Tomorrow marks the 49th, and possibly last, anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
President & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health and ob/gyn in D.C. Dr. Jamila Perritt responds:
“The need for abortion care is a constant. This was the case before the passage of Roe, while it stands, and this will be the case if Roe is overturned. The fact that people need abortion care has never and will never change. I know this first hand as a physician providing this care.
The need for abortion care is a constant.
“But some things will change, should the Supreme Court fail to uphold the protections provided by Roe– the way pregnant people will be treated when they need abortions, the challenges they will face as they continue to seek abortion care, the social and criminal punishment they’ll face for receiving or providing those abortions. If Roe were overturned, people in over 22 states will immediately be faced with this stark reality—one where politicians are coercing and controlling their most basic rights. This is unacceptable and a clear display of the true intent of abortion bans: to control the lives and bodies of pregnant people.
Abortions should be truly accessible as an option to all pregnant people who want or need it.
“While we acknowledge that Roe has never been enough to ensure real abortion access, on this anniversary, we, a community of hundreds of physicians across the country, make it clear: abortion is health care and politics has no place in medical care. Abortions should be truly accessible as an option to all pregnant people who want or need it. As physicians, we will always prioritize the needs of our communities and work towards a future where no matter who needs abortion care, for any reason, that care is readily available free from barriers, shame, or stigma.”
