VIDEO: Overturning Roe v. Wade could be ‘catastrophic’ for OB/GYN training, practice

Gabrielle R. Magalski, BS, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Queensland-Ochsner Clinical School, and peers recently wrote a perspective about the implications of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

Published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the perspective specifically mentioned the impact the decision regarding a Mississippi abortion law might have on OB/GYN training and practice.

“The ability to acquire comprehensive reproductive education is already pretty restricted, and the ruling coming in June could decrease the [number of] programs where that training is able to be acquired,” Magalski said in a video interview with Healio.

Magalski and peers highlighted that some medications and procedures used for abortions also are used to manage miscarriage, evacuation, dilation and first trimester aspirations.

“Even under current regulations, residency program directors report that only 22% of OB/GYN graduates are competent in dilation and evacuation, and only 71% are competent in performing first trimester aspirations,” Magalski said.

If the Supreme Court decides to overturn Roe v. Wade, other restrictive laws may immediately go into effect across the country.

“This could be catastrophic for the future generations of OB/GYNs who could struggle to gain the skills and experience that they need to provide comprehensive care,” Magalski said.