I am providing comments in response to the 60 day public comment period on new regulations for women's health centers that provide abortion care. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

These regulations are unnecessary and burdensome. It is clear that they are designed not to protect the health of women, but rather to force the majority of women’s health centers in Virginia to close their doors. The regulations threaten the continued availability of safe, legal first-trimester abortion and preventive reproductive health care in Virginia.  Examples include extensive, burdensome requirements for clinic buildings that are unrelated to the services health centers provide, and have no proven medical benefit.  The net result will be reduction or elimination of patient access to health care. Women need more access to affordable, high quality health care, not less.

The high standard of care provided by existing women's health centers is proven by their impressive safety record. Abortion is one of the safest medical procedures. Overregulation will limit access not just to abortion, but to a wide range of preventive reproductive health care services provided by women's health clinics, including life-saving cancer screenings, family planning, and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment.

It is my hope that the regulations will be amended to be based purely on medicine and science--and as such should not impede women's access to essential health care.