Missouri's attorney general has filed a lawsuit to restrict access to the abortion pill because it is stopping teens from getting pregnant, according to a report.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed the lawsuit against the FDA alongside fellow attorney generals from Idaho and Kansas, which stated that the access to the abortion drug mifepristone has lowered "birth rates for teenaged mothers," as reported by the Missouri Independent.
Fewer teenage pregnancies means a population loss for the states, as well as "diminishment of political representation and loss of federal funds," the lawsuit alleged.
"Younger women are more likely to navigate online abortion finders or websites ordering mail-order medication to self-manage abortions," the lawsuit stated, according to the Missouri Independent.
As of 2022, Missouri still remains among the states with the highest teen pregnancy rates, tying for 13th with a rate of 16.9%, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control.
Bailey claimed that the lawsuit is just seeking to ensure the safety of women across the country, but medical professionals insist that the drug is safe to use.
"Science has conclusively demonstrated that mifepristone is safe and effective, including when used as directed through telehealth, and that patients of any age who become pregnant and need medication abortion can safely use the combination regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol," Molly Meegan, chief legal officer and general counsel with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement. "Imposing needless barriers on mifepristone will make it harder for people to access this needed care—which of course is the point—and worsen existing health disparities."
The lawsuit filed in Texas' northern district seeks to prevent pregnant woman from accessing the medication through the mail and would make it illegal for minors to receive Mifepristone in any capacity, as reported by KSDK.
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