Response to Supreme Court decisions Moyle v. United States & Idaho v. United States
Supreme Court Justice Alito referenced The PPROM Foundation this past week in his dissenting opinion on Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States. The PPROM Foundation is a national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting families impacted by Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM).
Right now, in many states in this country, a person diagnosed with PPROM is stuck in a medical and legal gray zone. There are limited treatment options when the amniotic sac or “water” breaks in the first or second trimester. Expectant Management or “watching and waiting” with purposeful medical oversight may be appropriate if the pregnancy is stable. However, there are situations in which delivery is necessary to save the life or health of the pregnant person. If someone exhibits clinical signs of infection after PPROM, the intervention is immediate delivery. This is true at both 16 weeks and 32 weeks of pregnancy. Infection is not inevitable in PPROM, but inaction or delay can be fatal.
PPROM families must have the freedom to make informed decisions about their pregnancies, the right to advocate for themselves, and to receive person-centered high-risk pregnancy and neonatal care. Families must have access to specialized medical and emergency care in their local area or state. Families need support during and after the traumatic experience of delivering a much-wanted child too soon, carrying a child that may not survive, coming home with empty arms after a loss, or raising medically fragile children who need intensive care to survive. Families need access to mental health care during and after the pregnancy to address the tragedy, trauma, and loss that often persists for years. While there are success stories and positive outcomes, they are not the singular reality.
We are fortunate to live in a time when advances in maternal and neonatal care have improved survival in the periviable period. The landscape is different post-Dobbs. We are losing experienced, passionate medical professionals and their institutional expertise, further impacting access to care. Peer support organizations are at risk of legal action, incarceration, and fines for supporting their community.
A diagnosis of PPROM is always devastating. High-risk pregnancy care and emergency treatment, which may include induction/termination/abortion, is essential. Living in the proverbial gray zone increases the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality and increases the likelihood of adverse outcomes in PPROM.
One day a solution, treatment, or prevention will be identified. Until then, we will continue providing resources and support to families affected by PPROM.
Know the symptoms of PPROM in pregnancy:
- A gush of fluid from the vagina
- Persistent sense of fluids leaking or feeling of wetness on the underwear
- Watery or blood-tinged discharge
- Low amniotic fluid on ultrasound
If you are pregnant with symptoms of PPROM, contact your medical provider immediately.
The PPROM Foundation is a non-profit organization 501(c)(3) that provides specialized support to families facing a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of pregnancy where the amniotic sac or “water” breaks before 37 weeks (Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes or PPROM). PPROM can occur as early as the first trimester and is the leading identifiable cause of preterm birth. The PPROM Foundation provides patient and provider resources and manages a patient registry.
SOURCE The PPROM Foundation & PR Newswire
