Dear Virginia Board of Health,

Abortion facility regulations are critical and non-negotable for completely safe, sterile and competent care.

The safety and health of women undergoing any medical procedure must be performed in clean, well-maintained facilities, by people who are competent and attentive to the needs of the patient.  Abortion is not an exception.  There is no justification for substandard facilities or level of care.

Even though abortion rights are controversial, one's conviction regarding those rights is irrelevant to the realities of the quality of health-care for women.  The quality of their care must not be compromomised in any way, shape or form.

Blood-stained tables and vials, unsterilized equipment, untrained staff members, etc., are not acceptable for any out-patient facility under any circumstances.  The health of the mother, both emotional and physical, must be foremost, and it must be protected and regulated by law. 

One of the reasons abortion was made legal was to protect a woman's right to a safe abortion.  A high level of care would be offered in contrast to the "back room abortion" horrors which have been disclosed  over the years.  Those risks must not be allowed.  Standards of safety must be clear, specific and include regular and impromptu inspections.

Respectfully submitted,  Gay Bass