The regulations continue to threaten the availability of safe, legal first-trimester abortion and preventative reproductive health care in multiple locations throughout the state. 

 

Extensive, burdensome requirements for clinic buildings that are unrelated to the services the health centers provide and have no proven medical benefit will reduce or eliminate patient access to health care.

 

The regulations will increase the financial hurdles to health care for patients, with no proven medical benefit to patients. Women need MORE access to affordable, quality health care, not less.

 

If regulations placed on women's health centers are based on evidence-based medical practices that advance the public health, then women in the Commonwealth will be able to maintain access to vital health services from trusted medical providers.

 

Medically inappropriate and unncessarily burdensome regulations would restrict access to essential health care services for the women of Virginia (like myself) and further marginalize young, low-income, uninsured, and minority women by decreasing their health care options.

 

The high standard of care provided by women's health centers is proven by their impressive safety record. Abortion is one of the safest medical procedures. Overregulation will limit access to a wide range of preventative reproductive heath 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 should not impede women's access to essential health care.