Days after the US Supreme Court issued its groundbreaking and highly controversial decision to reverse federal right to abortion, Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist, took a call from a colleague, a child abuse doctor in Ohio. The physician had a pregnant patient who could no longer legally undergo the procedure in her home state.

 A 10-year-old Ohio girl had to travel out of state to undergo an abortion after she was referred by a child abuse doctor following the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade reversal, the Business Insider reported. Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Indianapolis, told the newspaper she was the one to take the call from a colleague in Ohio seeking urgent help for the girl, who was six weeks and three days pregnant when the state’s six-week abortion ban suddenly took effect. The girl rushed to get the procedure done in Indiana, which is also expected to severely restrict or ban abortions in the next few weeks after the Supreme Court’s ruling. For now, while the procedure is still legal in Indiana, providers say they’ve seen a surge in patients coming from Kentucky and Ohio. “It’s hard to imagine that in just a few short weeks we will have no ability to provide that care,” Bernard was quoted saying. US Supreme Court Strikes Down Abortion Rights, Overturns Roe vs Wade Ruling

Indiana lawmakers are poised to further restrict or ban abortion in mere weeks. The Indiana General Assembly will convene in a special session July 25 when it will discuss restrictio ns to abortion policy along with inflation relief. Bombay HC Permits Abortion at 16-weeks in Rape Case While US Supreme Court Overturns Roe Vs Wade

Other nearby states, including Illinois, where abortion is likely to remain legal, are bracing for an influx of patients seeking care from nearby states where the procedure is more heavily restricted, including Ohio, Kentucky, and Missouri. 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 02, 2022 02:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).