BOISE, Idaho — St. Luke’s Health System has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court to address the conflict between the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) and Idaho’s Defense of Life Act, a state abortion law.
The action aims to maintain protections for pregnant women who seek emergency care, as the federal administration may change and could lead to the dissolution of current protective injunctions. These injunctions are critical for ensuring that emergency medical conditions threatening a pregnant woman’s health are stabilized, sometimes requiring the termination of a pregnancy.
The state and federal laws place physicians in a precarious position where compliance with one may mean violation of the other.
Idaho’s Defense of Life Act only permits termination of a pregnancy if it is essential to prevent the woman's death, while EMTALA mandates stabilizing treatment to protect a pregnant woman's health, even if the treatment involves terminating the pregnancy.
“This is not just about laws — it’s about the real harm caused to patients when compassionate, timely care is delayed or denied,” said Christine Neuhoff, St. Luke’s chief legal officer. “Taking these steps is consistent with St. Luke’s mission to improve the health of people in the communities we serve and further demonstrates our commitment to patient safety and to the well-being of our physicians and care team members.”
Dr. Jim Souza, St. Luke’s chief physician executive, highlighted the impact on patient care: “Our physicians are dedicated to helping families bring children into the world with safe, evidence-based care. Yet, the conflict between Idaho’s Defense of Life Act and EMTALA makes it impossible to provide the highest standard of care in some of the most heartbreaking situations.”
In 2023, St. Luke’s delivered over 8,920 newborns, accounting for approximately 40% of live births in Idaho, according to a press release. In 2024, over 9,455 newborns were delivered, and the system employs seven of the state’s nine maternal-fetal medicine specialists.
