Yesterday, the Georgia Supreme Court allowed the state’s 6-week abortion ban to remain in effect as legal challenges continue. The case will now return to the trial court, which has not yet ruled on all claims from the plaintiffs – a coalition of physicians, health centers, and reproductive justice advocates.
Dr. Nisha Verma, a Fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, responds:
“This week is devastating for Georgians, who for over a year have been dealing with a law that bans most abortions in the state. As a doctor and OB/GYN who has provided full-spectrum reproductive healthcare, including abortion care, for all of my career, I am devastated by these decisions.
“Georgia’s law will continue to have a massive impact on the ability of individuals to get the care they need. While some people who discover their pregnancies very early on or qualify for the very narrow exceptions in the law will be able to get care, we know that a 6-week abortion ban eliminates access to abortion care for most people who need it.
We will continue to see the ripple effects of abortion bans on people’s health and wellbeing for generations.
“As entire regions of the country have limited to no abortion access and continue to feel the devastating impacts of the Dobbs decision, we will continue to see the ripple effects of abortion bans on people’s health and wellbeing for generations, including worsening maternal mortality rates, increased rates of people living in poverty, and lower educational and economic attainment. We have already seen these impacts in Georgia. I remain grateful to my colleagues and advocates here on the ground in Georgia who remain committed to serving our home and community. We will not stop pushing back against these harmful bans. Every person deserves the care they need, when they need it, in their own community.”
