The new regulations, which were approved by the Virginia Department of Health in April 2013, will prevent women from accessing safe, legal abortions by forcing clinics to close their doors.  When women can't access these services, which are a constitutional right, the result is an increase in poverty and a decrease in quality of life for women and their families.  Moreover, regulating safe abortion out of reach does nothing to stop abortion from actually happening - it simply forces women to seek unsafe, dangerous procedures instead.  No woman should die or face sterility from unsafe abortion procedures, but it happens when the needs and rights of women are not respected, as they are not in these new regulations.  In addition, the reality is that these clinics do far more than provide abortion services (which again, are a legal, constitutional right).  They actively prevent unwanted pregnancies by improving access to contraception, help women stay healthy during pregnancy, screen for various cancers, and provide well-woman exams.  These clinics should never be forced to function as hospitals because they are not hospitals.  It could not be more clear that the regulations are not aimed at protecting anyone's health - they are designed to eliminate women's access to safe, affordable healthcare, even if they are poor.  This is not about health, it's about controlling women and forcing subordination upon them by preventing them from making informed choices about their own bodies and health.  This is unacceptable.  Period.  In the coming months, we will work to restore every woman's right to make her own choices.