Caitlin Bernard

Last updated
Caitlin Bernard
Education Binghamton University (BS)
State University of New York, Upstate (MD)
Washington University (MS)
Scientific career
FieldsObstetrics and gynaecology
Institutions Indiana University School of Medicine

Caitlin Bernard is an American obstetrician-gynecologist and reproductive and abortion rights activist. Bernard is a practicing physician affiliated with Indiana University Health, as well as an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Indiana University School of Medicine. She also serves as associate medical director and director of ultrasound services for Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, and has provided abortion services at Planned Parenthood facilities in Indiana and Kentucky. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life

Bernard grew up on a farm in upstate New York, raised by socially liberal parents. Her father was a carpenter. Bernard first mentioned she wanted to grow up to be a doctor at the age of 5. Her sister recalled accompanying her to a Planned Parenthood to get birth control at the age of 15. She also traveled to Guatemala with her father to volunteer in health clinics. This experience was part of what formed her interest in obstetrics and gynecology. [2]

Bernard completed her undergraduate degree at Binghamton University, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Human Development/Biology in 2006. She received her medical degree at State University of New York Upstate Medical University in 2010, completing a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Afterward, she received at Master of Science degree in Clinical Investigation at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine in 2017. At Washington University, she also completed a family planning fellowship, for which she was accredited to perform more difficult abortion procedures, such as second-term abortion. [2]

Activism

Bernard is a public advocate for abortion rights, who has frequently given speeches, spoken to media, and lobbied state government in Indiana. [2]

2019 ACLU suit

In 2019, Bernard and another doctor sued, in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, to overturn HEA 1211, also known as the "Dismemberment Abortion Ban"—a TRAP law which banned dilation and evacuation procedures. That law attempted to make such abortion procedures a felony for the doctor performing them unless it is to save the life of the mother or the fetus is non-viable. [3] At the time, Bernard was one of only two doctors in Indiana performing the procedure, which only occurred 27 times in the state in 2017. [4] [5]

In May 2019, Bernard spoke at a Planned Parenthood-supported rally at the Indiana Statehouse, and stated—in reference to other restrictive laws recently passed in states like Alabama and Missouri—"It is only a matter of time before it is right here on our doorsteps". [6] On June 28, just before the July 1 date the law was due to go into effect, it was blocked by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. [7] Subsequently, the case was appealed and the law was revived after the Supreme Court's 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade .

Post-Dobbs

In 2022, Bernard was at the center of a high-profile case in which she served as doctor performing a medical abortion for a 10-year-old patient who traveled to Indiana from Ohio for the procedure in the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization , the June 24, 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned the right to abortion. [8] Since that incident in particular, which became part of the broader abortion debate in the United States, Bernard has become a high-profile abortion rights advocate, and was subject to intense public attention—which included an investigation into the matter launched by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, and a lawsuit Bernard filed against Rokita for defamation. [9] [10] [11]

Bernard's employer, Indiana University Health, conducted an investigation of the matter in 2022 and concluded that Bernard had not committed any privacy violations, as she had complied with patient privacy laws after the procedure she had provided to the 10-year-old girl. [12] [13] Nonetheless, after Rokita complained, the licensing board took up the matter, and voted to issue a letter of reprimand and impose a fine of US$3,000 upon Bernard, [12] a decision it reached on May 25, 2023. [14] [15] The board voted to clear Bernard of two other charges, finding that she "did not improperly report child abuse and that she is fit to practice medicine". [14] The decision prompted over 500 Indiana doctors to sign an open letter criticizing the board for its ruling, stating that it should not have taken up the matter and warning that its decision represented a dangerous precedent whose implications could potentially threaten public health. [12]

Related Research Articles

Intact dilation and extraction is a surgical procedure that terminates and removes an intact fetus from the uterus. The procedure is used both after miscarriages and for abortions in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

Obstetrics and gynaecology is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics and gynaecology. The specialization is an important part of care for women's health.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States abortion-rights movement</span> Support for womens right to elective abortion

The United States abortion-rights movement is a sociopolitical movement in the United States supporting the view that a woman should have the legal right to an elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy, and is part of a broader global abortion-rights movement. The movement consists of a variety of organizations, with no single centralized decision-making body.

