Doctors and Health Care Providers Make ‘House Calls’ for No on 3

St. Louis – Doctors and health care workers joined the Stop the Ban campaign over the weekend to warn Missourians of the harms of the new abortion ban that Amendment 3 would impose on the state while overturning the 2024 voter-approved protections. More than 15 health care providers teamed up with volunteer canvassers to make over a thousand “No on 3 House Calls” to answer any questions related to Amendment 3.

Dr. Jennifer Smith, a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist in St. Louis, shared her experiences under Missouri’s previous abortion ban and highlighted the cruel consequences of Amendment 3’s abortion ban and the negative health outcomes it would have on patients experiencing pregnancy complications.

“Nowhere else in health care are doctors required to wait until their patient's health gets worse before we are able to provide care - this was the reality under the previous ban and will be where we find ourselves again should the abortion ban in Amendment 3 become a reality,” said Dr. Smith. “These decisions belong with patients, families, and physicians, not politicians.”

Dr. Christian Hendrix and Dr. Carl DeSelm also spoke at the event highlighting how abortion bans delay or deny care while creating worse health care outcomes for patients.

“Amendment 3 would put us back in a situation where medical decisions would be directed by legal teams, removing physicians’ professional training and years of experience from the care process,” said Dr. Hendrix. “All of us standing here advocate for our patient’s health both in and outside the exam room and that is why I am voting NO on Amendment 3 in November.”

“Pregnancy is highly risky for a mother at baseline, but women living in states with abortion bans are nearly twice as likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth, or shortly after, compared to women in states where abortion remains accessible," said Dr. DeSelm. “Amendment 3 will only harm patients and prevent doctors from providing the care they need, when they need it.”

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The No on 3, Stop the Ban Campaign is the coalition of grassroots Missouri organizations and volunteers committed to defending Missourians’ fundamental right to reproductive freedom in the state constitution. The coalition behind Stop The Ban Missouri includes Abortion Action Missouri, the ACLU of Missouri, Action St. Louis Power Project, Beacon Reproductive Health Network, Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action, PROMO, and the Fairness Project.