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Governor Pillen, Lieutenant Governor Kelly, medical experts and others respond to misleading advertising information regarding care for pregnant women
LINCOLN, Nebraska — Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, Lt. Governor Joe Kelly, and medical experts address misleading information about the care available to Nebraska women experiencing miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies. did. The group pointed to recent television advertisements that have caused confusion and misinformation. As a matter of public health, they argue, it is essential to provide adequate information to health care providers and patients.
“This is not about competing abortion-related initiatives that Nebraskans are deciding on. This is about questions being raised about current law and health care during pregnancy,” Governor Pillen said. “This is about fighting misinformation with facts about the treatment of women who have experienced miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.”
Dr. Timothy Tesmer, Nebraska's chief medical officer, said he has heard from health care providers seeking clarity about LB574, the Prematurity Protection Act. The law was passed by Congress and signed into law in 2023. Abortion is prohibited after 12 weeks of gestation. Rape, incest, and the life of the mother are exceptions.
“Current law allows for the removal of ectopic pregnancies, the removal of the remains of a deceased newborn, and even emergency situations involving the mother that require termination of the pregnancy,” Dr. Tesmer explained.
He pointed out that to date, no doctor in Nebraska has had his license granted or revoked for following the law. Lieutenant Governor Kelly added that disciplinary action will only be taken if a medical professional is found to have performed an illegal abortion. They will not face criminal penalties.
Marcy Penrod emphasized the need for women to receive as accurate information as possible during pregnancy. She was a medical assistant for a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology for 25 years.
“I'm very concerned about all the misinformation we're hearing in public right now. Women have a right to know the truth, and when faced with hardships like miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies, state law requires doctors to We need to know that we are allowing and asking for medical challenges to be addressed,” Penrod said.
Dr. Robert Plambeck said that from the perspective of his 36 years of practice as an obstetrician-gynecologist, he and other medical professionals work extremely hard to establish relationships and trust with patients. . In many cases, the relationship lasts for many years. Medical misinformation can have negative effects.
“When that kind of information is disseminated through various forms of media, it becomes a problem, not just for me and my patients, but also a public health crisis,” Dr. Plambeck said. “Women who experience difficult and distressing situations during pregnancy deserve our support.”
Dr. Richard Wirtz, a family physician in Lincoln for 30 years, agreed. “Patients come to us and expect us to tell them the truth and give them the most accurate information so they can make sound medical decisions for themselves and their loved ones. But when this force of basic medical misinformation intervenes, it does serious damage to public health and public trust in the medical profession.”
Elizabeth Jacobs Fitzgerald has worked as a labor and delivery nurse for 30 years. Additionally, she works closely with families who have experienced miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and stillbirths. In situations like this, where people are most vulnerable, accurate information is especially important.
“Misinformation confuses women and leaves them feeling hopeless and alone when they should be able to trust the medical community to walk through their miscarriage with them,” said Jacobs-Fitzgerald. Ta. “The lives of real women and the dignity of their unborn babies are at stake, and we as a community have an obligation to provide them with the best medical advice and care we can provide.”
“Public health is ultimately a matter of life and death, and it is critical that people have the right information to make the right decisions,” said Governor Pillen.
He and Dr. Tessmer encourage health care professionals to use their best medical judgment and to contact the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Public Health Office with any additional questions regarding the law. Ta. Women who are told they cannot legally receive treatment for a miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy should also contact DHHS.
“The last thing we want in this state is women who fear, based on misinformation, that they will not be able to receive medical care in such situations,” Governor Pillen stressed.
(Left to right: Elizabeth Jacobs-Fitzgerald, Dr. Robert Plambeck, Marcy Penrod, Governor Pillen, Dr. Tim Tesmer, Lt. Governor Kelly, and Dr. Richard Wurtz)