Dilation and evacuation (D&E) or dilatation and evacuation is the dilation of the cervix and surgical evacuation of the uterus after the first trimester of pregnancy. It is a method of abortion as well as a common procedure used after miscarriage to remove all pregnancy tissue.

Many jurisdictions have laws applying to minors and abortion. These parental involvement laws require that one or more parents consent or be informed before their minor daughter may legally have an abortion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Rokita</span> American lawyer and politician (born 1970)

Theodore Edward Rokita is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 44th and current Attorney General of Indiana. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana's 4th congressional district from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served two terms as Secretary of State of Indiana from 2002 to 2010. When Rokita was elected to office in 2002 at age 32, he became the youngest secretary of state in the United States at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Elizabeth Hodgson</span> Physician, obstetrician, gynecologist

Jane Elizabeth Hodgson was an American obstetrician and gynecologist. Hodgson received a bachelor's degree from Carleton College and her M.D. from the University of Minnesota. She trained at the Jersey City Medical Center and at the Mayo Clinic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Americans United for Life</span> Public interest law firm

Americans United for Life (AUL) is an American anti-abortion law firm and advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1971, the group opposes abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, embryonic stem cell research, and certain contraceptive methods. The organization has led campaigns and been involved in judicial actions to prevent the passage and implementation of legislation that permits abortion, or may increase prevalence of abortion, including successfully defending the Hyde Amendment in the U.S. Supreme Court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merle Hoffman</span> American journalist and activist

Merle Hoffman is an American journalist and activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abortion law in the United States by state</span>

The legality of abortion in the United States and the various restrictions imposed on the procedure vary significantly, depending on the laws of each state or other jurisdiction, although there is no uniform federal law. Some states prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with few exceptions; others permit it up to a certain point in a woman's pregnancy, while some allow abortion throughout a woman's pregnancy. In states where abortion is legal, several classes of restrictions on the procedure may exist, such as parental consent or notification laws, requirements that patients be shown an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion, mandatory waiting periods, and counseling requirements.

Abortion in Costa Rica is severely restricted by criminal law. Currently, abortions are allowed in Costa Rica only in order to preserve the life or physical health of the woman. Abortions are illegal in almost all cases, including when the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest and when the foetus suffers from medical problems or birth defects. Both social and economic factors have led to this legal status. It remains unclear whether abortions are legal to preserve the mental health of the woman, though the 2013 United Nations abortion report says Costa Rica does allow abortions concerning the mental health of a woman.

Abortion is the termination of human pregnancy, often performed in the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. In 1973, the United States Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade recognized a constitutional right to obtain an abortion without excessive government restriction, and in 1992 the Court in Planned Parenthood v. Casey invalidated restrictions that create an undue burden on people seeking abortions. Since then, there has continued to be an abortion debate in the United States, and some states have passed laws in the form of regulation of abortions but which have the purpose or effect of restricting its provision. The proponents of such laws argue they do not create an undue burden. Some state laws that impact the availability of abortions have been upheld by courts. In 2022, Roe and Casey were overturned by the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, meaning that states may now regulate abortion in ways that were not previously permitted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pregnancy options counseling in the United States</span>

Pregnancy options counseling is a form of counseling aimed to counsel women on decision-making for a troubling or unintended pregnancy.

Abortion in Texas is illegal in most cases. There are nominally exceptions to save the mother's life, or prevent "substantial impairment of major bodily function", but the law on abortion in Texas is written in such an ambiguous way that life-threatening or harmful pregnancies do not explicitly constitute an exception.

As of 2024, abortion is illegal in Indiana. It is only legal in cases involving fatal fetal abnormalities, to preserve the life and physical health of the mother, and in cases of rape or incest up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. Previously abortion in Indiana was legal up to 20 weeks; a near-total ban that was scheduled to take effect on August 1, 2023, was placed on hold due to further legal challenges, but is set to take place, after the Indiana Supreme Court denied an appeal by the ACLU, and once it certifies a previous ruling that an abortion ban doesn't violate the state constitution. In the wake of the 2022 Dobbs Supreme Court ruling, abortion in Indiana remained legal despite Indiana lawmakers voting in favor of a near-total abortion ban on August 5, 2022. Governor Eric Holcomb signed this bill into law the same day. The new law became effective on September 15, 2022. However, on September 22, 2022, Special Judge Kelsey B. Hanlon of the Monroe County Circuit Court granted a preliminary injunction against the enforcement of the ban. Her ruling allows the state's previous abortion law, which allows abortions up to 20 weeks after fertilization with exceptions for rape and incest, to remain in effect.

