Thanks to Stephanie Ebbert for the article “Next abortion battleground: campus clinics” (Page A1, Jan. 11). The article highlighted one of the most compelling reasons that Massachusetts state colleges should provide on-campus medication abortion services: namely, that the distance to existing clinics for students without their own transportation is a barrier to access. On-campus abortion support would provide timely access for students, many of whom are already juggling school work, family needs, and jobs. In addition, these services would mitigate the risk of students experiencing a delay in care, which can then force women into more complicated procedures.
The bill “An act to require public universities to provide medication abortion” is still in the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Health. We urge the committee to issue a positive report and encourage state lawmakers to wholeheartedly support this bill, which would allow barrier-free access to this important health care service for our college students. It’s not about the battleground; it’s about access to health care.
Dana Holland
Newtonville
June Rowe
Arlington
I’m heartened that the University of Massachusetts Amherst will offer medication abortion care. Students need access to safe, quality abortion care without disrupting their schedules or their budgets.
While UMass Amherst improves care, politicians and the Supreme Court are attacking abortion access. Forty-nine years ago this Saturday, Roe v. Wade made abortion legal nationwide. But Roe alone never ensured everyone could actually access care. And this year, the Supreme Court could overturn Roe’s protections and strip abortion access from millions of people.
The national conversation highlights states such as Texas and Mississippi, but Massachusetts still has barriers to care. As a doctor, I know it’s never acceptable to play politics with health care. When abortion access is threatened anywhere, it’s threatened everywhere. Despite our more supportive legislative environment, Massachusetts still has an abortion desert in Southeastern Massachusetts, where some people must travel more than 100 miles for care. We still have entrenched antiabortion stigma and racial and health disparities blocking care for low-income people and people of color.
Since before Roe, Planned Parenthood and our partners have worked to remove barriers to abortion. We’ll work till everyone can get care.
Dr. Jennifer Childs-Roshak
CEO
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts
Boston