In late June, with the reversal of Roe v. Wade leaving the future of abortion access in Tennessee uncertain, Daniel A. Collier faced a dilemma. The 42-year-old assistant professor of higher education at the University of Memphis and his wife were on a journey with their third pregnancy. But it wasn’t easy — his wife had previously had two miscarriages.
With Tennessee poised to ban most abortions, the Colliers worried they might not be able to access needed care if their third pregnancy ended in miscarriage. About a week later, the Colliers would learn they had lost the pregnancy at six weeks. “It’s a different kind of hurt,” Collier said. “There’s nothing you can really do for her, except for, ‘Can I get you something? Can I hold your hand? What can I do for you physically to make you feel better?’ … Because you can’t take that pain away.” Miscarriage management can involve the same procedures used for some abortions. A dilation and curettage (D&C), which removes tissue from the uterus, is used to prevent hemorrhaging and infection for a miscarriage, but has also been banned in some hospitals located in states where abortion is no longer legal.
“Miscarriage manageme …