Improving Access to Emergency Reproductive Health Care
Summary
In 2025, FemInEm committed to expanding its successful physician outreach model to launch structured reproductive health care education initiatives in Alabama and Illinois by September 2026. Building on FemInEm’s Texas model, the outreach programs will focus on evidence-based care for pregnant and miscarrying patients in emergency departments and involve hosting in-person hospital or residency grand rounds, maintaining and updating asynchronous digital learning modules, and developing relationships with hospital systems and physician employers. Physicians will utilize legally sound, evidence-based protocols for managing early pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy, access to emergency contraception, and medication abortion where feasible. Over the next year, 350 physicians will receive training, leading to additional reproductive health care services for 15,000 patients across both states. Emphasizing relational engagement and simple, actionable clinical changes, the program will prioritize building physician confidence and institutional readiness to improve emergency reproductive health care in politically complex and medically underserved environments.
Approach
FemInEM commits to expanding its successful Texas-based physician outreach model to launch structured reproductive healthcare education initiatives in Illinois and Alabama. Each program will be led by a state-based physician with reproductive healthcare and emergency medicine expertise. These physicians, at least one in each state, will be supported by FemInEM to lead statewide engagement with emergency medicine providers, focusing on evidence-based care for pregnant and miscarrying patients in emergency departments.
Building on FemInEm’s Texas model, the outreach programs will include a defined 12-month timeline with clear deliverables: hosting in-person hospital or residency grand rounds, maintaining and updating the asynchronous digital learning modules, and developing relationships with hospital systems and physician employers in each state. These physicians will utilize content created and maintained by Access Bridge to disseminate legally sound, evidence-based protocols for the management of early pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy, access to emergency contraception and medication abortion where feasible.
The outreach physicians will strategically leverage local networks, including residency programs, staffing organizations, medical schools, and professional societies, to advocate for the adoption of standardized reproductive care practices and ensure that emergency physicians are practicing evidence-based and legally sound reproductive healthcare. Emphasizing relational engagement and simple, actionable clinical changes, the program will prioritize building physician confidence and institutional readiness to improve emergency reproductive healthcare in politically and medically underserved environments.
Action Plan
Project Launch: September 2025:
Create educational content reflecting needs of providers and laws of the state Identify lead physicians from each state
Secure funding and finalize institutional agreements
Map health systems and key stakeholders Start scheduling education sessions and leadership meetings
6 Months: March 2025:
Lecture to 100 emergency medicine providers across both states.
Have at least 100 providers complete associated learning modules with continuing medical education credits if they want
One Year: September 2026:
Complete in person or virtual synchronous education for 350 ED providers in each state, including in person education at some of the EM residencies with a focus on rural care or maternity deserts: AL: 2 residencies and IL: 5 residencies Have at least 200 providers complete associated learning modules with continuing medical education credits if they wan Present at State and National Conferences
Background
According to the 2024 March of Dimes Report, 35% of U.S. counties are considered maternity care deserts, areas with no hospitals providing obstetric care, no birth centers, and no obstetric providers. These deserts affect 1 in 12 women nationwide, disproportionately impacting rural communities, people of color, and low-income patients. Black and Indigenous women are already two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, and these disparities are only expected to worsen.
The crisis is accelerating. Following the passage of H.R.1, experts estimate $930 billion will be slashed from Medicaid funds, potentially leading to the closure of more than 140 hospital labor and delivery units. Simultaneously, the 2022 Supreme Court decision in “Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization” has led to reproductive healthcare restrictions in over 20 states, further reducing access to comprehensive obstetric and abortion-related services. Many hospitals have ceased offering abortion care altogether, even in emergencies, due to legal ambiguity and fear of prosecution.
As fewer hospitals maintain obstetrics departments, pregnant patients face increased barriers to prenatal and peripartum care, resulting in sicker moms, sicker babies, unnecessary complications, and avoidable deaths. Emergency departments (EDs) are increasingly becoming frontline providers of emergency obstetric and miscarriage care despite limited training, institutional support, or obstetric backup. One study found that EDs manage more than 1 in 5 early pregnancy-related emergency visits. Given their role as safety nets, emergency providers must be equipped with evidence-based, legally informed guidance to care for pregnant and postpartum patients.
Progress Update
Partnership Opportunities
FemInEM is seeking several key resources and partnerships to complete and scale this commitment. The organization welcomes collaboration with implementing partners in Illinois and Alabama to facilitate outreach and adoption of evidence-based reproductive healthcare practices. FemInEm also welcomes introductions to organizations in other states that want to work on expanding this education program to their states.
FemInEm al seeks support from media and communications partners to amplify the program’s reach, highlight physician voices, and counter misinformation about emergency reproductive care. Lastly, FemInEM welcomes funding partners to support physician stipends, travel, curriculum development, and program sustainability. These resources will enable FemInEm to expand their work confidently, ensuring emergency departments are equipped to provide safe, timely, and legally sound reproductive care.,As part of this commitment, FemInEM will offer resources to support organizations working to improve reproductive healthcare in emergency departments. These include clinical expertise and evidence-based protocols focused on early pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy, contraception, and ED-based medication abortion administration. FemInEM will share best practices and lessons learned from its successful Texas outreach program, including implementation frameworks and engagement strategies. Partner organizations will also gain access to a national community of reproductive health and emergency medicine leaders. FemInEM aims to accelerate practice transformation, improve patient outcomes, and advance reproductive healthcare access in politically and medically underserved communities through these resources.