美国国家公共电台 NPR--With Roe v. Wade overturned, doctors expect to see more self-induced abortions

With Roe¹ v. Wade² overturned, doctors expect to see more self-induced abortions⁴

Transcript⁵

As more states prepare to ban abortion³, some doctors worry about a likely increase in the number of patients with emergencies from self-induced abortion.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

As abortion becomes more difficult or impossible to access in many states, some patients are relying on what's known as a self-managed abortion - people trying to end their pregnancies⁶ on their own, often using pills they get online. But when questions or complications arise, they may need to call a doctor or visit an emergency room, and health care providers are preparing to help more of those patients while protecting themselves. NPR's Sarah McCammon joins us now to talk more about this. Hi, Sarah.

SARAH MCCAMMON, BYLINE⁷: Hey, Leila.

FADEL: So, Sarah, explain what a self-managed abortion is and what the role of the health care system is in that.

MCCAMMON: So it's something that's been happening for a long time in various ways. You know, doctors say there are safe ways to induce an abortion under certain circumstances using medication, and, of course, there are very unsafe ways. That was certainly a reality in the years before Roe v. Wade, decades ago. But today, there are medications that will induce what is medically very similar to a miscarriage⁸. The FDA approved a two-drug protocol⁹ more than 20 years ago, and major medical groups say the safety record for that is very strong. There are situations, though, where patients have questions or complications, and that's where the health care system can come in.

FADEL: And so what are doctors thinking about when they think about treating patients who are coming in with these complications or questions?

MCCAMMON: Well, obviously, there are medical implications. They need to know how to treat issues like cramping¹⁰ or bleeding and assess whether a patient might need surgery. In some states, there could also be legal implications for patients and possibly for doctors. Dr. Nisha Verma is an OB-GYN and an abortion provider, and she co-authored a new paper for the Society of Family Planning about this. She says that doctors should consult with their attorneys about what they should or shouldn't say to patients, depending on where they live.

NISHA VERMA: We need to be really intentional¹¹ about what we're asking from people, making sure that we're only asking them the information that we need to take care of them.

MCCAMMON: For example, Verma says the treatment for heavy bleeding is the same whether it's caused by a miscarriage or by abortion pills, so it may not be necessary to share that kind of information.

FADEL: And so what she's talking about is concern over what is or isn't legal, depending on what state you're in. So what do we know about what is legal when it comes to self-managed abortions?

MCCAMMON: Most abortion laws in the U.S. right now do not directly punish patients for either seeking or self-inducing an abortion. That's according to attorney Farah Diaz-Tello with the legal advocacy group If/When/How. But that could change. The landscape is shifting right now. And she says some patients may fear overzealous prosecutors¹².

FARAH DIAZ-TELLO: Our big concern is that even if there's no legal basis for them to be criminalized, the fear of being criminalized and being entangled¹³ in the legal system is going to drive them away from health care if they need it.

MCCAMMON: And she says doctors should be careful that they aren't doing anything that could put their patients in jeopardy¹⁴, such as making unnecessary reports to law enforcement.

FADEL: So you mentioned that right now, generally, patients aren't the ones that might get punished for self-induced abortion, but is it possible that that will change?

MCCAMMON: Well, first of all, there are a lot of efforts to crack down in general on the distribution of abortion pills, whether by doctors or by anyone outside of the mainstream¹⁵ medical system - so some of these websites. And already some states and state lawmakers are looking at ways of penalizing¹⁶ that. Texas and Oklahoma have enacted¹⁷ laws allowing individuals to sue anyone suspected of assisting with illegal abortions of all types, and a new Kentucky law calls for the extradition¹⁸ of people who ship abortion drugs to patients there. So this is certainly something to watch.

FADEL: NPR's Sarah McCammon covers abortion. Thank you, Sarah.

MCCAMMON: Thank you.

1 roe   

n.鱼卵；獐鹿

参考例句：

• We will serve smoked cod's roe at the dinner.宴会上我们将上一道熏鳕鱼子。
• I'll scramble some eggs with roe?我用鱼籽炒几个鸡蛋好吗？

2 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

3 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

4 abortions   

n.小产( abortion的名词复数 )；小产胎儿；（计划）等中止或夭折；败育

参考例句：

• The Venerable Master: By not having abortions, by not killing living beings. 上人：不堕胎、不杀生。 来自互联网
• Conclusion Chromosome abnormality is one of the causes of spontaneous abortions. 结论：染色体异常是导致反复自然流产的原因之一。 来自互联网

5 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

6 pregnancies   

怀孕，妊娠( pregnancy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Since the wartime population needed replenishment, pregnancies were a good sign. 最后一桩倒不失为好现象，战时人口正该补充。
• She's had three pregnancies in four years. 她在四年中怀孕叁次。

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 miscarriage   

n.失败，未达到预期的结果；流产

参考例句：

• The miscarriage of our plans was a great blow.计划的失败给我们以巨大的打击。
• Women who smoke are more to have a miscarriage.女性吸烟者更容易流产。

9 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

10 cramping   

图像压缩

参考例句：

• The bleeding may keep my left hand from cramping. 淌血会叫我的左手不抽筋。
• This loss of sodium can cause dehydration and cramping. 钠流失会造成脱水和抽筋。

11 intentional   

adj.故意的，有意（识）的

参考例句：

• Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。
• His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。

12 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

13 entangled   

adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The bird had become entangled in the wire netting. 那只小鸟被铁丝网缠住了。
• Some military observers fear the US could get entangled in another war. 一些军事观察家担心美国会卷入另一场战争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 jeopardy   

n.危险；危难

参考例句：

• His foolish behaviour may put his whole future in jeopardy.他愚蠢的行为可能毁了他一生的前程。
• It is precisely at this juncture that the boss finds himself in double jeopardy.恰恰在这个关键时刻，上司发现自己处于进退两难的境地。

15 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

16 penalizing   

对…予以惩罚( penalize的现在分词 )； 使处于不利地位

参考例句：

• This is more than just penalizing a company that you are mad at. 她说：这将远远超过惩罚一个你感到不满的公司。

17 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

18 extradition   

n.引渡（逃犯）

参考例句：

• The smuggler is in prison tonight,awaiting extradition to Britain.这名走私犯今晚在监狱，等待引渡到英国。
• He began to trouble concerning the extradition laws.他开始费尽心思地去想关于引渡法的问题。