Ohio legislator thinks ectopic pregnancies can be moved to the uterus

[Mormolyce]

Someone Tell This Ohio Legislator You Can’t Move Ectopic Pregnancies Into the Uterus

Ohio Rep. John Becker has sponsored a bill that defies science.

Fresh off the heels of passing one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country, lawmakers in Ohio seem eager to continue chipping away at abortion access.

Enter Ohio Rep. John Becker, aka This Fucking Guy: a Republican who has sponsored a bill that defies science. In defending his bill, Rep. Becker has claimed that contraceptives cause abortion (they don’t) and that ectopic pregnancies—in which the embryo implants somewhere other than the uterus, usually the fallopian tube—can be fixed by simply sticking the errant embryo into the pregnant person’s uterus.

That is not something that can be done. The medical technology does not exist. And ectopic pregnancies are not viable in the first place.

Nevertheless, that’s what’s posited in a new bill sponsored by Becker and co-sponsored by nearly one-fifth of his fellow Ohio house representatives.

In many ways, HB 182 is a standard insurance coverage ban. It prohibits health insurance companies and public benefit plans from offering coverage for “nontherapeutic abortions.” This is not uncommon: In recent years, several states have attempted to reduce access to abortion care by banning insurance companies from offering coverage for it.

In fact, insurance coverage for “nontherapeutic abortions” is already banned in Ohio. The law defines “nontherapeutic abortion” to mean “an abortion that is performed or induced when the life of the mother would not be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or when the pregnancy of the mother was not the result of rape or incest reported to a law enforcement agency.”

In addition, existing Ohio law permits insurance companies to offer abortion coverage on an individual basis—just in case you can predict needing an abortion in advance—as long as the individual pays for all of the costs, premiums, and charges associated with that supplemental abortion coverage.

But for John Becker, the existing Ohio law isn’t quite restrictive enough. His bill would remove the exception for rape and incest and would also eliminate the ability for consumers to buy supplemental coverage. That means that pregnant people in Ohio would be forced to pay out-of-pocket for the costs of a “nontherapeutic abortion”—thus making it virtually impossible for many more people to afford the procedure.

In 2013, Becker tried to pass a similar bill, HB 351, that would have stripped the right to purchase supplemental abortion coverage, but that bill failed to pass. That didn’t stop him from trying again with an even worse bill this time around.

And here’s the kicker: Becker’s bill also expands the definition of “nontherapeutic abortion” to include “drugs or devices used to prevent the implantation of a fertilized ovum.”

That’s almost all popular forms of birth control.

“Birth control pills, IUDs, and other methods of birth control like that—the bill states that any birth control that could act to stop a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus is considered an abortion under this bill,” Jaime Miracle, deputy director of NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, said, according to a report by Cincinnati Public Radio (CPR).

That means insurance companies would be prohibited from covering the most popular forms of birth control—which, by the way, they are required to provide under the Affordable Care Act—because Becker and his anti-choice cohorts think birth control and abortion are the same thing.

Contraceptives prevent pregnancy. An abortion terminates a pregnancy. They are not the same. But anti-choice activists have spent years conflating the two because it is not enough for them to decimate abortion access; they want to decimate contraceptive access as well.

Becker claims that his bill doesn’t target birth control, according to CPR.

“When you get into the contraception and abortifacients, that’s clearly not my area of expertise but I suppose, if it were true that what we typically known as the pill would be classified as an abortifacient, then I would imagine the drug manufacturers would reformulate it so it’s no longer an abortifacient and is strictly a contraceptive,” Becker said.

You’re right about one thing, Rep. Becker. It’s clearly not your area of expertise. A drug manufacturer cannot reformulate birth control so that it’s no longer an abortifacient because it’s already not an abortifacient, you ding dong.

But it gets worse.

