Ingrid Skop

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Ingrid Skop
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Ingrid Skop is an American obstetrics and gynecology physician and anti-abortion activist who is the vice president and director of medical affairs at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of the political advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. The Texas Tribune has called Skop "the first call for anyone looking for an OB/GYN to publicly defend abortion restrictions." [1]

Contents

Life

Skop earned a Bachelor of Science in physiology from the Oklahoma State University–Stillwater. [2] She received a M.D. at the Washington University School of Medicine. [2] Skop completed an obstetrics and gynecology residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. [2] She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. [2] According to Skop's own accounting she has “delivered over 5,000 babies in over 30 years” of practice. [3]

Skop is a member of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. [4] She is the vice president and director of medical affairs at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of the political advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. [5]

Skop is also a plaintiff in a US Supreme Court lawsuit seeking to revoke the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone. [6] As of May 2024, the case remains under consideration with the court. [1]

In May 2024, Skop was appointed by Jennifer Shuford, the commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, to a six-year term on the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (MMMRC). [6] [7] Her term begins on June 1, 2024.[ needs update ] [6]

Controversies

Skop has argued in favor of forcing rape and incest victims as young as nine or ten to carry pregnancies to term. [6] Testifying in front of the House Oversight Committee in 2021, Skop claimed: “If she is developed enough to be menstruating and become pregnant and reach sexual maturity, she can safely give birth to a baby.” [6] [8] However, pregnancy at such a young age is shown to carry significant health risks. [6] [9]

A 2024 ACLU brief, submitted to the Supreme Court (ACLU et al. Amicus Brief, AHM v. FDA), pointed out that Skop has never held an academic position and did not author a single journal entry between the 1990s and 2018. [10] The ACLU further catalogued the controversies associated with Skop's testimony across several cases. [10]

In a 2024 Utah deposition, Skop admitted:

"that she not a really good researcher.” She admitted that she cited the website abort73.com for statistics in an expert report because she could not find any other data source, and that she did so despite not knowing “who created the website” which who supplies the numbers.” [10]

At the same Utah deposition, Dr. Skop:

professed not to know whether “identical republication of material from another author without attribution is consistent with standards of academic integrity”. She claimed she "didn’t realize that, you know, using wording from a paper that you agreed with qualified as plagiarism." [10]

The ACLU also cited a 2022 Florida case in which the court rejected Skop's testimony, finding that she "admitted that her testimony on the risks certain abortion complications was inaccurate and overstated, or based on data from decades ago." [10] Weeks after the Florida ruling, Skop submitted similar testimony in Georgia without correcting the errors she admitted to in Florida. [10]

In February 2024, in response to concerns regarding methodology and data analysis, Sage retracted three abortion related studies they had previously published. [11] Furthermore, a number of authors and peer-reviewers of thoe articles were associated with pro-life organizations ― conflicts of interest that they did not disclose to the publisher prior to publication. [11] Based on the newly discovered conflict, Sage determined the peer review was unreliable. Post-publication peer review found serious flaws in the methodology and analysis, leading to the decision to retract the papers. [11] Skop was the fifth author on one of the retracted papers: Doctors Who Perform Abortions: Their Characteristics and Patterns of Holding and Using Hospital Privileges. Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology. 2019 [11]

Skop was appointed to the Texas MMMRC as a community member representing rural areas, despite the fact that she lives and works in San Antonio, the seventh-largest city in the US. [12] [13] Skop replaced lay advocate Nakeenya Wilson. [1] That change was made possible following a 2023 legislative change, which replaced a single "advocate" with "community members with experience in a relevant health care field, including a field involving the analysis of health care data". [1] Despite the fact that her position was initially intended to run until 2027, Wilson was replaced by Skop and Dr. Meenakshi Awasthi of Houston. [1]

Related Research Articles

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of all pregnancies. When deliberate steps are taken to end a pregnancy, it is called an induced abortion, or less frequently "induced miscarriage". The unmodified word abortion generally refers to an induced abortion. The most common reasons given for having an abortion are for birth-timing and limiting family size. Other reasons reported include maternal health, an inability to afford a child, domestic violence, lack of support, feeling they are too young, wishing to complete education or advance a career, and not being able or willing to raise a child conceived as a result of rape or incest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mifepristone</span> Medication

Mifepristone, also known by its developmental code name RU-486, is a medication typically used in combination with misoprostol to bring about a medical abortion during pregnancy and manage early miscarriage. This combination is 97% effective during the first 63 days of pregnancy. It is also effective in the second trimester of pregnancy. It is taken by mouth.

