Kansas Woman Sues Hospitals Over Abortion Denial

Mylissa Farmer, a woman from Joplin, Missouri, is suing the University of Kansas Health System after being denied an emergency abortion despite severe pregnancy complications in August 2022. Farmer's lawsuit claims that her fetus was non-viable, and she faced risks including infection, sepsis, and potential loss of fertility, yet both the University of Kansas and Freeman Health System in Joplin refused to perform the abortion due to legal and political pressures. Farmer alleges that doctors at KU Health System acknowledged her medical risks but cited the politically charged environment following Kansas' vote against tightening abortion restrictions as the reason for their refusal. As a result, Farmer was forced to travel to Illinois to receive the necessary medical care, during which time she developed an infection. The lawsuit also alleges that the denial of care led to substantial personal and financial hardship for Farmer. This case has sparked a federal investigation into whether the hospitals violated federal law and state anti-discrimination acts.