Letter: Josh Riley supports reproductive rights

A woman I know learned in her fourth month of pregnancy that her fetus had died; the fifth time it happened since she began trying to conceive. Her doctor recommended an immediate D&C, but she wanted to wait a few days. “I’m not ready to let go of this baby yet,” she said.

This happened when Roe was still the law of the land. If it happened since Roe was overturned, there’s a chance her pain would be compounded by a visit from the police. “Five miscarriages, ma’am? A D&C each time?”

States with “fetal harm” laws were increasing years before Roe was overturned. Women were prosecuted for behaviors deemed likely to cause miscarriages, including use of street drugs and prescription medications, or even falling down the stairs. A pregnant Alabama woman was indicted for manslaughter after being shot in the stomach because she allegedly started the argument that led to the shooting [tinyurl.com/27avkmeu].

Some states make exceptions, but they don’t cover everything that can go wrong in pregnancy. The Texas woman whose fetus didn’t develop a full skull [tinyurl.com/289y226a]. The 10-year-old rape victim whose state, Ohio, would force her to carry to term [tinyurl.com/2285dapv]. Cancer patients could be denied both abortions and treatment that would harm the fetus [pressroom.cancer.org/SCOTUS-2022, tinyurl.com/2xwfvbxd]. Women waiting hours in pain, actively dying, for hospital lawyers to approve an abortion for ectopic pregnancy. And some states make no exceptions at all.

Congressional candidate Josh Riley is already pushing against anti-abortion legislation. If elected, Riley will vote for the Women’s Health Protection Act, making abortion legal nationwide. Find out more at https://joshrileyforcongress.com/home/#issues.

If there are women of childbearing age in your life, abortion is your issue, too. Protect them from the dangers that result when politicians second-guess doctors: Vote for Josh Riley for Congress.

Claudia Montague Wheatley
Dryden, NY