It is with great sadness and anger that we inform you that today, Monday, July 29th, 2024, after approximately 5 years of legal back and forth, the Iowa law that bans almost all abortions went into effect. The decision by the Iowa Supreme Court to reverse the injunction and reject the subsequent petition to rehear the case is not surprising, but it is devastating, nonetheless. This law will have a ripple effect beyond Iowa, as abortion clients throughout the Midwest will be displaced and forced to travel greater distances and wait longer in order to obtain abortion care. However, this decision is about more than abortion access; it’s also about dignity and the ability to live life on our own terms.
The implications and impact of abortion bans are currently being charted in at least 14 other states that have near total bans in place and we are seeing the catastrophic and far reaching effects. The impact ranges from increased maternal morbidity to the ability to utilize IVF. We have heard from many entering the field of medicine, that the option to provide full spectrum reproductive health care is a deal breaker for their choice of a medical school.
We are already experiencing challenges in most of these areas. Iowa’s maternal morbidity rate has increased and additionally, Iowa’s Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) rate increased by nearly 18% between 2017 and 2021. People of color are most highly impacted. Black Iowans are six times more likely to die during or shortly after childbirth than white women.
There is currently an obstetrical care desert. Iowa has the fewest number of OB-GYN specialists per capita of any state in the country, (according to data from the Iowa American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.) Sixty-six of Iowa’s 99 counties currently lack access to OB-GYN and birth services.
The Clinic's mission remains centered on increasing access and care to those that have been marginalized and traditionally underserved. We promote respectful, client-centered and participatory health care through informed decision making, client rights, advocacy and expansion, and support of pregnancy choices…and we will continue to do that.
.Right now, abortion care in Iowa looks bleak. Full spectrum reproductive health care may soon face additional challenges. When we face these seemingly insurmountable obstacles as a cohesive group, we can remain undaunted.
The Emma Goldman Clinic is not going anywhere. We will continue to provide abortion care (without cardiac activity) to the extent possible for our community with love and compassion. We will help those for whom we are unable to provide abortion services to navigate the logistics of seeking care in other states.
The Emma Goldman Clinic will continue to provide life saving and life changing care. We know that cervical cancer screenings, gender affirming care and wellness exams save lives.
That is the work that we do. We will continue to provide a place for people to build the lives that they want by controlling their fertility. We are the right people to chart a path forward for reproductive justice because this is our home, and these are our communities. As we combine our expertise and power with trusted partners, we are expanding our movement and deepening our commitment to reproductive freedom.
We are grateful to partners, including Iowa American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood North Central States and our counsel, Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, who challenged this ban, and we assure you that the clinic will continue to be involved in the fight to restore reproductive freedoms in Iowa. We are going to keep calling on you as we continue to press on.
We need your help to keep our doors open during this challenging time. We are working towards raising $5 million to cover operating costs for the next five years. Your support is crucial in helping us continue to provide essential services to our community. Please consider giving, and giving generously. Thank you for standing with us.
Looking for a way to provide the Clinic with long term support? Join our Builders' Circle and make a multi-year pledge to uphold reproductive justice.
Contact Meghan at donor-services@emmagoldman.com for more information.
