As an ob/gyn, I see every day how powerful motherhood can be. Attending births can be exhilarating, and it is an immense privilege to get to be the one to hand a new baby to his or her parents for the first time. But motherhood brings plenty of work, as well: it takes a huge investment of emotional energy and wisdom to raise a child.

In that sense, many of my abortion patients are ending a pregnancy because they want to be the best mother they can be. Whether they need to devote themselves to the children they already have at home, to maintaining their own health, or to preparing financially for a future child, they know now is not the right time to have a baby.

Celebrating mothers means ensuring all people have access to comprehensive reproductive health care. That includes birth control, preconception counseling, prenatal care, obstetric services, postpartum support, and yes, abortion.