A study by Manatt Health commissioned by the Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation examined how Texas’ abortion laws are impacting the Texas OB/GYN physician workforce and the future reproductive healthcare pipeline. The study found that a significant majority of surveyed physicians reported that the laws have inhibited their ability to provide medically necessary and highest quality care, citing confusion about the laws and fear about potential legal repercussions.
With support from the Jacob and Terese Hershey Foundation, the Sissy Farenthold Reproductive Justice Defense Project at The University of Texas at Austin School of Law is working to address this challenge. The Farenthold Project provides education to physicians across the state about the extent and limitations of Texas’ abortion laws, aiming to serve as a trusted resource on how to comply with the law when providing information about abortion care and treating miscarriage, pregnancy loss and other life-threatening pregnancy complications and conditions such as ectopic pregnancy. The Farenthold Project also provides continuing legal education for attorneys working in the healthcare field, helping to translate evolving legal standards to clinical contexts.
In the wake of opinions issued by the Supreme Court of Texas in the Zurawski v. Texas case, argued by Foundation partner the Center for Reproductive Rights, and subsequent state legislation, the Texas Medical Board created its first-ever continuing medical education course for physicians on when they can legally intervene to protect a pregnant Texan’s life. The Farenthold Project supported the stakeholder review process for the training, drawing on its field-tested expertise and educational materials to provide feedback that was adapted into this course, which is now required of every physician practicing obstetrics in the state.
“The legal regulation of the practice of medicine is difficult to translate to clinical realities under the best circumstances,” according to Blake Rocap, Project Director of the Farenthold Project. “This difficulty is exacerbated when political considerations take precedence over clarity as is often the case in exceptions to abortion bans. Through taking the time to work with physicians and understand their concerns, I’m hopeful we are delivering effective education that will improve patient outcomes.”
As owner of an inland marine transportation business and former competitive sailor, Jake Hershey was vitally interested in the health of Galveston Bay and area waterways