Indiana appeals court upholds privacy of abortion reports

(INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — A judge’s order blocking the Indiana Department of Health from releasing the reports that doctors file about individual abortions will remain in place under a state Court of Appeals decision.

A panel of three appeals court judges agreed unanimously with a Marion County judge that the records — known as terminated pregnancy reports — should be protected as confidential medical records.

Dr. Caitlin Bernard and Dr. Caroline Rouse, both Indianapolis OB-GYNs, sued in February to block release of the documents after the state healthy agency entered into a settlement agreement with South Bend-based Voices for Life. That agreement came out of the anti-abortion organization’s 2024 lawsuit against the Health Department, filed when the agency stopped releasing the individual reports but reversed itself after Gov. Mike Braun took office this year.

The decision written by Judge Mark Bailey cited the reprimand Bernard received in 2023 from the state Medical Licensing Board for public...