The bill excludes treatments for ectopic pregnancies from the insurance coverage ban, which seems like a good thing—we should try to treat ectopic pregnancies!—until you realize that Becker’s notion of treatment for an ectopic pregnancy is fucking nonsense: “Part of that treatment would be removing the embryo from the fallopian tube and then reinserting it in the uterus so that’s defined as not an abortion under this bill,” Becker said.

The bill says the term “nontherapeutic abortion” does not include a “procedure for an ectopic pregnancy, that is intended to re-implant the fertilized ovum into the pregnant woman’s uterus.” Presumably, Becker envisions a world where doctors are trying to “fix” ectopic pregnancies by reinserting wayward embryos into the pregnant person’s uterus.

Except that’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works.

“That doesn’t exist in the realm of treatment for ectopic pregnancy. You can’t just re-implant. It’s not a medical thing,” said Miracle.

I asked my friend Karen, who has been an OB-GYN for 15 years, whether reinserting an embryo into the uterus is a thing: “Definitely not a thing. In fact, it’s such fucking bullshit that I might die of dumb white Christian Republican men.” (Karen is white, and she gets it.)

“It’s awful on many levels” Karen continued, “but particularly for women whose ectopic pregnancies are wanted pregnancies who will get false hope from these dumbasses.”

Unfortunately, being a dumbass has not stopped any legislator from trying to control reproduction—and it’s unlikely to do so anytime soon.

https://rewire.news/ablc/2019/05/09/...1s-XrRXOh5sO-0

"Just put the ectopic pregnancy into the uterus, duh!"

Turns out the guys making this law don't know anything about the actual medical practicality of it. Shocker.

[Seranthor]

"Just put the ectopic pregnancy into the uterus, duh!"

Turns out the guys making this law don't know anything about the actual medical practicality of it. Shocker.

Wow... a politician that doesn't know something... reminds me of the Democrat Congressman that was worried about Guam capsizing, and the Democrat presidential candidate that claimed to have been to 57 states... The point is that politicians say and do stupid crap all the time, irregardless of party affiliation.

[Sunseeker]

I'm fairly impressed that America has somehow managed to elect the least knowledgeable people to lead them.

Like, Biden makes gaffes but he's not a moron.

But these folks? Genuine Grade-A Moron. And yes, I'm certain that rating gets them more votes.

[pathora44]

Republicans in public say they hate ISIS and radical Muslims but in private they are just desperately jealous of them and would want nothing more then a Christian state with Christian version of Sharia Law. Strap women to the bed the only good the can do is making babies.

[Sunseeker]

Biden isn’t stupid, but he is a massive piece of shit.

Sure, no argument there. He was just the first person who came to mind when thinking of politicians who say dumb things from time to time but aren't actually ya know, actually idiots.

[Jonnusthegreat]

Wow... a politician that doesn't know something... reminds me of the Democrat Congressman that was worried about Guam capsizing, and the Democrat presidential candidate that claimed to have been to 57 states... The point is that politicians say and do stupid crap all the time, irregardless of party affiliation.

It's not a partisan issue. It's a moron trying to enact laws based on factually incorrect information issue.

[Eveningforest]

Sounds like a miracle procedure. Let me guess, God will be performing it.

[Malkiah]

Wow... a politician that doesn't know something... reminds me of the Democrat Congressman that was worried about Guam capsizing, and the Democrat presidential candidate that claimed to have been to 57 states... The point is that politicians say and do stupid crap all the time, irregardless of party affiliation.

because saying a stupid thing is EXACTLY the same as pushing though law which is complete non-reality bullshit because you're stupid.

there's no difference whatsoever!

[pathora44]

Perfect we can use a procedure that has not even been invented yet and is impossible to do and then we can stick the mom with the bill telling her and the kid to get off their lazy asses and get to work.

[Mormolyce]

Wow... a politician that doesn't know something... reminds me of the Democrat Congressman that was worried about Guam capsizing, and the Democrat presidential candidate that claimed to have been to 57 states... The point is that politicians say and do stupid crap all the time, irregardless of party affiliation.

