LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to decide whether to enshrine abortion, among other things, in the Michigan constitution.
Politicians and pundits have weighed in, but what are some doctors saying? Here’s some background.
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A 1988 case made it possible for Michigan women on Medicaid in particular cases, including rape, incest, or risk to the mother’s life, to obtain an abortion. For the past 5 years, records indicate that Michigan women on Medicaid obtained 33 abortions. None of these were the result of incest.
Records from 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, illustrate that each year, insured women representing more than 90% of the population obtained less than 40 abortions to protect the life of the mother, rape, or incest. It also demonstrates that doctors do know when an abortion is needed to preserve the life of the mother.
“What it shows is that doctors are perfectly capable of figuring out when an abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother, as evidenced by the fact that 31 abortions were performed in the past five years to save the life of the mother paid for by Medicaid in the state of Michigan,” said Michigan Right to Life Director Genevieve Marnon.
In 2017, there were 7 cases of Medicaid funded abortion, all of which were cases to save the life of the mother. Aetna administered 1, Meridian administered 4, and Molina Healthcare administered 3 abortions that year.
The reports from 2018 indicate that there were 11 total abortions in which Medicaid received payment, and only one was the result of rape. The next year, three abortions took place with only one of them as a result of rape. Medicaid received funding for two abortions in the last five years as a result of rape.
During the year of the shutdown, three Medicaid covered abortions took place – all for the life of the mother, and eight occurred in 2021 for the same reason.
“Approximately six abortions per year are to save the life of the mother,” Marnon said, “Doctors clearly know when its necessary to perform an abortion to save a women’s life otherwise it would be illegal to bill under Medicaid.”
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After a 1988 initiative, Michiganders are only eligible for a taxpayer funded Medicaid provided abortion in the case endangerment to the mother’s life, and later added as the result of rape and incest.
Marnon knew that the numbers of Medicaid funded abortions were available, and felt the need to acquire them after hearing the argument that if the proposal does not pass, doctors would not be able to perform abortions if needed to save the life of the mother.
“The constant rhetoric from supporters of Proposal 3 and supporters of abortions without restrictions, this idea that women are going to die – this is the rhetoric – that if we don’t allow abortion on demand, through all nine months of pregnancy, paid for by taxpayer dollars with not parental consent – all things that Proposal 3would give us – if we don’t pass this women are going to die,” Marnon said.
“Abortions have always been legal to save the life of the mother,” she said.
Ater the actions of Judge Elizabeth Gleicher of the Michigan Court of Appeals and Judge Jacob Cunningham of Oakland County, a permanent and temporary injunction, respectively, have been placed on the Michigan 1931 law thus enabling abortions to continue, according to Marnon.
“95 babies are going to die today, 95 more tomorrow,” Marnon said, “Maybe more because women are coming over the border to get abortions.”
The 95 is an average considering abortion clinics are open Monday through Saturday, and in the year 2021 roughly 30,000 abortions were reported. The report indicates that there was a 1.4 percent increase from 2020.
Marnon also described how the language of the entire proposal – not the 95 word summary on the ballot – describes that a baby that needs “extraordinary medical assistance” could be aborted. Babies born prematurely or needing to spend time in the NICU would be eligible for abortion under the new proposal.
Under Roe v Wade, fetal viability meant that the baby could survive outside of the womb, with aid. Premature babies are born at 20-22 weeks according to Marnon and can survive with aid. Under Roe v. Wade the state could restrict abortions after a baby was considered viable.
“[Prop 3] redefines ‘fetal viability’ to mean something very different from what people understand it to be,” she said.
According to Marnon, Proposal 3 refines ‘fetal viability’ to mean that the baby would have to have significant likelihood of sustained survival without the use of “extraordinary medical measures.” That means the baby would have to just live on its own after birth. A baby with any health conditions that might need some time in the NICU would not be considered not viable all the way to the point of birth.
Obstetricians and gynecologists define “viability” at 32 weeks gestation, because anything less would require extraordinary medical assistance, according to Marnon.
“Third trimester abortions would be completely legal in the state of Michigan,” Marnon said, “We would become the third trimester abortion mecca because there would be no restrictions.”
“This would be way beyond Roe,” she said.
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