SD docs say abortion initiative does allow for medical procedures for rare condition of twins

At a press conference this afternoon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota doctors issued the following statement:

The accepted standard of care in South Dakota for Twin/Twin Transfusion Syndrome is completely covered under Measure 11.

Thank you for coming today to help us clear the confusion regarding Measure 11 with respect to the protection it provides doctors when they care for their patients here in South Dakota. First of all, let me remind you that Measure 11 will eliminate abortion used as birth control, which is 97% of abortions performed in our state.

One issue we would like to clear up today results from the confusion caused by the ad from a pro-abortion activist group that shows a family that lost one twin son. This is related to a condition that involves a small percentage of identical twins when they share some of their blood supply. This is a difficult medical problem that is dangerous and can result in significant health problems or loss of both babies. There are treatment options. The treatment performed by doctors in this state do not result in direct harm to either baby.

Let's be clear, the preferred method of treatment is a highly technical procedure performed in specialty centers, of which there are about 15 in the country. This is also the place where termination of one twin would be performed in severe cases. Again, let's be clear. These procedures are not done in South Dakota, not because South Dakota does or does not have an abortion ban. They are not being performed here because they are required to be performed only in specialty centers.

Therefore, the accepted standard of care in South Dakota for Twin/Twin Transfusion Syndrome is completely covered under Measure 11.  Thank you.

Yvonne Seger, MD OBGYN

Jane Gaetze, MD OBGYN

Glenn Ridder, MD