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The excitement turned into grief last week, when Arteaga, whose pregnancy was closely monitored, underwent an ultrasound in the tenth week. Her doctor told her that the fetus had stopped growing and no longer had heartbeat, so she was going to miscarry again.
The doctor gave her two options to manage the miscarriage, she said: She might have surgery, or she might take some medicine.
Arteaga decided to obtain the prescription. On Thursday night, she and her son took some pictures of the pharmacy and went to the pharmacy for her medicine, she said.
"I thought it was going to be regular: run and get what I needed, and we'll get out of there," Arteaga told NBC News. "It did not happen that way, I was very shocked and I could not believe what was going on."
Arteaga said the pharmacist asked her if she was pregnant and then informed her that he would not give her the medicine. When Arteaga asked why, he replied that it was because of his "ethics," she said.
The only thing I could deal with at that time was that I did not have control over my baby who could not live inside me, and that I had no control on how to make a miscarriage.
"I felt so helpless, and I felt so out of control of my own body.The only thing I could deal with at that time was that I did not have control over my baby who could not live inside of me.I have no control over how to miscarry, "she said.
Confused, Arteaga thought that if she explained what was going on, the pharmacist would change her mind. With her 7 year old son next to her and a long line of customers waiting, Arteaga said that she was trying to tell the pharmacist quietly that "the doctor prescribed it because the baby does not not grow and the baby is not alive ".
But the pharmacist has always said no, she said. Finally, he offered to transfer the prescription to another pharmacy. Arteaga eventually recovered it in another Walgreens in Peoria the next day.
Walgreens confirmed the incident at NBC News and said in a statement that he has a policy that allows pharmacists to not fill out an order for which they have a moral objection.
But he said: "It is important to note in this situation, the pharmacist is also required to refer the prescription to another pharmacist or service manager to meet the needs of the patient in a timely manner."
Walgreens said the policy applies to all its pharmacies across the country. But state drug laws vary: Six states, including Arizona, have laws or regulations that allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense drugs for religious or moral reasons, according to the National Center for the Law of Medicines. women.
Eight other states explicitly require pharmacists to provide drugs to patients, even if there are objections, and seven others allow pharmacists to refuse, but prohibit them from impeding access to the drug, according to the National Center for Women's Rights.
Arteaga said that she had no problem with the pharmacist's beliefs different from hers, but she said that she wanted one of the other two pharmacists working behind the counter to be able to prescribe drugs instead of going to another pharmacy.
"I could have, just now, dealt with me and my family and the loss of our baby," she said.
Walgreens said it would provide additional training to all its pharmacists on how to handle such situations appropriately. The company also stated that she had contacted Arteaga, but she stated that the only contact she had with Walgreens since the incident was when she spoke to the store manager the next day to to complain. The director said that she would look at her, but will never come back to her, said Arteaga.
Since Arteaga shared her story, other women who have had similar experiences have reached out, she said.
"They thank me for being a voice and getting up, and it's so stimulating," she said.
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