WASHINGTON, DC — The following is a statement from Jonathan Webb, MPH, MBA, Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN).
AWHONN opposes 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, if necessary. 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.
New Texas law Senate Bill 8, by banning abortion after six weeks from a pregnant person’s last menstrual cycle, when most people wouldn’t know they are pregnant, effectively bans the majority of abortions in Texas. This law denies pregnant people in Texas the ability to discuss a full range of reproductive options with their providers. Additionally, 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, by refusing to act on an emergency appeal requesting to halt implementation of the Texas law, is setting a dangerous precedent that could impact many states and effectively overturn the constitutional right found in Roe v. Wade, putting the health of pregnant people at risk.
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