Last month I cared for a patient at a clinic that receives Title X funds, I’ll call her Tori. Tori was in early pregnancy, but unsure what she wanted to do. Tori’s partner had left her and she was depressed with thoughts of suicide.

In addition to getting Tori connected immediately with a clinical psychologist and starting her on medications for her depression, Tori and I discussed her pregnancy options: continuing the pregnancy or abortion. We talked frankly about her goals and desires with pregnancy, parenting, and abortion. I gave her information on where she could read more about abortion and the phone number to local clinics.

Tori didn’t make a decision that day, and she didn’t need to. However, what Tori needed was a physician who wasn’t restricted by a gag rule to offer her compassionate, truthful, and evidence-based information. That’s exactly what I was able to offer her.