Arkansas Woman Describes Miscarriage Care Under State Abortion Ban

Emily Waldorf arrived at Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on the morning of Sept. 16, 2024, after her preschool-age daughter found her bleeding on the bathroom floor. An ultrasound showed her cervix was dilated and the amniotic sac was funneling through it at 17 weeks of pregnancy.

Three physicians told Waldorf and her husband that the standard treatment would be to empty the uterus to reduce infection risk, but they could not do so because a fetal heartbeat was still present. Arkansas law, enacted after the 2022 Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v.

Wade, prohibits procedures that stop a detectable heartbeat and carries penalties of up to $100,000 in fines and 10 years in prison.

Waldorf remained in the hospital after requesting to stay rather than return home. Staff used Doppler devices and ultrasounds that continued to show a heartbeat and fetal movement. One physician told her the medical team’s “hands are tied behind our backs,” according to notes Waldorf recorded.

On her third night, Waldorf read a ProPublica report about the death of Amber Thurman in Georgia after similar care delays. She wrote in her journal that she realized the situation was not limited to her case.

ProPublica previously reported on Josseli Barnica, who arrived at a Houston hospital at 17 weeks with the same condition in 2021. Barnica waited more than 40 hours for a heartbeat to stop before delivery; she died three days later from infection. The hospital stated it follows applicable state and federal laws.

Waldorf’s account is based on her journal, medical records, and interviews with ProPublica. She said she hopes sharing the details will inform other patients facing the same legal constraints.