California Sues Catholic Hospital for Denying Emergency Abortion

In a significant legal action, California's Attorney General Rob Bonta has filed a lawsuit against Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, alleging violation of state law regarding emergency medical care. The case, filed on September 30, 2024, in Humboldt County Superior Court, centers on the hospital's refusal to provide an emergency abortion in February 2024.

The lawsuit stems from the experience of Anna Nusslock, who was pregnant with twins when her water broke prematurely. According to the legal filing, the Catholic-affiliated hospital denied Nusslock a medically necessary abortion, citing its policy against intervention while fetal heartbeats were detectable. This decision allegedly put Nusslock at risk of life-threatening complications.

"The hospital's policy inflicted on me needless protracted pain, bleeding and trauma."

Nusslock's ordeal highlights the complex intersection of religious beliefs and medical ethics in healthcare. Catholic hospitals, which make up about 15% of acute care facilities in the United States, follow the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. These guidelines often conflict with medical recommendations, such as those from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which advises immediate delivery for pregnancies with ruptured membranes before viability.

The case brings attention to California's strong abortion rights protections, including the Reproductive Privacy Act of 2002. It also underscores the ongoing national debate over emergency abortion access, particularly in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling allowing states to ban the procedure.

Attorney General Bonta emphasized the importance of hospital compliance with state law, stating, "We need hospitals to follow the law, at the bare minimum. That is not too much to ask." The lawsuit seeks to prevent future denials of medically necessary abortions and impose civil penalties on the hospital.

This legal action is part of a broader trend of cases challenging restrictions on emergency abortions. In July 2024, a Kansas woman sued the University of Kansas Health System for a similar refusal in 2022. Additionally, in June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ruling that federal emergency care law overrides Idaho's near-total abortion ban in medical emergencies.

The Providence St. Joseph Hospital case raises important questions about the balance between religious freedom and medical necessity. It also highlights the ongoing efforts of organizations like the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which actively advocates for abortion restrictions and against laws requiring Catholic hospitals to provide abortions.

As this legal battle unfolds, it serves as a reminder of the complex landscape of reproductive healthcare in the United States, where access to emergency medical procedures can vary significantly based on location and hospital affiliation.