The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com.
Brianna Keefe-Oates is a postdoctoral research fellow at Northeastern University and is based in Maine. This column reflects her views and expertise and does not speak on behalf of the university. She is a member of the Maine chapter of the national Scholars Strategy Network, which brings together scholars across the country to address public challenges and their policy implications. Members’ columns appear in the BDN every other week.
Since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overturning Roe v. Wade, we have seen countless stories of people in states where abortion is heavily restricted having to travel to other states to access abortion. We have also seen cases of women being denied life-saving medical care during a miscarriage, and having to wait until they are gravely ill to receive any kind of abortion procedure, with potential long-term physical consequences.
Abortion is integral to health and well-being. Research shows being denied an abortion can lead to poorer physical health in the future. An abortion is the medical care a person needs when a pregnancy is threatening their health. Furthermore, the data show that an estimated 1 in 4 women will have an abortion in their lifetime, demonstrating how common it is (these numbers do not include transgender and nonbinary people who also have abortions). Yet studies have shown that for many, the time and financial burden to cover travel, child care and missed work can prevent someone from getting an abortion.
While this was all the case prior to Dobbs, the Supreme Court decision has vastly increased the challenges to getting an abortion, with a nationwide impact. Nearly one in five people seeking abortion are estimated to have had to travel out of state for the care they need in recent months. I recently co-led a study that found that even abortion clinics in Massachusetts, which do not border any state where abortion is heavily restricted, have seen an increase in people traveling from out of state, from places as far away as Florida and Texas. This illustrates the impact of state decisions to deny people abortion services, forcing people to travel long distances and shoulder the burdens of that travel.
Like Massachusetts, Maine has recently been a leader in ensuring people have reproductive freedom, safeguarding and expanding access to care post-Dobbs, evidenced by the passage of several bills last session. These bills contribute to health and well-being by supporting access to an abortion in a timely manner in one’s own state.
Maine has an opportunity to further guarantee no Mainer is forced to leave the state for abortion care in the future by explicitly including the right to reproductive autonomy, which includes the right to abortion care, in the state’s Constitution. This starts with LD 780, which will begin the process toward a constitutional amendment enshrining reproductive autonomy, including the right to abortion.
While the Dobbs decision led to many states restricting or outright banning abortion, other state lawmakers and abortion providers, like those in Maine, are working hard to ensure everyone can access an abortion in the state. To further support the health and well-being of those who need an abortion, Mainers can support the reputable organizations throughout the state and the country supporting people accessing abortion services, and urge lawmakers to let Maine voters have a voice by passing LD 780. Ensuring people receive the health care they need — when they need it and where they need it — is crucial to ensuring reproductive health.