Dear MO-ACC Colleagues:
As all of us are aware, the recent Supreme Court decision on Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe vs. Wade has had a direct impact on reproductive planning and maternal care for pregnant women with cardiovascular and structural heart disease. Previously, the Missouri legislature passed a ‘trigger law’ in 2019 called the ‘Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act’ which outright banned abortions, except in cases of medical emergency. This law went into effect with the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, resulting in abortion being banned in the State of Missouri except in cases of medical emergency. The statute does not provide for a definition of ‘medical emergency’.
The American College of Cardiology has published a statement regarding the potential implications of this decision going forward, and Kathryn J. Lindley, MD, FACC, Director of Washington University Center for Women's Heart Disease, has put out an excellent opinion piece (To Save a Dying Mother) that frames the key issues in a professional and non-political manner. Additionally, the ACC’s Cardio-Obstetrics Workgroup is developing a series of tools, including this 5-part Focus Seminar published in JACC, to help support providers in caring for women of reproductive age with cardiovascular disease.
Regardless of our own personal beliefs or political ideologies, we are all professionals committed to the health and well-being of the patients who have entrusted their care to us—and as we all know too well, this often involves guiding patients and their families through difficult decisions. This is an opportunity for the MO-ACC to help providers navigate this new medical-legal landscape as they continue to care for their patients, as well as for us to educate the public and elected legislators as to the full ramifications of the current law and seek modifications going forward that prioritize informed shared-decision making that focuses on the needs and outcomes of our patients and families. We will provide more information on advocacy efforts as it becomes available. In the interim, we encourage members who are interested in Legislatively Advocacy to contact our Chapter Executive Beth Quick-Andrews, CAE at moacc@qabs.com.
Please feel free to reach out to any of the MO-ACC Officers or District Councilors with any questions or thoughts.
On behalf of the MO-ACC Leadership Council,
Gabe Soto, MO-ACC Chapter President
Toniya Singh, MO-ACC Chapter Secretary-Treasurer
Anna Grodzinsky, MO-ACC Women in Cardiology Section Chair
Kathryn J. Lindley, MO-ACC.22 Scientific Session Chair
