WASHINGTON, DC –
AWHONN has joined 25 other healthcare provider associations, led by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in filing an amicus brief concerning the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The case deals with the constitutionality of a 2018 Mississippi law that banned abortions after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. This law directly contradicts the landmark case of Roe v. Wade, 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.
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. 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.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in this case on December 1. AWHONN and others in this brief ask the Court to recognize that Mississippi’s ban on abortions after fifteen weeks of pregnancy is at odds with the provision of safe and essential health care, with scientific evidence, and with medical ethics.
To keep up to date on all AWHONN advocacy efforts, including more information on this case, sign up for the e-advocacy alert or subscribe to the legislative update newsletters by emailing your request to advocacy@awhonn.org.
