A coalition steps forward to offer the facts
“Are women receiving life-saving healthcare in pro-life states?”
This question is asked often by media and by voters as we approach the 2024 presidential election election.
Countering claims that restrictions on abortion are causing a healthcare crisis, the Women’s Healthcare Declaration was launched Tuesday. The group consists of 12 medical and health policy organizations comprised of more than 75,000 physicians and healthcare professionals.
This initiative hopes to restore excellent healthcare for women and to correct the mischaracterization of life-affirming legislation, which has led to confusion for both patients and healthcare professionals.
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The representatives at the press conference announcing the initiative shared that induced abortion is not needed to save the life of the woman as an emergent intervention. They offered confirmation that as healthcare professionals, there is an obligation to understand laws and the responsibility to share this information accurately. By providing this publicly, this coalition hopes that women will obtain the medical care they deserve.
Offering explanation of laws that surround the healthcare of women with complicated miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies and all other pregnancy emergencies, this large group of doctors, medical professionals, and healthcare policy leaders challenges the misinformation surrounding these complex cases.
Speaking as an emergency room physician of more than 10 years, Dr. Cortney S. Draper said:
“I have seen the harm to both physicians and patients that results from misinformation and confusion about abortion laws and life-affirming health care. This declaration offers much-needed clarity on what it means to provide excellent care to pregnant women and their preborn children.”
The group hopes for a return of medical ethics of never harming patients, instead always acting for their good and a confirming of care for both patients – mother and child. With this declaration, their hope is that women will be assured they will not be prosecuted when seeking medical care.
The group clarified that every state in the country allows for care in pregnancy and this has not changed since the Dobbs decision. The only legal changes have been to those who provide elective abortion - not for those who provide obstetric care.
Dr. Christina Francis, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, and CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), said on behalf of her organization:
“The ultimate victims of the lies about abortion that are currently proliferating in the media are our patients. As physicians, we see a dire need to correct the record on induced abortion, abortion laws, and life-affirming care. This declaration offers the facts and clarity that the medical community and lawmakers need, and that our patients — pregnant and preborn — deserve.”
Due to media stories of women “bleeding out” and dying in life-affirming states and the resulting misperceptions, the group says some women have been reluctant to seek and some healthcare professionals have been confused on what care can be legally provided.
Tweet This: Women are the ultimate victims of the lies about abortion that are currently proliferating in the media.
The alliance is calling on other medical associations to give accurate information without political influence. However, the group says there has been a conspicuous silence by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) which has provided no clarity to its members.
Dr. Robin Pierucci, board-certified neonatologist and Co-Chair of the Pro-Life Committee for the American College of Pediatricians, said on behalf of her organization:
“As physicians, providing consistently excellent medical care to all of our patients is our privilege. This declaration presents concrete, specific ways to improve pregnant women’s health care and begins the complicated discussion regarding prenatal testing. All of our patients’ lives are inherently valuable, which is why we promise to “do no harm;” this declaration provides a route to uphold our oath.”
Some initiatives of this life-affirming group include increased education within hospital systems, informed consent prior to prenatal testing, and de-identified data collection of abortion complications. They also hope to see state health agencies holding abortion facilities to same health and safety standards of other healthcare organizations.
The group is also challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) to restore protections that have been consistently removed for American women. They are calling for the FDA to instate strict safety protocols for abortion drugs with screening and adequate care following abortion.
Louis Brown, executive director of the Christ Medicus Foundation, and founding board member and vice president of Public Policy for the Catholic Health Care Leadership Alliance, said on behalf of both organizations:
“Pro-life state laws seek to increase protections for the life and health of both pregnant mothers and preborn babies. The abortion industry and pro-abortion elected officials are engaged in egregious misrepresentation, deception, and lying about pro-life state abortion laws. It is actually chemical abortion drugs and surgical abortion procedures that threaten the life and health of pregnant mothers in America. This Declaration shines the light of truth on one of the most urgent issues of our time.”
They encourage other medical organizations and professionals to join their efforts. For more information, please visit www.womenshealthmatters.org.
