I assume your post is accurate to US medicine bc the welfare of the patient is the last priority you mention. Maybe single doctors will defy the bans, but doctors as a group are quite conservative and I’m unaware of them supporting anything but regressive and reactionary policies in the past. The AMA for example, were pioneers of lobbying government to outlaw abortion in the 19th century.
Harder to find evidence of historical attitudes, so not exactly sure when it flipped from the physician crusade of the 1800s against abortion, but here’s a survey from 1991 showing broad support: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1781824/
I’d also be quick not to jump to conclusions and assume a doctor’s unwillingness to break the law is entirely selfish with no regard to patient welfare. If they broke the law, after getting thrown in jail for murder and being unable to care for their own families and loved ones, they’d also be unable to see more patients, many of whom they would have been able to help and may not get help now. Doctors have many patients, not just one.
I assume your post is accurate to US medicine bc the welfare of the patient is the last priority you mention. Maybe single doctors will defy the bans, but doctors as a group are quite conservative and I’m unaware of them supporting anything but regressive and reactionary policies in the past. The AMA for example, were pioneers of lobbying government to outlaw abortion in the 19th century.
This has actually flipped now, more doctors are liberals than conservatives. Doctors are also overwhelmingly pro choice: https://core.wisc.edu/2021/12/06/cores-survey-of-doctors-highlights-widespread-support-for-abortion-access/
Harder to find evidence of historical attitudes, so not exactly sure when it flipped from the physician crusade of the 1800s against abortion, but here’s a survey from 1991 showing broad support: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1781824/
The modern AMA (as much as I personally dislike them, and honestly most doctors identity very little with them) was also totally against the Dobbs ruling: https://www.ama-assn.org/about/leadership/dobbs-ruling-assault-reproductive-health-safe-medical-practice
For more accurate physician opinions you should also look at individual specialty groups, which tend to be much more representative of their members priorities. For instance ACOG, also totally against the Dobbs decision of course: https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2022/06/acog-statement-on-the-decision-in-dobbs-v-jackson
I’d also be quick not to jump to conclusions and assume a doctor’s unwillingness to break the law is entirely selfish with no regard to patient welfare. If they broke the law, after getting thrown in jail for murder and being unable to care for their own families and loved ones, they’d also be unable to see more patients, many of whom they would have been able to help and may not get help now. Doctors have many patients, not just one.