LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether a 1986 federal law should include emergency abortion care.
Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments on Wednesday and appeared deeply divided over the issue.
The law, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, states most hospitals should provide stabilizing care to a patient whose life is in danger. While the case is out of Idahom some Nevadans believe the ruling could impact patients at home.
On Wednesday, Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom held a press conference discussing the SCOTUS abortion case.
Dr. Christine Miyake, a Las Vegas-based emergency medical physician, was one of the speakers and expressed concern that pregnant patients could be turned away at local hospitals.
"I have seen many different cases where women would have died if they did not receive an emergency abortion," Dr. Miyake said.
Dr. Miyake said her goal as an emergency medical physician is to stabilize conditions of patients who are in moments of crisis.
"Watching a patient die in front of you is heartbreaking," Dr. Miyake said. "Watching a patient die with a condition you have the ability to treat but are forbidden to do so is horrifying."
Right now, there is a petition to put reproductive rights in the state constitution.
In 1990, Nevada voters passed a referendum protecting abortion rights. However, pro-choice activists believe state constitutional protections would ensure abortion care.
"With our rights continuously under attack, the work we are doing in Nevada to protect access to abortion in our state constitution could not be more critical," said Crystal Garcia with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
However, Nevada Right to Life executive director Melissa Clement said miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy care will never be denied.
"We're talking about situations which are very tragic like an ectopic pregnancy and that is not threatened at all," Clement said.
Clement also said Nevadans will not be impacted by federal abortion case rulings.
"No woman is going to be denied abortion in Nevada because abortion is guaranteed and protected in our statute," Clement said.
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling on the emergency abortion case by end of June.