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

In the United States, abortion is a divisive issue in politics and culture wars, though a majority of Americans support access to abortion. Abortion laws vary widely from state to state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maternal death</span> Aspect of human reproduction and medicine

Maternal death or maternal mortality is defined in slightly different ways by several different health organizations. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines maternal death as the death of a pregnant mother due to complications related to pregnancy, underlying conditions worsened by the pregnancy or management of these conditions. This can occur either while she is pregnant or within six weeks of resolution of the pregnancy. The CDC definition of pregnancy-related deaths extends the period of consideration to include one year from the resolution of the pregnancy. Pregnancy associated death, as defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), are all deaths occurring within one year of a pregnancy resolution. Identification of pregnancy associated deaths is important for deciding whether or not the pregnancy was a direct or indirect contributing cause of the death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Misoprostol</span> Medication to induce abortion and treat ulcers

Misoprostol is a synthetic prostaglandin medication used to prevent and treat stomach and duodenal ulcers, induce labor, cause an abortion, and treat postpartum bleeding due to poor contraction of the uterus. It is taken by mouth when used to prevent gastric ulcers in people taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). For abortions it is used by itself or in conjunction with mifepristone or methotrexate. By itself, effectiveness for abortion is between 66% and 90%. For labor induction or abortion, it is taken by mouth, dissolved in the mouth, or placed in the vagina. For postpartum bleeding it may also be used rectally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Self-induced abortion</span> Abortion performed by a pregnant person themselves outside the recognized medical system

A self-induced abortion is an abortion performed by the pregnant woman herself, or with the help of other, non-medical assistance. Although the term includes abortions induced outside of a clinical setting with legal, sometimes over-the-counter medication, it also refers to efforts to terminate a pregnancy through alternative, potentially more dangerous methods. Such practices may present a threat to the health of women.

Abortion is illegal in El Salvador. The law formerly permitted an abortion to be performed under some limited circumstances, but in 1998 all exceptions were removed when a new abortion law went into effect.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is an American 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that seeks to reduce and ultimately end abortion in the US, by supporting anti-abortion politicians, primarily women, through its SBA Pro-Life America Candidate Fund political action committee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's medicine in antiquity</span>

Childbirth and obstetrics in classical antiquity were studied by the physicians of ancient Greece and Rome. Their ideas and practices during this time endured in Western medicine for centuries and many themes are seen in modern women's health. Classical gynecology and obstetrics were originally studied and taught mainly by midwives in the ancient world, but eventually scholarly physicians of both sexes became involved as well. Obstetrics is traditionally defined as the surgical specialty dealing with the care of a woman and her offspring during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (recovery). Gynecology involves the medical practices dealing with the health of women's reproductive organs and breasts.

A six-week abortion ban, also called a "fetal heartbeat bill" by proponents, is a law in the United States which makes abortion illegal as early as six weeks gestational age, which is when proponents claim that a "fetal heartbeat" can be detected. Medical and reproductive health experts, including the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, say that the reference to a fetal heartbeat is medically inaccurate and misleading, for a conceptus is not called a fetus until eight weeks after fertilization, as well as that at four weeks after fertilization, the embryo has no heart, only a group of cells which will become a heart. Medical professionals advise that a true fetal heartbeat cannot be detected until around 17 to 20 weeks of gestation when the chambers of the heart have become sufficiently developed.

A medical abortion, also known as medication abortion or non-surgical abortion, occurs when drugs (medication) are used to bring about an abortion. Medical abortions are an alternative to surgical abortions such as vacuum aspiration or dilation and curettage. Medical abortions are more common than surgical abortions in most places around the world.

This article summarizes healthcare in Texas. In 2022, the United Healthcare Foundation ranked Texas as the 38th healthiest state in the United States. Obesity, excessive drinking, maternal mortality, infant mortality, vaccinations, mental health, and limited access to healthcare are among the major public health issues facing Texas.

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. Attempts to clarify and codify these exceptions into law have been rejected by Republican lawmakers in Texas.

