Republican Lawmaker Says She Will Seek a Total Ban on Abortion; Legislators Already Introduced a Medication Abortion Ban that Would Eliminate Nearly 80% of Abortions in Iowa
Des Moines, IA—Iowans today spoke out against a proposed abortion ban during a virtual news conference. They also shared their stories of experiences at anti-abortion centers which Iowa lawmakers are trying to sell as a legitimate alternative for medical care as they work to ban abortion.
Legislators have introduced a bill, HF146, that would ban all medication abortions and they plan to introduce a total abortion ban in both the Iowa House and Senate. Medication abortions make up nearly 80% of abortions in Iowa. Medication abortion is a safe and effective way to terminate a pregnancy. It is a two-dose regiment of medications that the Federal Drug Administration has said is safe for patients to take at home.
Politicians are also moving measures in both chambers to quadruple funding for anti-abortion centers, commonly referred to as “crisis pregnancy centers”, boosting their funding to $2 million. These fake women’s health center do not provide actual medical care and aren’t regulated by the state. They are proven to use deceptive and misleading tactics laced with religious propaganda to try to prevent people from having an abortion.
Mazie Stilwell (she/her), Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa
“Abortion remains safe and legal in Iowa, but it’s hanging by a thread. Banning abortion at any stage of pregnancy after lawmakers have stripped Iowans of their access to affordable reproductive health care, including contraceptives, denies Iowans the fundamental right to control their own body and health care decisions. These bans take away Iowans’ power over their lives and futures and puts them in the hands of politicians, who have no business in the exam room with a patient and their doctor.”
Ray Garbers (he/him), Former Anti-Abortion Center Patient from Cedar Rapids
“I called the anti-abortion center I went to while I was at the hospital, angry that I was misdiagnosed. I told them the baby ballooned up inside of me, almost killing me. They took no responsibility and instead shifted the blame onto me, saying they had no way of knowing that was happening. They blamed their technology. But they were using the same exact ultrasound equipment as licensed medical professionals at the hospital, who were able to identify immediately what was going on.
“All of this happened, and I didn’t know. I didn’t know they weren’t actual medical providers. Not until almost two years later. As a crisis pregnancy center, they should be required to tell you that they aren’t medical professionals. They should have to disclose what they are doing right away during the first appointment.”
Elizabeth Feldman (she/her), Anti-Abortion Center Storyteller from Pleasant Hill
“This so-called “crisis pregnancy center” used deceit and shame to manipulate vulnerable people looking for health care. Many people who walked into its doors were completely unaware of the center’s mission. For six months, I listened to medically untrained staff say everything and anything to keep women from having abortions. If they wouldn’t listen to their religiously laced propaganda, staff violated their privacy and called family members or partners to make them aware of the person’s pregnancy and that they were considering abortion. These women were simply confused and needed help. The staff thought they were heroes.
“For months, I saw firsthand the tactics, deceit, and intentional manipulation of pregnant people by the crisis pregnancy center. No one should be tricked into giving birth if they don’t want to. Not then, and certainly not now.”
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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa (PPAI) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a mission of fostering and preserving a social and political climate favorable to reproductive health. To meet this mission, PPAI engages in lobbying, issues education, and supporter mobilization.
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