1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to support policies that guarantee free and equitable access to abortion care for all individuals. Abortion is a fundamental aspect of health care, and restricting access to it has devastating consequences for public health, particularly for women and marginalized communities. Recent data paints a stark picture of the impact of abortion bans: • Maternal mortality nearly doubled in states that banned abortion compared to states where it remained legal and accessible. In Texas, maternal deaths rose by 56% in the first full year of its abortion ban, with White women experiencing a 95% increase and Black mothers facing a 3.3x higher risk than White mothers in the same state1 (https://thegepi.org/maternal-mortality-abortion-bans/). • States with abortion bans saw 59 excess pregnancy-associated deaths and 478 excess infant deaths following the overturn of Roe v. Wade2 (https://www.prb.org/articles/abortion-bans-linked-to-sharp-rise-in-sepsis-infant-death-and-maternal-mortality-new-research-shows/). • Globally, unsafe abortions account for 4.7% to 13.2% of maternal deaths each year. The World Health Organization estimates that 45% of all abortions are unsafe, with the highest rates in regions where access is legally restricted3 (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abortion). • Every day, 96,000 women risk their lives by resorting to unsafe abortion methods due to lack of access to safe care4 (https://www.msichoices.org/latest/unsafe-abortion-consequences-facts-statistics/). These statistics are not just numbers—they represent lives lost and families shattered due to preventable causes. Abortion bans do not eliminate the need for abortion; they only make it more dangerous. Denying access to abortion care disproportionately harms low-income individuals, people of color, and those living in rural areas. Abortion is a safe, common medical procedure when performed under proper medical conditions. It is recognized by the World Health Organization as an essential health service. Ensuring free and accessible abortion care is not only a matter of public health—it is a matter of human rights. I urge you to advocate for legislation that: • Protects the right to abortion care nationwide. • Ensures abortion services are free and accessible to all, regardless of income or location. • Invests in maternal health infrastructure, especially in underserved communities. Please stand with the majority of Americans who believe in the right to choose and the importance of reproductive freedom. Lives depend on it. Sincerely,