Board of Health,

Women deserve health regulations for medical procedures. The Commonwealth of Virginia already has health regulations for restaurants, hair salons, and animal hospitals. Women deserve no less when undergoing invasive medical procedures. Their lives and health truly are at stake.

Dear Members of the Board of Health,

Please maintain strong abortion center regulations. Since the regulation process began, health department inspectors have uncovered hundreds of health and safety violations. An especially troubling revelation was made at the Roanoke Medical Center for Women, where inspectors documented that a 16 year-old and two 14 year-old girls had abortions without documented parental consent. The abortion industry has fought regulation for years claiming it can regulate itself, yet repeatedly independent inspectors have found serious deficiencies, even during announced inspections. Abortion centers are not able to self-regulate. Abortion is not healthcare because it ends lives instead of healing them. However, since abortion operates under the guise of healthcare, abortion centers must adhere to the regulatory standards of other healthcare facilities. Simply, Virginia women and minor girls deserve nothing less. Thank you for considering my perspective on this important matter. Mary Ann West