Pregnancy is a medical condition.
But people, and our government, treat it like some special exception.
People often say to me, Its not a disease, its a natural part of life.
Phil Boorman/Getty Images
Yes, well, so are bacteria, yet we call having an infection a disease.
We cannot ignore thatpregnancy alters ones physiology and puts ones health and life at riskdue to these changes.
To say otherwise is to engage inreproductive coercion.
Thats right, I said it.
It’s all part of the same health condition.
Who would stand for such an a la carte insurance plan?
Everyone in this country would, apparently.
We should vote intelligently, but we dont.
Lets say your sister, Rose, has high blood pressure and she needs treatment.
(Never mind that Treatment Bsaves taxpayers a lot of money.)
She has no choice but to accept Treatment A given her financial situation.
Do you think your sister has been able to make a real choice regarding her health care options?
Yet this is how reproductive health care is conducted in our country.
Treatment A is prenatal care vs Treatment B that is abortion care.
Treatment A isabstinence-only sex educationvs Treatment B that is comprehensive sex education.
Treatment A is the crisis pregnancy center vs Treatment B that is Planned Parenthood.
It seems crystal clear that this kind of reproductive coercion is unconstitutional.
Before anyone chimes in with But what about the babys rights?
I will first direct you to a lovelyarticleby Andrea Grimes regarding appropriate language (zygote/embryo/fetus/etc.)
and why it matters.
Even still, a philosophical argument of their equality can be put forth until the cows come home.
But once they do, the only philosophy that matters is that of the person who is pregnant.
Both views, and everything in between, are valid.
And they are sufficient reason for a pregnant person to make their own decision about their own body.
Carrying a pregnancyinvolves significant risks.
Your Gynecolumnist regularly donates toGuttmacher.org.
Leah Torres, M.D., is a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology.
Twitter:@LeahNTorres
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