The Missouri House has passed and sent on to the Senate legislation sponsored by Rep. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, to protect the health of women who choose to use abortion-inducing drugs by outlawing so-called webcam abortions.
Riddle said the legislation approved in the House by a bipartisan vote of 115-39 would require a doctor to be present in the same room when the abortion-inducing drug is administered. The doctor also would be required to examine the woman before mifepristone (RU-486), or any other abortion-inducing drug, is administered to her.
RU-486 was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in 2000.
"While it is tragic and heartbreaking when a woman makes the choice to abort her baby," Riddle said, "we want to make certain she has face-to-face contact with her doctor and that she receives the proper care and information she needs when considering this procedure."
Riddle said the legislation was prompted by women who use Skype or other online chat programs to visit with a doctor before taking the drugs, known as webcam abortions.