Abortion in Ohio is legal up to the point of fetal viability as a result of abortion rights being placed into the Ohio State Constitution by November 2023 Ohio Issue 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on abortion in the United States</span> Impact of COVID-19

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-abortion government officials in several American states enacted or attempted to enact restrictions on abortion, characterizing it as a non-essential procedure that can be suspended during the medical emergency. The orders have led to several legal challenges and criticism by abortion-rights groups and several national medical organizations, including the American Medical Association. Legal challenges on behalf of abortion providers, many of which are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood, have successfully stopped some of the orders on a temporary basis, though bans in several states have not been challenged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Rikelman</span> Ukrainian-American judge (born 1972)

Julie Rikelman is a Ukrainian-born American lawyer who is serving as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She represented the Mississippi abortion clinic in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned the constitutional right to abortion.

On June 30, 2022, a ten-year-old girl from Columbus, Ohio, United States, traveled to Indiana to get an abortion because abortion law in Ohio did not provide an exception for minor children who became pregnant because of rape. Her case drew national attention and commentary from public figures, due in part to its proximity to the June 24, 2022, decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states, including Ohio, to impose substantial limitations on abortion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelvic examinations under anesthesia by medical students without consent</span> Medical education controversy

Pelvic exams under anesthesia by medical studentswithout explicit consent are often done to teach medical students how to conduct pelvic exams. They are typically done during gynecological surgeries, but not exclusively. In 2024, the US Department of Health and Human Services banned such examinations.

References

  1. ↑ "She provided an abortion to a 10-year-old. She's still fighting for her patients". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Stolberg, Sheryl Gay; Sasani, Ava (2022-07-28). "An Indiana Doctor Speaks Out on Abortion, and Pays a Price". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  3. ↑ "Indiana Physicians Challenge 'Dismemberment' Abortion Law". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  4. ↑ "State could run up more legal fees after losing abortion case". The Statehouse File. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  5. ↑ Smith, Casey. "Attorney General Curtis Hill appealing federal judge's ruling on South Bend abortion clinic". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  6. ↑ TheStatehouseFile.com, Emily Ketterer (22 May 2019). "Planned Parenthood hosts Statehouse rally against abortion bans". Washington Times Herald. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  7. ↑ "Indiana May Not Enforce 'Dismemberment' Abortion Ban". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  8. ↑ Sasani, Ava (2022-07-13). "Suspect Is Arrested in Ohio After Rape of 10-Year-Old Girl". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  9. ↑ "Indy doctor received 'threats' after Rokita's Fox News interview; attorneys spar in court". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  10. ↑ "Indiana Doctor Forced to Testify About Providing Abortion to 10-Year-Old Rape Victim". Jezebel. 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  11. ↑ del Valle, Lauren; Maxouris, Christina (2022-12-08). "Indiana doctor who provided abortion services to 10-year-old rape victim drops lawsuit against state AG". CNN. Archived from the original on 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
  12. 1 2 3 McCammon, Sarah (June 3, 2023). "Doctors rally to defend abortion provider Caitlin Bernard after she was censured". NPR. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  13. ↑ Yousry, Farah (July 15, 202). "IU Health: Dr. Bernard complied with patient privacy laws regarding 10-year-old's abortion". WFYI-FM. Archived from the original on August 20, 2024. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  14. 1 2 Bellware, Kim; Rosenzweig-Ziff, Dan (May 26, 2023). "Indiana board fines doctor for discussing rape victim's abortion". The Washington Post .
  15. ↑ McCammon, Sarah (May 26, 2023). "Indiana reprimands doctor who spoke publicly about providing 10-year-old's abortion". NPR .
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