Letter to the Editor: Abortion Ruling's 40th Anniversary, Newsday, January, 25, 2013
For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2014
As we mark the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision, Roe v Wade, which ensures the right to safe and legal abortion, we applaud Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for introducing the Women's Equality Act ["Murphy pans NY abortion rights plan," News, Jan. 20].
This bold and historic measure addresses gender-based inequality head on, by breaking down the barriers that are at its root cause. And as leading women's health care providers, we were thrilled that the Reproductive Health Act, which guarantees a woman's right to make her own personal medical decisions, was included.
The Roe decision has had a dramatic impact on the health and well-being of American women. Before that decision, illegal abortions made up nearly one-fifth of all pregnancy- and childbirth-related deaths. Today, abortion is one of the safest medical procedures. Yet despite abortion being safe and legal, , opponents of women's health have made it increasingly more difficult for women to access these services.
Reina Schiffrin
JoAnn D. Smith
Editor's note: The writers are the chief executives, respectively, of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic and Planned Parenthood of Nassau County.