So much of the so-called "debate" about pregnancy, abortion, and reproductive rights is so abstract. The news is filled with lawyers, commentators, and politicians weighing in on the lives of people they'll never have to meet — often responding to misinformation and talking points, rather than medical information.

You know who I actually want to hear from? I want to hear from patients. I want to hear from people who have experienced pregnancy, as complicated and personal as it can be. I want to hear from health care providers who have to try to care for their patients while lawmakers driven by their personal opinions play games with our rights.

They are the experts, they are the ones who understand what this really means. Let's listen to what they have to say!

I'm talking about people like Allie, a patient who experienced dangerous complications during pregnancy, and was brave enough to share her story.

Take a minute and a half to hear Allie talk about her experience. The stakes are crystal clear — banning emergency care means pregnant people could suffer, even die.

Every pregnancy is different, and we need to trust doctors to provide the care that is right for each patient. When lawmakers get in the way, they put patients in danger — plain and simple.

That's the message we hear loud and clear from experienced OB-GYNs like Dr. Ereme. She knows that abortion is sometimes the best option to protect a patient's health or to save their life. Her story makes it clear: Abortion bans and other restrictions on care put patients at risk.

We need lawmakers and judges to hear voices like these, and to take these stories seriously.

Right now, the Supreme Court is considering a case about emergency care, known as EMTALA — the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. Basically, it's a federal law that says doctors must provide stabilizing care for patients in the E.R. It's meant to protect people in exactly the kind of situation Allie and Dr. Ereme describe.

The state of Idaho claims that its abortion ban should override EMTALA, so doctors can be forced to deny patients abortion care, even in cases of a severe medical risk.

This kind of cruel disregard for pregnant people — their health, their suffering, their lives — is horrifying. One of the most important ways we can overcome these attacks on care is by listening to patients, believing doctors, and lifting their voices.

Take a moment to listen to people who know what they're talking about — and keep sticking up for reproductive health and rights.

Thank you,

Jen Castle, National Director of Abortion Care and Access
Planned Parenthood Federation of America