Abortion

The WSMA affirms a woman's right to an abortion as a medical decision to be made under the advice and guidance of her physician in an accredited hospital or at a licensed medical facility. The WSMA opposes any attempt to restrict the availability of all reproductive health care, including abortion, through means such as the passage of financial limitations for government funded abortions; restrictive marital or parental consent limitations; public harassment of medical facilities, personnel or patients; or intrusion into the physician-patient relationship through increasingly stringent informed consent laws. (Res 22, C-84; Res 40, C-89) (Reaffirmed A-2017)

The WSMA reaffirms its support of the right of physicians to include pregnancy termination as a part of their practice. (Res A-3, A-93) (Reaffirmed A-2017)

The WSMA reaffirms its support of a patient’s right to a reproductive health care services including abortion and its opposition to any attempts to restrict access to such services. (Res C-13, A-22)

The WSMA will advocate for state legal protections and policies that hinder legal action originated by other states impacting physicians and other health care professionals in Washington state who provide legally protected reproductive health care services including abortion to out-of-state patients. Action may include prohibiting law enforcement and state agencies from cooperating with authorities from other states that are pursuing legal action. These protections should also apply to clinicians who refer patients for these services. (Res C-13, A-22)

Abbreviations for House of Delegates report origination:

EC – Executive Committee; BT – Board of Trustees; CPA – Council on Professional Affairs; JC – Judicial Council; CHS – Community and Health Services