In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Within hours, Ohio implemented one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation. For 11 weeks, women in need of reproductive care – abortions, yes, but also treatment for miscarriages, postpartum hemorrhage and other pregnancy complications – were denied care.
Issue 1 is a constitutional amendment to ensure women have access to the full spectrum of reproductive care including abortion. Issue 1′s opponents have been waging an egregious campaign of misinformation riddled with lies and scare tactics. It’s my duty as a physician and as a public servant to combat these lies and provide Ohio voters with facts surrounding reproductive care.
The inconvenient truth that Issue 1 opponents don’t discuss: extreme abortion laws increase maternal and infant mortality. Study after study bears this out. Rapid physical changes caused by pregnancy can aggravate existing health conditions or trigger new ones, potentially leading to life threatening complications. The CDC found that 754 mothers died during pregnancy in 2019, and another 850 in 2020. Many more suffered serious complications that required life-saving intervention.
Issue 1 leaves the determination of fetal viability up to doctors because no two pregnancies are alike. Fetal development can be impacted by factors such as the health of the mother and the quality of the health care the fetus has had access to (remember, abortion bans decrease the availability of all reproductive care). Determinations of viability require medical training and shouldn’t be made by the government.
Opponents of Issue 1 often raise the specter of “late-term abortion.” The truth is that is not a medical term or procedure. In medical practice, the need to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability is accomplished by inducing delivery. Not only is this extremely rare, but when it does occur, life-saving measures are provided to that vulnerable infant. In 2021 in Ohio, less than 2% of all abortions occurred after 19 weeks, and only 1% after 21 weeks. In all, the life or health of the mother was threatened. Unfortunately, most deliveries prior to 23 weeks die within the first month, but make no mistake, those premature infants receive all available life-saving measures.
Issue 1 does not impact parental consent laws. Legal experts across the state agree. Parents have a federal constitutional right to care for and control the actions of their children, and no Ohio law – not even a constitutional amendment – can take that away. Consent for minors would still be required to have an abortion or any other medical procedure.
Extreme abortion law also weakens the quality of our health care system. A recent analysis by the Association of American Medical Colleges found that new doctors applying for residency programs avoid states with the strictest abortion laws. Doctors often live where they train. Fewer doctors coming to Ohio could ultimately lead to maternal care deserts throughout our state.
The issue of abortion has become political, but it shouldn’t be because it is part of reproductive care. Don’t be fooled by the lies. A yes vote on Issue 1 assures the families of Ohio that they can continue to get the full spectrum of reproductive care including IVF, contraception and abortion. It also assures that OB/GYNs like me can continue to provide the best care possible without fear of criminal penalty. Don’t let the government interfere with the doctor patient relationship. Vote yes on Issue 1.
Anita Somani MD, FACOG, is the State Representative for District 11 and the only OB/GYN in the Ohio Legislature.
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