I am so outraged at the proposed regulations for abortion facilities that it’s almost difficult to decide where to start.

            As a hotline operator at the National Abortion Federation, I have talked with numerous individuals around issues involving pregnancy. And while each story I hear is unique, for every individual who has decided to have an abortion, the decision has been vital to their health and well-being and often to the health and well-being of their families.  

            The decision of when, how, and if to carry a pregnancy is shaped by an individual’s experiences and circumstances, and after thoughtful consideration many individuals will choose abortion as their best option.

            I am convinced that the proposed regulations for abortion facilities have nothing to do with the safety and health of patients and everything to do with the sole goal of restricting access to abortion care.Devising ways to restrict safe, affordable, accessible abortion care, creates harmful barriers to an individual’s ability to make important decisions central to their lives. 

            If these regulations are made permanent, their ramifications will be devastating.They have the potential of closing the doors of reputable clinics that would otherwise be serving patients with quality care.  Closing clinics will have an inordinate affect on individuals with low incomes, who may have more difficulty traveling out-of-state.

            This cannot be over stated- the decision to have an abortion involves questions of health and well-being.  We cannot let the misguided personal agendas of some compromise this.