The best person to make a decision about pregnancy is the pregnant person themself. The government should never have the authority to force a person to remain pregnant against their will.
Everyone needs access to safe and affordable abortion care. Nearly 25% of women have an abortion by 45 years of age, but restrictions and bans affect different Kentuckians in different ways.
Parents:
Almost 67% of Kentuckians who obtain an abortion have at least 1 child. Many are single parents burdened by poverty. Nearly 20% of these Kentucky families live in deep poverty, earning 50% or less than the federal poverty line.
Health complications:
Some people who want to be pregnant must end their pregnancy because of health complications. Arbitrary abortion restrictions put politicians between patients and their healthcare providers.
Rural Kentuckians:
Pregnant people have an elevated risk of experiencing domestic violence. They should be free from interference to make the decisions that are best for themselves.
Survivors of violence and sexual assault:
There are only two clinics in Kentucky. Getting to the clinics in Louisville is a long drive from Eastern and Western Kentucky – pending clinics’ legal ability to even provide care. Long distance travel requires additional resources to cover transportation costs, time off work, and childcare.
Abortion restrictions often fall into three categories:
- Bans on certain medical procedures
- Bans depending on the patient’s reason for seeking abortion care
- Unnecessary regulations that do not improve health outcomes, but make it difficult or impossible for clinics to obtain a license to operate
