Thank you for sharing the thoughts of a few of the OB/GYN alums regarding this extremely difficult topic. As a family physician for 40 years who delivered babies early in my career, I too fear the consequences of the Supreme Court’s decision, some of which are already occurring in states with very restrictive abortion laws. An example of this was recently cited in our local newspaper, the Indianapolis Star, which wrote of a 10-year-old girl who was being referred from an Ohio obstetrician to a colleague in Indiana, because her pregnancy was at 6 weeks and 3 days, just outside the 6-week restriction for an elective abortion in Ohio. The Indiana legislature is meeting in special session later this month and will likely be added to the states with restricted abortion access. The Supreme Court’s statement that this should be decided at the state level has only added to the confusion and anxiety for women who need to make an extremely difficult decision about ending their pregnancy, even if it is in their own medical best interest. It is unfortunate this issue is so politicized and polarized, that it is impossible to have a debate about the medical science and medical ethics that could lead to a well thought out national policy. In the meantime, maternal morbidity and mortality is likely to worsen particularly in our most vulnerable populations.
