Missouri investigates hospital denial of emergency abortion

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's health department is investigating whether a hospital violated federal health care rules in denying a woman an emergency abortion, an agency spokeswoman confirmed Monday.

Missouri Health and Senior Services spokeswoman Lisa Cox in a statement said the agency launched an investigation into southern Missouri's Freeman Health System's treatment of Mylissa Farmer.

Farmer, who is from Joplin, told The Associated Press that she went to the system's local emergency room when her water broke months early on Aug. 2. She said tests showed that she had lost all of her amniotic fluid because of a pregnancy complication and doctors told her the fetus was not expected to survive.

Doctors also told Farmer that “awaiting a medical emergency may put her at further risk for maternal mortality” or the removal of her uterus, medical records show.