Written by Snigdha Chigurupati, Sophia Cordes, Hannah Kralles, Sophie Kurschner, Rachel Nassau, Priya Sathyanarayan – a group of medical students in Washington, DC, USA
On June 24, 2022, women and people who can become pregnant were stripped of one of their most fundamental human rights: their right to bodily autonomy. The United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will have damaging consequences for years to come, however, the effects of this decision have already been felt across the country.
As medical students in a sanctuary city, we are fortunate to live and train in a community committed to ensuring safe and legal access to abortion care. But we fear for others who are not so fortunate, who lost their reproductive rights the moment Roe was overturned. We fear for the future when reproductive freedoms are replaced by values that they do not represent the majority of Americans.
The New York Times study provides that the overturning of Roe vs. Wade would force 25 percent of people seeking abortion care to travel more than 200 miles (320 km) for a legal abortion. The Court’s ruling will exacerbate disparities between lower socioeconomic groups and people of color compared to those from privileged demographics.
Contrary to the Supreme Court’s dehumanizing decision, we find solidarity and hope in the community of providers and patients we know by volunteering our time at a local abortion clinic. Our experiences in the recovery room have forever shaped the lens through which we view abortion and reinforce the importance of abortion access. Each week, the clinic’s patients represent different ages, races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic classes. Mothers, students, teachers, engineers, nurses and other professionals and workers are among those who entrust us with their stories and care. There is no single group of people made up of patients seeking abortion care. Indeed, each person has made a personal decision about their reproductive health, their body and their future.
The toll of this landmark decision affects the entire spectrum of reproductive health: maternal and child mortality, mental health, domestic violence and more. Without bodily autonomy, millions of people will be forced to continue pregnancies and raise children despite difficult personal, physical, emotional and financial circumstances. Every patient has their own story. As one patient comforted another young woman in our clinic’s recovery room, “You made the decision that was right for you. They (referring to the protesters outside) will not be there to support you and your children. You’re here to take care of your family.”
In a nation that lacks universal health care, child care and limited parental leave, these words speak to the challenges now magnified by banned abortion care. We would be remiss if we did not point out the irony of the “pro-life” movement. They continue to deny families this basic support.
To the “pro-life” protesters marching outside our clinic with signs: “adoption is the loving answer” – your words are hurtful. They are harmful to people who decide to terminate their pregnancy because of a fatal fetal abnormality. They insult clinic patients who have suffered abuse or rape. They bite and harm patients who are already mothers seeking care out of love for the children they have at home. Whatever the reasons patients have for seeking medical care at our clinic, the feelings and violent words of the pro-life protesters outside are devastating.
As future doctors, we fear a future where the government, not our patients, makes the decisions. We fear a future when young doctors like us may face legal repercussions and threats to our personal safety for standing up for patient autonomy and reproductive rights and access. We dread the day when we are forced to say “we can’t help you” because we’re not allowed by law. We call on medical schools, residencies, and other medical education facilities to expand abortion education now in cities where abortion care is still legal and to address the void of safe abortion care caused by clinic closings and the prohibitions.
We also urge medical students across the US and worldwide to confront this issue head-on – volunteer at a local abortion clinic, attend or organize a protest, write an op-ed, email your representatives, and ultimately to vote in every election. The scale of this issue may seem daunting, however, these are actions that we as medical students can engage in to bring about change not only in our local communities, but on larger platforms.
The decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was made in complete violation of basic human rights. It is a decision that will only perpetuate inequality and poverty. Patients everywhere will be affected and we refuse to stand by and watch.
Please note that blog posts are not peer-reviewed and do not necessarily reflect the views of SRHM as an organization.
