Thankful For Choice

Across the country, throughout each legislative session, we see similar bills popping up every year. Targeted Regulations on Abortion Providers legislation, bills relating to gender and race selection and mandatory medical staff ethics training. Through the hard work of Planned Parenthood affiliates and choice supporters, we were able to defeat 18 anti-choice bills during 2012 session. This year, the Florida choice community also defeated Amendment 6, which would have stripped coverage of abortion from state health insurance plans that may currently cover abortion, without exception for a woman’s health or fetal abnormalities. Once session ends and election time passes, it can be difficult for activists to remember how Florida women and families would have been affected if those laws had been passed. Sadly we can be reminded with stories from states and countries where choice is not protected.

Recently, news outlets spotlighted a story of a young woman from Ireland who died of a bacterial infection after enduring a 5 day miscarriage in her local hospital. This woman was diagnosed as miscarrying the day she arrived to the hospital and was denied abortion services until the 17 week pregnancy’s heartbeat was no longer detected.

Just weeks ago in the Dominican Republic, a pregnant 16 year old woman battling leukemia was denied chemotherapy. Twenty days passed before she began receiving the chemotherapy that would have saved her life. Twenty days was too long and she died soon after.

Two years ago, a Nebraskan family endured a painful and dangerous 10 day miscarriage after complications of her 22 week pregnancy because of a 20 week abortion ban law that had been passed by her state.

These are tragic reminders of how delicate the right to choice and access to safe, legal abortion remains. Planned Parenthood supports all choices. Planned Parenthood of Collier County will continue to protect and maintain patient privacy and access to abortion services. It is all of our duty as supporters of choice to remember these stories and work to protect reproductive rights.