Abortion in Georgia is illegal after detection of embryonic cardiac-cell activity, which typically begins in the fifth or sixth week after the onset of the last menstrual period (LMP), two to three weeks after implantation. Although this law was ruled unconstitutional by a Georgia superior court judge on September 30, 2024, it remains in effect while the state appeals the ruling.

As of 2024, abortion is generally 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.

Chaniece Wallace, a black woman and physician, died at 30 years of age from complications of pregnancy two days after the birth of her daughter. Her death is seen as preventable and is viewed in the context of high rates of maternal mortality in the United States, particularly among the African American population. It is cited as an example in medical and scholarly publications to call for improved health outcomes in the black U.S. population. Wallace died despite several factors seen as protective: she was "highly educated, employed as a health care practitioner, had access to health care, and had a supportive family." Wallace was a fourth-year pediatric chief resident at the Indiana University School of Medicine and was working at Riley Children's Health Hospital at the time of her death.

Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, 602 U.S. 367 (2024), was a United States Supreme Court case to challenge the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s approval of mifepristone, a drug frequently used in medical abortion procedures. The plaintiffs, led by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (AHM), argued that the FDA did not properly approve the use of the drug mifepristone for pregnancy termination under Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regulations and asked for an injunction to withdraw the drug's approval, thus removing it from the market. AHM's suit followed the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in 2022, which reversed Roe v. Wade and asserted there was no constitutional right to abortion at the federal level, leading conservative states and groups to further restrict abortion access.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maternity care deserts in the United States</span> Counties that lack maternity care resources

Maternity care deserts in the United States, also known as maternal care deserts, are counties that lack maternity care resources. The March of Dimes defines a maternity care desert as a county that has no hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric care and no obstetric providers. As of 2020 March of Dimes classified 1095 of 3139 of U.S. counties (34.9%) as maternity care deserts. Its 2022 report indicated an increase of nearly 2%, with 1119 of 3142 US counties (35.6%) considered maternity care deserts, affecting a population of over 5.6 million women. People living in maternity care deserts may have to travel longer distances to receive care, which is associated with higher costs and a greater risk of pregnancy complications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death of Amber Thurman</span> 2022 death attributed to abortion laws

Amber Nicole Thurman was a 28-year-old medical assistant who died of septic shock and retained products of conception following a medication abortion. Georgia's maternal mortality committee determined that Thurman's death was preventable and noted that the voluntary delay in performing the dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure significantly contributed to her death.

The fallout from Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization and the resulting restrictive abortion policies are causing increasing barriers to abortion access in the United States, which is statistically negatively affecting, among other things, the health and well-being of birthing people and young children, with ripple effects to other populations.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Klibanoff, Eleanor (May 22, 2024). "Anti-abortion doctor appointed to Texas maternal death review committee". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Ingrid Skop, M.D., FACOG". Lozier Institute. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  3. ↑ Fritze, John; Sneed, Tierney (March 25, 2024). "Doctors challenging mifepristone face scrutiny over their limited experience with the abortion drug". Politics. CNN. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  4. ↑ Campoamor, Danielle (September 30, 2021). "What a 'pro-life' doctor said at the abortion hearing today was unacceptable, medically and morally". The Independent. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  5. ↑ El-Bawab, Nadine; Kekatos, Mary (July 20, 2023). "'The law is quite clear': Anti-abortion doctor testifies in support of Texas' ban". ABC News. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tuma, Mary (May 23, 2024). "Texas doctor who said nine-year-olds can safely give birth appointed to maternal mortality committee". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  7. ↑ "DSHS Commissioner Appoints Seven to Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee | Texas DSHS". www.dshs.texas.gov. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  8. ↑ Rabin, Roni Caryn (November 26, 2021). "Texas Abortion Law Complicates Care for Risky Pregnancies" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  9. ↑ Nolen, Stephanie (July 18, 2022). "What Pregnancy and Childbirth Do to the Bodies of Young Girls". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Danco Laboratories, LLC, v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine; U.S. FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Retraction Notice". Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology. 11. January 2024. doi:10.1177/23333928231216699. ISSN   2333-3928. PMC   10846044 . PMID   38328416.
  12. ↑ Martin, Nina. "Texas is letting a maternal-mortality skeptic investigate maternal mortality". Mother Jones. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  13. ↑ Price, Shepard. "Here's why San Antonio doesn't feel like the 7th-biggest city in the U.S." San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
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