What is the issue regarding the regulation of abortion clinics in the Commonwealth of Virginia? (For details, see Board of Health regulation 12 VAC 5-412.) Are the women of Virginia experiencing medical complications on an epic scale following the performance of an abortion in clinics that provide such services throughout the Commonwealth? Or, is there another agenda at work throughout the Commonwealth? Is this an agenda that would deny Virginia women the right to choose to have an abortion during the first trimester of a pregnancy? Such a decision for a woman is one of conscience, and I have never yet known a "fellow-woman" to make such a decision lightly.

Virginia women ostensibly have full citizenship, complete with freedom to make independent choices as adults in the Commonwealth. What is it that allows other citizens to think that they have the right to make a choice for another citizen, i.e., for a woman who chooses to seek an abortion? Indeed many of the comments on the Public Comment Forum speak not to anything except the various expressed opinions that state an opposition toabortion in general.

I believe that most reasonable people would agree that medical procedures certainly should be safe for the one having the procedure, but I see no evidence of gross malpractice being performed in these clinics that provide abortions. Therefore, one can only conclude that the TRAP regulations have been put into place, not to protect women's health, but instead, to foster the agenda that access to the choice to have an abortion is the target of the reulations. Hence, the regulations must be repealed.

It seems unconscionable that so many women's health clinics would be subject to closure for minor architectural details that are not considered important in other out-patient clinic settings such as dental practices that perform oral surgeries. This is especially true when the women's health clinics in question provide not only safe, legal access to abortion when necessary, but also, to many other vital services that are particular to women only.

Repeal the regulations and restore full citizenship rights to individual women in the Commonwealth of Virginia.