In 1973, because of the inherently private nature of a woman’s decision to terminate her pregnancy, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that a woman should “be free from unwarranted governmental intrusion” when deciding whether to continue or end her pregnancy. The draft regulations (based on the emergency temporary regulations promulgated by BOH the Attorney General and SB924) do just that - are an intrusion. There is NOT a public health crisis regarding our Virginia women’s centers that provide abortioncare but their might be because regulations as onerous as these will drive good doctors and medical centers out of serving their patients. This is clearly the strategies of those who support illegal abortion like the AG and these regulations do (we all know there will always be abortion, so you either support legal abortion or illegal abortion!)

Believing in the basic ‘goodness’ of people seems like a pretty spiritual idea. As President Obama said “Good people can disagree on abortion.”  There is something so beautifully inclusive about that statement. If you can believe that good people can disagree…then you can believe that women who have abortions are ‘good people’ and that providers are ‘good people’ too. Falls Church Healthcare Center, a Faith based center, has provided quality reproductive healthcare, including abortioncare, in Virginia for almost a decade with a distinguished record of excellent medicine and compassionate support for women and families. One in three Virginia women will have an abortion in her lifetime and that is her moral and spiritual and medical decision. And legislators, attorney generals and public health officials need to increase that relationship and constitutional right.

Tip O'Neill said "Everyone has a right to his or her own opinions, BUT NOT TO HIS OR HER OWN FACTS"  The facts in medical literature are indisputable - abortion is a very safe medical service! The aspiration D & C used for first trimester abortioncare as well as other gynecological care is  5 to 7 minutes, is minimally invasive, has an uncomplicated quick medical recovery and is one of the safest in-office procedures provided in Virginia. Look at the medical facts when developing regulations for Virginia’s businesses and medical practices. The FACT  - there is NOT a Public Health Crisis with abortioncare in Virginia or in the 49 other states.

Medical practices including abortioncare providers already are heavily regulated.  VDH, CLIA, OSHA, HIPPA, CMS, VA Corporation Commission , IRS, CDC, ACOG, NAF, ACN, ARHP and our insurance providers of which over 80% cover abortioncare.  Any new regulations should be thoroughly researched and based on improving healthcare and access for women in Virginia,  not based on someone’s unsupported medical facts, misguided religious or political agendas. Any regulations should embrace evidence-based medical best-practices that advance the public health to insure women in the Commonwealth can maintain access to vital health care from her trusted medical provider.

And Any regulations developed need to follow Virginia’s own enlightened regulatory process which requires evaluation of standard criteria including the effects on small business, access to care, and the family and involve a full participatory approach with a stakeholders’ panel. 

Participatory approach involving real stakeholders like Falls Church Healthcare Center. As I offered to Mr Hilbert in a telephone conversation in October and again in a letter to each of the Board of Health members I would be happy to serve on the stakeholders advisory panel.  Please call on real stakeholders to assist you in your deliberation, criterion evaluation and regulation process.

Rosemary Wilbur Codding, Director of Patient Services

Falls Chruch Healthcare Center