Arizona doctors confused, frustrated by mixed messages in statewide abortion legislation

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) - In the wake of Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s declaration that a 158-year-old law banning all abortions is now in effect and Gov. Doug Ducey’s announcement that a “recently passed law” that bans abortions after 15 weeks is also in effect, many abortion care providers are left confused and frustrated about what this means for their practices and patients.

“The only guidance we can go by is the Attorney General since, most folks might not be aware, the Attorney General is the one responsible for enforcing which laws get enforced and which laws bring charges against others,” said Dr. Sharon Thompson, managing director of Central Phoenix Obstetrics and Gynecology. She added that many individuals seeking abortions are tied to medical situations.

“What is the future of fetal testing and evaluation, given that there’s this limit on the therapies that moms have available to them? We don’t know,” Dr. Thompson said. “As to the questions of when moms find out, there’s some testing that can be done early in the pregnancy; however, the ones that looks at the development of the fetus happens generally around the 19 weeks of pregnancy, which is beyond the recent limit.”

She said that because the fetus is so small, much testing has to be held off until a later date in order to be able to effectively examine aspects of the fetus to determine its health.

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