Early in my medical career, I was the physician attached to a military squadron. One of my female sailors was raped by a fellow sailor. When she found out she was pregnant, I discovered that we could not help her end the pregnancy (this was prior to the passage of the Shaheen Amendment). I was also told that I could not drive her in my personal car to the nearest Planned Parenthood, several hours away, if it was during working hours because the military was paying my salary. As her physician, the law prevented me from providing her with the help she needed.

As her physician, the law prevented me from providing her with the help she needed.

Years later, as an OB/GYN resident, I had the privilege of training at a local Planned Parenthood. On my first day, I had a patient reach out and take my hand and say “Thank you! Thank you for being here. Thank you for being so nice and making sure I wasn’t alone.” She was about the same age as that patient years ago. It made me think about all the women who didn’t have someone there. I realized that I had to be there, any time a woman needed my help, because somewhere there are still women being prevented from getting the care they need.