The Burden of Abortion Restrictions and Conservative Diagnostic Guidelines on Patient-Centered Care for Early Pregnancy Loss

Abstract

Intrauterine pregnancies of uncertain viability are common, and guidelines for diagnosing early pregnancy loss must balance the risk of interrupting a viable pregnancy with the anxiety and medical complications resulting from delayed diagnosis. Two cases of likely early pregnancy loss presenting as intrauterine pregnancies of uncertain viability are described, with stark differences in care availability related to state reproductive health care regulations. Onerous abortion restrictions, medical and societal stigma, and inherent pronatalism in diagnostic criteria interfere with the exercise of clinical judgment and can damage patients' physical or mental health.