access To The Editor: On June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court ruled to overturn a woman’s right to abortion. As a woman, a mother, and a physician, I find this unbelievable. Bearing a pregnancy and childbirth actually rank as one of the most dangerous health conditions one can experience. We get all excited about the joys of parenthood and new babies, but the fact is, the high health risk of maternal care cannot be underestimated. Imagine this from another perspective: You have sudden onset of severe abdominal pain. You rush to the emergency room to get the best care you can for what may be appendicitis. You expect the healthcare providers to provide the medication and surgery necessary to save your life. What if the US Supreme Court ruled that you could not have this care? What if your doctor was fined or jailed for providing this care? That is exactly what is happening with this abortion situation, and it is beyond the pale. Over one in three women now live under an abortion ban in America. Women are being turned away from emergency rooms. Access to fertility treatment for those wanting to get pregnant and access to contraception are being threatened. All the while, Donald Trump is bragging about being responsible for this and threatening further action. He owns it. He is proud of it. He wants to make it worse. My right to make decisions about my own body has been stripped away. My right and ability as a physician to provide the best care possible to my patients has been stripped away — what will be next? My only “choice”: Vote Democrat. I hope you’ll join me in electing Democrats who support my deeply personal and professional rights as a woman, mother, and physician.
Kate Stolp
Published in the Ashland Daily Press
