Tucson Doctor Warns: Project 2025’s Abortion Ban Could Spell Disaster for Patients

As an OB-GYN with over three decades of experience, I have witnessed the profound impacts that political decisions in Washington can have on patient care. Recently, Project 2025, an extreme conservative agenda, poses a significant threat to reproductive health and freedoms for women across America.

This initiative seeks not only to impose a national abortion ban but also to eliminate federal protections for emergency abortion care needed during life-threatening medical complications. Such measures place both medical providers and patients at risk, leading to potential jail time for physicians who may need to intervene during emergencies like miscarriages.

Furthermore, Project 2025 aims to establish an anti-abortion task force designed to enforce a radical agenda that criminalizes essential healthcare, infringing on the rights of pregnant individuals. Increased surveillance on abortion procedures could result in invasive investigations into miscarriages and intimidate healthcare providers, obstructing necessary reproductive care.

Since the Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections in 2022, uncertainty has gripped healthcare professionals as they navigate conflicting laws and policies. Arizona’s outdated 1864 territorial law had particularly dire implications, criminalizing care and leading to compromised outcomes for pregnant individuals in the state. While the state Legislature updated its abortion regulations earlier this year, Arizona retains one of the most stringent sets of abortion laws, including a 15-week gestational limit without exceptions for rape or incest.

Throughout my career, I have encountered numerous patients in critical situations where access to abortion was essential. Delaying necessary treatment is not just unethical: it is perilous. Medical professionals ought to operate without fear of prosecution, and patients should have access to safe, empathetic healthcare.

Currently, Arizona’s leadership, exemplified by Governor Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes, champions evidence-based care, empowering healthcare providers to act in their patients’ best interests. However, initiatives like Project 2025 threaten to undermine these protections. This agenda promotes governmental overreach into personal medical decisions, a concerning trend that can destabilize both individual freedoms and healthcare standards.

The implications of Project 2025 extend beyond reproductive rights. It endangers women’s health and safety, potentially compounding risks for those who may face life-threatening scenarios without adequate medical support. Governmental interference in personal health decisions not only threatens individual autonomy but also impacts family planning and professional opportunities.

For Arizona to thrive, it must ensure that women have the agency to make informed decisions about their bodies and health. The policies proposed under Project 2025 could deter talent, limit healthcare access, and ultimately jeopardize the state’s economic future.

Experts agree: decisions regarding pregnancy and reproductive health should remain solely between a patient and their doctor, devoid of political encroachment. To foster a healthier and more prosperous Arizona, it is imperative to reject dangerous policies that threaten women’s autonomy and health, preserving the rights that safeguard the future of our communities.