome of fearmongering,” Cammack remarked, while acknowledging that abortion rights advocates might perceive her ordeal as evidence of the problems with restrictive, Republican-backed laws.

“There will be some who say, ‘Thank God for abortion services,’ without realizing my situation was not an abortion,” she stated.

Florida’s harsh abortion restriction, effective since May 1, 2024, prohibits abortions beyond six weeks—a time when many are unaware they are pregnant.

Following a period of uncertainty among healthcare providers due to ambiguous legal language, the state’s health agency released guidance to dispel “misinformation” concerning permissible abortions when the pregnant individual’s life is endangered.

Cammack hopes her public disclosure fosters political unity across divides.

“I would stand with any woman—Republican or Democrat—to ensure they receive the necessary care during a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy,” she affirmed.

Abortion rights advocates argue the law presents challenges. While Florida officials assert that ectopic pregnancies don’t fall under abortion restrictions, Molly Duane from the Center for Reproductive Rights noted the law doesn’t define ectopic pregnancies, complicating diagnoses.

Alison Haddock, the American College of Emergency Physicians’ president, expressed that early pregnancy care is “medically complex,” with doctors in abortion-restricted states anxious about the stability of their clinical judgments under prosecutorial threat.