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Statement from Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts Ahead of SCOTUS Oral Arguments That Could Determine Patients' Right to Receive Emergency Abortion Care 

Contact: Caroline Kimball-Katz, [email protected]

For Immediate Release: April 24, 2024 (Updated: April 24, 2024, 4:10 p.m.)


BOSTON - Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that could end federal protections for pregnant people in emergencies who need abortion care. 

Statement from Dominique Lee, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts: 

“Today, the Supreme Court is hearing a case that could allow states to ignore the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a federal law that protects access to emergency care. The implications of this case are dire. Without the protective shield of EMTALA, hospitals could potentially deny essential care to pregnant people facing life threatening complications. Imagine a scenario where a pregnant person's water breaks dangerously early, or they experience uncontrollable hemorrhage, sepsis, or pre-eclampsia. These are not hypotheticals; they are real, terrifying possibilities. Denying prompt and comprehensive treatment in such situations could lead to severe injuries, or even death. 

If the Supreme Court doesn't reject Idaho’s effort to prevent hospitals from providing life-saving emergency abortion care to patients under EMTALA, pregnant people in medical emergencies will suffer, and even die, from pregnancy complications. This case is not just a legal matter, it is a matter of fundamental human rights and public health. This case is another disgraceful attempt by anti-abortion politicians and their allies to restrict abortion access that puts their political agenda before pregnant people’s health and safety. Every person must be able to get the life-saving they need — and that includes abortion.” 

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