Kansans need the Value Them Both Amendment to protect the women I serve

As a practicing obstetrician for over 30 years, I have seen the consequences to patients and the health care system that result from careless practices of the abortion industry. The abortion industry must not be left to police itself. To prevent this, I urge Kansans to vote “Yes” on the Value Them Both Amendment August 2nd. Almost every aspect of clinical medicine is closely monitored to ensure quality care and the exclusion of dangerous providers and practices. But the abortion industry continually argues it should be exempt from oversight, transparency and even inspections. In fact, abortion providers sued to strike down Kansas’ abortion clinic health and safety standards and inspection law, which was overturned last December because of a 2019 state Supreme Court decision that cleared a path for a virtually unlimited and unregulated abortion industry. Regulation of medical practices includes quality improvement boards that routinely monitor for adverse patient outcomes and any variances in standards of care. Physicians in this state know that true medical clinics are subject to strict oversight on a routine basis. While it can seem burdensome at times, we recognize that this oversight is necessary and leads to improvement of patient care. These standards and regulations protect the health and safety of our patients. As an example, my colleagues and I are required to maintain mechanisms for patient follow up, monitoring, and care for patients who experience complications, even if this occurs in the middle of the night. But those who seek abortion services at Kansas abortion facilities are routinely told to not return to the clinic. Instead, they are instructed to go to an emergency room if they have adverse complications. This is not rare. Over the years, I have seen numerous examples of substandard care offered by abortion facilities. These patients needed care after abortion industry procedures caused them suffering. As a doctor, I am here to help. But all my attempts to obtain medical records from the abortion clinics in order to better assist the patient are refused, even with a signed release of information from the patient. I also was unable to reach any covering physician for these patients to discuss the medical situation with the abortion clinic staff. How can abortion providers claim to care for women if they do not even have mechanisms in place to monitor and follow these patients? Recently, I became aware of a patient who had a midtrimester surgical abortion while she was also infected with a serious sexually transmitted infection (STI). The abortion clinic performed the abortion procedure but then told the patient to follow up “somewhere else” for antibiotic treatment of the STI. This is simply wrong. In the not-so-distant past, Kansas was a major destination for third trimester abortions. Procedures were performed up to term, meaning until the moment before birth. The average member of the public was not aware this was even happening in Kansas. It is not unreasonable for the state to regulate providers that are performing procedures that have so much potential for abuse and unethical standards. If the state does not have the ability to regulate abortion, we will return to the days when Kansas was a worldwide destination for very late term abortions. The only way for Kansans to be able to keep our laws regulating the abortion industry from being struck down like the abortion clinic safety and sanitation law is to pass the Value Them Both Amendment. Regardless of how one views abortion, no reasonable person would advocate for completely unregulated abortion practices in Kansas. I urge voters to vote “Yes” to support the Value Them Both Amendment. Dr. Brendan Mitchell practices as an OB/GYN in Overland Park, Kansas. He specializes in women’s health, gynecology and obstetrics, serving patients for over 30 years.