Join the Fight: Birthmark Doula Collective v. Louisiana
On October 1, 2024, Louisiana’s Act 246 took effect and added mifepristone and misoprostol to Louisiana’s Controlled Dangerous Substances (“CDS”) schedules, subjecting medical professionals and their patients to a highly regulated legal scheme. The Act could serve as a model for anti-abortion lawmakers in other states, subjecting those who possess mifepristone and misoprostol but are not pregnant to extreme sentences and reducing access to necessary treatments for a range of conditions, including postpartum hemorrhage and miscarriage management.
But we’re not standing by. Lift Louisiana has joined the fight with Birthmark Doula Collective v. Louisiana, a lawsuit challenging Act 246. We’re suing to protect healthcare, patient safety, and the right to reproductive care.
Why It Matters
Act 246 doesn’t just threaten miscarriage management and abortion access—it creates dangerous delays for people in critical medical situations. By forcing these medications under tight regulation, it’s setting a harmful precedent that could spread to other states. Louisiana already has some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country—this law only makes things worse.
But together, we can stop it. Birthmark Doula Collective v. Louisiana isn’t just a lawsuit; it’s a stand for justice and dignity for everyone.
How Act 246 Impacts You
Act 246 puts people’s lives and health at-risk – Even before the law took effect, staff in Louisiana hospitals were already conducting timed drills to prepare for mifepristone and misoprostol being held under lock and key; one physician – when discussing the use of these medications in miscarriage management – was quoted as saying “most patients would likely make it.”
Act 246 contributes to abortion stigma and the criminalization of already-marginalized communities –Classifying mifepristone and misoprostol as dangerous substances stigmatizes those who need and provide these medications, including abortion patients, their support systems, and abortion providers.
Louisiana is the incarceration capital of the world, generally incarcerating a greater percentage of its population than anywhere else and disproportionately incarcerating Black people. Act 246 puts mifepristone and misoprostol in the center of a deeply dysfunctional drug enforcement system that has greatly contributed to that incarceration rate.
Anti-abortion politicians will stop at nothing to rob people of their health and rights, but Louisianans are fighting back – Louisiana has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the country, ranking 46th. The ranking drops lower when Black maternal mortality is isolated with four Black mothers dying for every one white mother. Placing mifepristone and misoprostol on the controlled substance list will hinder practitioners from being able to provide life saving care to vulnerable populations. Health care providers should not have to look over their shoulders for police when providing emergency, life-saving care to their patients
Anti-abortion politicians are willing to risk the health and lives of Louisianans to score political points and gin up their anti-abortion credentials, caring nothing for the people that this measure is sure to harm.
How You Can Help
We need YOU to make an impact. Here’s how you can join the fight:
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for real-time updates and actions you can take.
Share our message with your friends, family, and network. Spread the word about Act 246 and our lawsuit.
Stay informed and stay loud. The more people know, the stronger our movement becomes.
Together, we can protect healthcare and stop Act 246 from harming Louisianans and beyond. Join the fight today!
People with questions about their legal risks around abortion and pregnancy loss should contact the Repro Legal Helpline.