GOP congresswoman’s ectopic pregnancy is now in direct conflict with Florida’s strict abortion law
In a moment of grim irony, Florida Republican Congresswoman Kat Cammack—one of the staunchest anti-abortion voices in Washington—was nearly denied emergency care for an ectopic pregnancy in May 2024, due to the very laws her party championed. But instead of pointing fingers at Florida’s rigid six-week abortion ban, which had just gone into effect, Cammack is blaming “fearmongering” from the left.
Her ordeal began when she went to the ER five weeks into a nonviable pregnancy. Despite there being no fetal heartbeat and her life being at risk, doctors hesitated to administer methotrexate—a drug commonly used to end ectopic pregnancies—because they feared the legal consequences under the new state law.
Cammack says she had to look up the legislation on her phone and even tried contacting the governor’s office just to get a life-saving dose. Hours later, she got the treatment.
Yet even after this brush with medical catastrophe, the congresswoman—who co-chairs the House Pro-Life Caucus—is doubling down. She insists her party isn’t to blame, accusing pro-choice advocates of creating a “climate of fear” that caused the delay. “It was absolute fearmongering at its worst,” she told The Wall Street Journal, though she admits abortion rights groups “might interpret her experience differently.”
The incident exposes the dangerous gray zone doctors now operate in, thanks to vague, sweeping bans passed by Republican-led legislatures. While state health officials insist that ectopic pregnancies aren’t classified as abortions and are therefore exempt from restrictions, physicians on the ground aren’t so confident. With potential felony charges hanging over their heads, hesitation is common—even when lives are on the line.
Dr. Alison Haddock, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, said it best: “Early pregnancy care is a medically complicated space,” and with unclear laws, doctors are rightly concerned about whether their decisions could be criminalized.
Even Molly Duane of the Center for Reproductive Rights warned that Florida’s abortion statute “doesn’t define ectopic pregnancy,” making it difficult to diagnose and treat without risk.
Cammack now says she’s willing to fight for emergency care for all women, regardless of party, in cases of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. But critics argue that her party’s legislation is exactly what put doctors in this impossible position.
Note to our readers: This article is grounded in verified reports from authoritative news organizations and official state documents. Reporting from The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian offers detailed insight into the real-life implications of Florida’s six-week abortion ban. An interactive guide by The Guardian also outlines abortion laws across all U.S. states, providing critical legal context. Additionally, this article references the official Notice to Providers from Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to ensure accuracy regarding healthcare guidance and compliance under current law. All information has been cross-referenced to maintain journalistic integrity and factual reliability.
