Unheard. Unserved: Woman says abortion stigma at N.S. hospital almost took her life
Summary
A woman from the Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation reported that after undergoing a medical abortion, she experienced severe bleeding at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital (Antigonish, N.S) and felt dismissed by staff. She says an ER nurse reacted dismissively when told she was having serious complications, attributing the condition to “the pill doing its job.” The hospital operates under a mission assurance agreement with the Sisters of St. Martha, which preserves Catholic values in the facility despite public funding. A nurse practitioner noted that this religious affiliation may contribute to “abortion stigma” within the hospital culture, and called the agreement “incredibly outdated.”
Relevance
This article raises questions about the faith-based institutional identity and its impositions on patient access. While the Catholic hospital provided the abortion, there remains a sentiment by the patient and some staff that the religious affiliation may continue to impact how care is delivered in these circumstances, particularly towards certain groups, namely, indigenous women.