ACOG Condemns Acts of Violence Related to Reproductive Health Care

The following is a statement from Steven J. Fleischman, MD, FACOG, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and Sandra E. Brooks, MD, MBA, FACOG, chief executive officer of ACOG:

"It is horrifying but true that every day, members of the ob-gyn community live and work under threat because of the care that they provide to their patients. Threats to our members, to any health care professionals on their care teams, and to the people who work to advance access to care are unacceptable.

"In recent months, we have seen painful reminders of just how fragile our safety can be. Over the past weekend, our members in Minnesota learned they might be targets of ideologically motivated violence. In May, as our members convened for the Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting, a terrorist detonated a bomb at a fertility clinic to stoke fear among health professionals whose goal is to help people build their families. Our meeting was held in Minnesota, where just a month later, people's lives were taken because of their support for policies that members of our organization advocate for every day: access to the full spectrum of reproductive care, including abortion care.

"Physical threats to lives and bodies are real, but threats take many forms, and all are dangerous and potentially harmful. Our members face hate language online, walk through throngs of protesters to get to their patients, and hear politicians and activists misrepresent the care that they provide. Unfortunately, as we were reminded over the weekend, hate language does not always end at the computer screen, at the clinic door, or in political discourse. It can escalate and lead to life-threatening harm. This is why policies such as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which protects physicians and patients from the threat or use of force or obstruction to interfere with the provision of health care, are so important to the safety and wellness of our members and their staff.

"ACOG members show up every day to provide care, to advocate for their patients, and to improve the health of their communities. Working to improve lives should not cause them to risk their own.

"In no uncertain terms, we strongly condemn the recent acts of violence targeting individuals advocating for and providing reproductive health care, we oppose the threats and language used against our members, and we call on all politicians to denounce ideological violence against clinicians and advocate for access to care."