For example, Issue 1 states that even after the point of viability, when less than a quarter of Americans believe abortion should be legal, a doctor can perform a late-term abortion if the doctor says it is necessary to “protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.” This last bit is critical: the Supreme Court has already defined “health” in this context as “all factors — physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age.” This broad definition does not just protect those rare and tragic situations that sometimes occur late in a pregnancy; it would permit a doctor to simply say the pregnancy is affecting a woman’s health and abortion would be legal for all nine months of pregnancy. Moms, ask yourself: what pregnancy does not affect your physical, emotional, or psychological health?
Ohio’s current restrictions on abortion after 22 weeks were put in place by the legislature after two babies in the Miami Valley were born alive during the abortion procedure. If Issue 1 passes, even viable infants will be unprotected once again. While some may argue late-term abortions aren’t very frequent for non-medical issues, consider the words of a local abortionist in an issue of the American Medical News describing how 80% of the over 1,000 partial-birth abortions he had performed in the 20-24 week range were for “purely elective” reasons.
Issue 1 would also invalidate Ohio’s parental consent laws. The measure states that “every individual,” regardless of their age, has a right to an abortion and would prohibit any burden on exercising that right. That would mean Ohio parents would no longer have the right to know their daughter was seeking an abortion. Why is this so important? Complications from abortion can and do occur. A minor may experience symptoms of infection that go untreated until it is too late. Imagine how long it might take a 14-year-old to tell her parents that she thinks she might be having medical issues following an abortion they knew nothing about. Issue 1 will put minor children at risk and keep parents in the dark.
Ohio’s laws on informed consent would likely be struck down as well, meaning doctors would no longer be able to tell women about the medical facts and health risks associated with the abortion procedure. Currently, doctors are required to meet with a patient 24 hours before a scheduled abortion to explain the procedure and its health risks. This is information a woman needs to make an informed decision. For years, women reported they were told by clinics that their unborn baby was just a clump of cells, and abortion was simply removing those cells. But this is not true. By 10 weeks all organ systems are present, her heart has started to beat, and she may even begin sucking her thumb. All that is needed is time to grow. A woman deserves to know this before she has an abortion.
Abortion is a complex and intensely personal issue. Reasonable, well-meaning people can come to different conclusions on the state’s role in protecting both women and the unborn. In Ohio, we’re known for our commonsense and mainstream values. But Issue 1 is not the Ohio I know. Issue 1 would put Ohio on the extreme end of abortion laws, ignoring the desires of the vast majority who want to see commonsense compromise solutions to complex problems. For these reasons, I urge my fellow Ohioans to vote no on Issue 1.
Peggy Lehner is the mayor of Kettering and a former State Senator.
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