Irregardless isn't a word. You're thinking of either "irrespective" or "regardless".

I'd be pretty concerned about someone thinking Guam will capsize if they were writing laws regarding Guam.

[Very Tired]

Reminds me of guy who said, when it comes to legitmate rape, women's bodies are able to shut down their baby making factory.

[Cosmic Janitor]

I'm fairly impressed that America has somehow managed to elect the least knowledgeable people to lead them.

Like, Biden makes gaffes but he's not a moron.

But these folks? Genuine Grade-A Moron. And yes, I'm certain that rating gets them more votes.

Hardly news. We constantly elect people that know jack shit all around the world. In a functioning democracy these people are just supppsed to contact experts and ask them for their opinion and come to an informed descison afterwards, in not so functioning democracies they poll holy books and bank accounts.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Wow... a politician that doesn't know something... reminds me of the Democrat Congressman that was worried about Guam capsizing, and the Democrat presidential candidate that claimed to have been to 57 states... The point is that politicians say and do stupid crap all the time, irregardless of party affiliation.

Here is what the former said about "Guam tipping over"

"I wasn't suggesting that the island of Guam would literally tip over," he said. . Johnson said he was "using a metaphor" to describe how adding more military personnel to the tiny island "could be a tipping point which could adversely affect the island’s fragile ecosystem and could overburden its stressed infrastructure."

As for the latter, that was clearly just a very tired man saying 57 when he meant 47. It's a gaffe, and it's kind of funny...but Obama never actually believed there were 60 states in the USA.

This guy, on the other hand, clearly believes what he said...much like the guy that once said that in the case of legitimate rape...the female body has ways to shut down the pregnancy. Or the guy that brought in a snowball to prove global warming doesn't exist.

[Seranthor]

It's not a partisan issue. It's a moron trying to enact laws based on factually incorrect information issue.

And I dont disagree... I just happened, to throw a wider net on the morons.

- - - Updated - - -

Here is what the former said about "Guam tipping over"



As for the latter, that was clearly just a very tired man saying 57 when he meant 47. It's a gaffe, and it's kind of funny...but Obama never actually believed there were 60 states in the USA.

This guy, on the other hand, clearly believes what he said...much like the guy that once said that in the case of legitimate rape...the female body has ways to shut down the pregnancy. Or the guy that brought in a snowball to prove global warming doesn't exist.

Listen to what Johnson actually said, instead of let him backpedal, because we all know that the stupid Republicans aren't allowed to backpedal or 'explain'.

[Kharadin]

I wonder how many of these politicians are qualified to pass laws regarding human health/reproduction? How many politicians hold positions based on their qualifications/field of expertise? Who decided it's okay for politicians to be incompetents, and then to fill governments with them? This entire system baffles me.

[Rennadrel]

How in the actual fuck do these people get elected? America sure loves it's insane and retarded politicians.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Listen to what Johnson actually said, instead of let him backpedal, because we all know that the stupid Republicans aren't allowed to backpedal or 'explain'.

Johnson at least has an explanation for what he meant...whether you believe it or not is up to you I suppose.

I'd be happy to hear this "stupid Republican" explain how exactly he's just going to move an ectopic pregnancy into the uterus or any of the other very stupid things he said in the OP.

[Seranthor]

Johnson at least has an explanation for what he meant...whether you believe it or not is up to you I suppose.

I'd be happy to hear this "stupid Republican" explain how exactly he's just going to move an ectopic pregnancy into the uterus or any of the other very stupid things he said in the OP.

There is no excuse for what this person said, nor is there one for what Johnson said, nor the guy that said he'd been to 57 states... backpedalling not accepted... not from any of them, regardless of party.

[Kathandira]

Irregardless isn't a word.

Google that. It is now.

[enigma77]

This man knows how it's done.