Failed South Carolina bill targeting abortion and birth control reignites policy debate
Plus, unfounded safety concerns about mifepristone reemerged.
Plus, unfounded safety concerns about mifepristone reemerged.
Last month, a South Carolina bill aiming to further criminalize abortion and limit access to birth control failed to advance. Plus, a South Carolina woman was charged with attempted murder after taking abortion pills past the state’s six-week ban. In response, social media users expressed concern about abortion bans and worried about the future of reproductive health care access. In other discussions, commenters falsely claimed that the abortion pill mifepristone is unsafe and advocated against “freebirth,” or giving birth without help from health care providers.
In light of these discussions, communicators may share information about abortion and birth control access, reiterate that mifepristone is safe, and highlight the dangers of freebirth.
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What’s trending nationally in conversations about reproductive health:
On November 18, a South Carolina bill that would have further criminalized abortion did not advance out of the State Senate Medical Affairs subcommittee. The bill aimed to make abortion a felony and remove exceptions for rape and incest (which extends the limit to up to 12 weeks of pregnancy), when fatal fetal anomalies are detected, and to save the pregnant person’s life. On Instagram, social media users expressed alarm about the bill, even though it did not advance. Some noted that the bill also redefined a “human embryo” as a fertilized egg and aimed to prevent the use of birth control methods that stop ovulation or implantation, like birth control pills and IUDs. Commenters worried about losing access to widespread reproductive health care services. More conversation about the state’s abortion laws occurred on Reddit, where users discussed a South Carolina woman who was charged with attempted murder last month after taking abortion pills at 27 weeks of pregnancy. Many commenters expressed concern for the woman and frustration with abortion bans, despite some opposing abortions later in pregnancy. One comment read, “If she had better access to care maybe she would have aborted sooner.”
Late last month, attorneys general from Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho filed an amended complaint in a 2022 lawsuit aiming to limit access to the abortion pill mifepristone. The complaint challenges the Food and Drug Administration’s recent approval of generic mifepristone. The FDA is already investigating mifepristone, despite decades of studies confirming that it’s safe. Some social media users thanked the attorneys general, falsely claiming that mifepristone is poisonous, while others correctly stated that the risk of serious complications from abortion pills is extremely low and that their availability has expanded abortion access.
On November 22, the Guardian published an article investigating the Free Birth Society, which uses social media to promote “freebirth,” or giving birth without any health care providers present. The article highlighted the dangers of freebirth and linked it to infant deaths and brain injuries. Social media users responding to the article criticized the Free Birth Society and noted that health care providers can make birth safer for pregnant people and their babies. Some also expressed sadness that negative experiences with the medical system may lead pregnant people to create unsafe birth plans.
Recommendations brought to you by the health communication experts behind Infodemiology.com.
Recommendations for public health professionals
The Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about reproductive health.
In response to conversations about abortion access, communicators may ensure that all messaging highlighting their state’s abortion laws are up to date, especially as new legislation is introduced. Communicators may also want to recirculate resources like AbortionFinder.org, which helps people find reputable abortion providers; Plan C, which offers information about accessing abortion pills in every state; the Repro Legal Helpline, which connects people with lawyers who can answer questions about abortion, miscarriage, and birth; and the National Network of Abortion Funds, which helps people pay for an abortion and associated costs, including travel. Messaging may stress that birth control—including birth control pills and IUDs—is legal in every state. Sharing information about the types of birth control, their effectiveness, and where people can access them is recommended.
Concerns about mifepristone safety are persistent. Ongoing messaging may emphasize that medication abortion accounts for nearly two-thirds of abortions in the U.S. and that the risk of major complications from abortion pills is less than 1 percent.
Conversations about freebirth provide an opportunity to stress that research has found that hospitals and accredited birth centers are the safest places to give birth. Messaging may emphasize that rapid intervention from health care providers prevents infant and maternal deaths and birth complications. Communicators may also share information about creating a safe birth plan, plus tips for how pregnant people can advocate for their needs in the delivery room.