After Southern states began enforcing abortion bans; Dobbs Decided, Washington, D.C. hub For abortion care. There are five abortion providers in the city, and more importantly, one of only five in the nation’s capital. rest Abortion clinics that provide late-trimester care.
“That’s why we’re where we are now with the extreme restrictions and bans that exist across this country, and why I have to see patients who travel from as far away as Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, and Tennessee.” Selina the doctor says. “To say we have concerns is an understatement,” said Floyd, chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood in Washington, DC.
However, the future is uncertain. Under the District of Columbia Home Government Act of 1973, the mayor and city council members pass laws and control the annual budget independently of the Legislature. However, Congress retains the power to review and block legislation. Come January, abortion providers fear Republican lawmakers will move to further restrict access to abortions in the district. Abortion in Washington legal At any stage of pregnancy. But under the federation Hyde modification limitations Under city regulations, local taxes cannot be used to pay for abortions for Medicaid recipients, except in cases of rape, incest or medical emergencies that endanger the mother’s life.
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Anti-abortion opponents could threaten both domestic governance in general and the city’s status as a safe haven in particular. In July, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) proposed a bill to repeal the D.C. Home Rule Act. In 2023, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) also proposed Abolition of home rule. Abortion opponent Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) says he doesn’t like interfering with domestic rules, but believes Congress can intervene as the “final authority” if necessary.
Harris, co-chair of the pro-life caucus, is a frequent critic of district policies. he was once tried to block He argued that the city’s law legalizing marijuana was a “wrong decision” by local leaders. Harris has a clear stance on abortion. In 2022, he said He would support a national “heartbeat” ban. In 2023 he will Co-author A statement criticizing the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ choice to exclude pro-life physicians from presenting at their annual medical conference, along with other pro-life lawmakers.
The day after the election, Dr. Floyd said there was a “dramatic increase” in patients seeking long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), such as IUDs, contraceptive implants and injections. Danica Severino Wynn, vice president of care and access at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said traffic to plannedparenthood.org pages about vasectomies and abortion procedures also spiked. Appointment bookings at family planning centers across the country have similarly increased dramatically. Vasectomy appointments increased by 1,200 percent, IUD appointments increased by more than 760 percent, and contraceptive implant appointments increased by 350 percent.
Since the election, Mr. Floyd has seen more patients request LARC devices for abortions than in years past. “They understand that while I get my abortion in this location that I have access to, I can also get my contraceptive needs met at the same time before I have to go back to another location.”Access We don’t know what that’s going to look like,” Floyd explains. The Washington clinic also provides gender-affirming and hormone therapy care, contributing to further tensions among reproductive health care providers under President Trump.
The new restrictions “are definitely going to be really devastating.” [for] Because we’re really like a sanctuary city for the people in our care right now,” said George Washington University, co-director of the student-led Reproductive Autonomy and Gender Equity (RAGE) group and emergency contraceptive expert. Director of Foggy Bottom Plan B, an organization that provides medicine.
These reproductive health care justice organizations are primarily focused on communicating information about their services to local students and residents, but until President Donald Trump takes office on January 20th, We have decided not to encourage people to stock up on contraceptive care. “I’ve been wary of putting out too much stuff that warns people or tells people they need to get care right now because it’s too fear-mongering,” Spector said. ” he said.
Dr. Floyd and other abortion experts now want to make sure their Washington clinics are not overcrowded with patients seeking reproductive care in the coming weeks. “There were so many devastating effects felt during his first term that we are still recovering from,” Floyd said.
December 26, 2024
5am
