ACNM Issues Statement Supporting Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Services

The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) is committed to individuals having access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care services that are readily available, affordable and guided by objective evidence-based information. ACNM also stands with midwives who provide abortions and work in abortion care. We strongly object to legislative and regulatory efforts that create challenges, pose restrictions or otherwise reduce access to quality sexual and reproductive health care services, including abortion care. These initiatives negatively impact the people we serve and the midwives involved in this work. Laws that criminalize patients who seek abortion care create a dynamic in which people cannot feel safe accessing this essential life-saving care. Additionally, burdensome laws and regulations that require providers to maintain relationships with local hospitals have been shown to have no health or safety benefit. Further, providers should never have to exist in an environment where the provision of evidence-based care is a criminal act.

As we stated in March 2019, we oppose state legislative threats to abortion care. We stand by our position that as midwives we trust our patients as the experts of their own well-being and support each person’s right to self-determination, access to comprehensive health information, and active participation in all aspects of an individualized plan of care. Our Code of Ethics mandates that we engage in a process of non-coercive, evidence-based informed consent, and shared decision-making. Therefore, we object to any legislation and/or regulation that interferes with the patient-provider relationship.

ACNM actively stands together with our other colleagues in sexual and reproductive health care and social justice advocates, as we voice our strong objection to the erosion of bodily autonomy and access to essential health care services, including abortion.