Abortion Safe, Legal In Iowa Despite Texas Ruling

The following statement was released today by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, the Emma Goldman Clinic, Great Plains Action Society, Cedar Valley Reproductive Justice, and Progress Iowa in response to the ruling issued in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, et al v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration:

“Every Iowan and American deserves the freedom to make their own health care decisions, including the right to have an abortion.

“To be clear, abortion in Iowa remains safe and legal. Nearly eighty percent of abortions in Iowa are medication abortions. And mifepristone is only one drug used for medication abortions. Misoprostol is also used, and can be used alone for medication abortions.

“The ruling in today’s case does not change that. Anti-abortion extremists have always been intent on banning the right to all abortion care. Regardless of the outcome in this case, they attempted to create confusion and fear among people who need abortions and providers of abortion care. Thankfully, most Iowans can see right through their tactics.

“Iowans know that medication abortion using a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol is exceptionally safe and highly effective. Mifepristone has been used by more than five million people since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it 23 years ago. And medication abortion using only misoprostol is also a safe and effective way to manage abortion care and will continue to be an option for Iowans seeking a medication abortion.

“Access to abortion care, no matter the method, is essential health care. We deserve better from the politicians elected to represent us as Iowans, a growing majority of whom support keeping abortion safe and legal. Any ban on the right to access abortion is bad for Iowans and our communities, unnecessary and cruel.

“We will not give up. We will not back down. We will continue to support Iowans’ rights to access abortions and the reproductive health care needs in our communities.”