It is my hope that the regulations will be amended to be based purely on medical and scientific evidence and to not impede women's access to essential health care.
These regulations will not make abortion care safer, but will just make it more difficult for abortion providers to remain open and for women to continue to access the abortion care they need.
Abortion has an outstanding safety record, and Virginia providers are already highly regulated. Fewer than 0.3% of abortion patients experience a complication that requires hospitalization.
These regulations are being supported by a minority of Virginians with an ideological agenda, and not the medical community. The Board of Health heard testimony from abortion providers and members of the medical community opposing these medically unnecessary regulations. However, they still chose to reject numerous amendments offered to protect the safety and confidentiality of both providers and patients with little to no debate.
Extensive, burdensome requirements for clinic buildings that are unrelated to the services health centers provide and have no proven medical benefit will reduce or eliminate patient access to health care.