The Al Franken Podcast
Laura Bassett of The Cut and Sarah Zhang of The Atlantic
Oct 20, 2024
Laura Bassett, a former editor in chief of Jezebel and a political writer for The Cut, teams up with Sarah Zhang, a staff writer at The Atlantic known for her work on women's healthcare issues. They delve into the critical impact of strict abortion laws, particularly in Idaho, exploring how these regulations hinder healthcare access and create moral dilemmas for OBGYNs. Bassett highlights how reproductive rights could influence the upcoming elections, while both share personal anecdotes illustrating the devastating effects of these laws on women's health.
40:32
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Quick takeaways
- Idaho's strict abortion laws are causing significant moral distress among healthcare providers, leading many to leave the state.
- Abortion rights are becoming a pivotal issue in upcoming elections, influencing voter turnout and candidates' strategies in battleground states.
Deep dives
Impact of Abortion Laws on Medical Practitioners
The stringent abortion laws in Idaho create significant moral distress among obstetricians and gynecologists, with approximately 96% of them experiencing this phenomenon. Many physicians are compelled to make life-threatening decisions, having to withhold care from women experiencing complications or miscarriages, even when medical intervention would be necessary to protect their health. For instance, OBGYNs often grapple with ambiguous legal definitions, where procedures typically considered routine or necessary could be misclassified as abortions under the strict laws. This environment has driven many healthcare providers to leave Idaho, significantly depleting the already scarce number of medical professionals in the state.
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