The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses is profoundly disappointed in the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to uphold Mississippi’s Gestational Age Act in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The 2018 Mississippi law banned abortions after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy.
More disturbing is the court’s decision to use this case to overturn the Roe v. Wade precedent, where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protects a pregnant person’s liberty to have an abortion in the first two trimesters of pregnancy.
As we strive for equitable birth outcomes for all that are centered around hearing and valuing the voice of our patients. Legislation that prevents choice and denies basic rights runs counter to these efforts, disproportionately impacting communities of color, those with limited resources, and those who are young. The U.S. Supreme Court is putting the lives and health of pregnant people at risk.
AWHONN joined 25 other healthcare provider associations, led by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in filing an amicus brief concerning the case. The brief argued that reproductive health care is essential to women’s overall health and access to abortion is an important component of reproductive health care.
AWHONN has updated our position statement on health care decision making for reproductive care. We continue to oppose legislation and policies that limit a health care provider’s ability to counsel patients as to the full range of options and to provide treatment and/or referrals. Health care decisions are best made within a health care system where providers are allowed to respect the patient’s right to make their own decisions according to their personal values and should not be complicated by restrictive laws.
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