Iowa Supreme Court to Consider Telemedicine Abortions Case

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court is set to consider the future of telemedicine abortions in Iowa.

The high court is scheduled Wednesday to hear arguments by the Iowa affiliate of Planned Parenthood and the Iowa Board of Medicine. A decision is not expected for several months.

Iowa allows physicians to use webcams or teleconferencing to dispense abortion-inducing drugs to patients in remote locations. Minnesota is the only other state that allows the practice.

The board voted in 2013 to require physicians to be present during medication abortions, effectively banning telemedicine abortions. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland filed a lawsuit, which ultimately reached the Iowa Supreme Court. For now, telemedicine abortions are still performed in Iowa.

Planned Parenthood says banning telemedicine abortions is unconstitutional. The board disagrees.