What will women's healthcare look like in 2025?
🗳 If Trump wins, you are guaranteed worse healthcare.
As the election approaches, I keep reflecting on how you read about Texas's 56% increase in maternal deaths among pregnant women, or how women in Alabama had their IVF procedures paused when the state recognized embryos as legal persons. It can be easy to tell yourself, “Well that won’t happen here,” or “That would never happen to me”—a coping mechanism for how dire our situation is.
If you’re a woman in the U.S., your health has minimal protections today. Even in a blue state like New York, the State is only now proposing a constitutional amendment to protect against discrimination based on reproductive health choices. With so much at stake right now, here’s what we’re unpacking in this month:
Panel Recap: “Art, Advocacy, and the Fight for Women’s Health”
Women’s Rights on NY Ballots
Documenting the rollback of women’s health rights
Why breast cancer should matter to women under 50
MyAdvo’s “100 Women Campaign” launching next month
“Art, Advocacy, and the Fight for Women’s Health”
Last week, Salon 21’s Alex Bass hosted a panel bringing together myself, Abigail DeAtley from Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, artist Danielle Kosann, and Hall W. Rockefeller, founder Less Than Half. We had a powerful conversation about how women’s health rights are intertwined with culture and policy more than ever before. Some takeaways and questions we mused on:
Female artists can be insurgents in a system to shatter silence on women’s experiences, including their health.
Advocacy takes practice, especially if you’ve repeatedly been told growing up that you can’t trust what you feel.
By the year 2030, women will control $30 trillion in financial assets in the biggest generational wealth transfer. Women must invest in women to push issues that matter to us.
Women’s Rights on NY Ballots
One thing we spoke about repeatedly during the panel is how woefully under-protected women’s rights are in the U.S., even states like New York. Today, New Yorkers aren’t guaranteed protections against:
Prosecution for a miscarriage
A statewide abortion ban
Losing access to contraception and/or IVF
Losing private insurance coverage for abortions
Discrimination based on pregnancy status, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, or disability
For example, Abigail from PPGNY spoke about how Planned Parenthood can no longer provide abortions past 20 weeks because New York Medicaid reimbursement rates are some of the worse in the country.
Just this month, a 20-year-old woman is being investigated for miscarrying in a public bathroom. You can read more about it here.
Vote “Yes!” on Prop 1: New Yorkers have the opportunity to codify the right to abortion.
But on November 5th, New Yorkers have the opportunity to codify the right to abortion. Voting YES on Prop 1—the Equal Rights Amendment—will protect against discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes.
And New York isn’t the only state with reproductive health choices on the ballot (Source):
Colorado: Voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to protect abortion access until fetal viability and remove the public funding ban.
Florida: Amendment 4 proposes a constitutional right to abortion until fetal viability, subject to the state's supreme court's recent approval.
Arizona: Proposition 139 aims to establish abortion rights in the state constitution until fetal viability.
Nevada: Question 6 will ask voters to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution, providing additional protection beyond current law.
Maryland: Voters will consider a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a right to reproductive freedom, including the right to abortion.
Nebraska: Two competing measures: one for a 12-week abortion ban and another to guarantee abortion rights until fetal viability.
Missouri: A proposed constitutional amendment would restore abortion rights up to fetal viability, countering current restrictive laws.
Montana: A constitutional amendment initiative aims to protect abortion rights, setting terms on when and how the state may regulate abortion.
South Dakota: Amendment G proposes a state constitutional right to abortion, with regulation allowed only in later trimesters under specific health conditions.
Documenting the rollback of women’s health rights
We have to dispel the notion that 'it won’t happen here.'
The fall of Roe v. Wade exposed the vulnerability of reproductive health rights in the U.S. States now lack an assumed protection for women’s rights. In the absence of clear constitutional protections, women’s health decisions are restricted by laws that place politics over medical needs.
Below are examples where women’s legal standing to advocate for their own health has been limited or undermined:
1. Texas – The Impact of Abortion Bans on Women’s Health
When Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, it triggered a Texas law outlawing all abortions in the state. Earlier in 2021, Texas passed SB 8 deputizing private citizens to enforce the abortion ban and allowing them to sue anyone involved in assisting with an abortion.
More recently, a federal appeals court ruled that Texas hospitals are not obligated to perform emergency abortions to stabilize a patient, even though federal guidance supports this intervention. Only limited exceptions apply, such as when the pregnant patient faces a risk of death or a severe threat of major bodily function impairment.
Doctors are afraid to provide necessary medical care, even in life-threatening situations often waiting until it’s too late. ProPublica recently reported that the September 2021 death of Josseli Barnica, a 28-year-old mother who miscarried, was “preventable.” Barnica is the third woman reported by ProPublica to have died in recent years after being unable to access abortion legally or having her medical care delayed. Women with non-viable pregnancies or miscarriages are being denied timely care because providers fear legal repercussions.
Additional stats coming out since Texas’ abortion ban include a rise in infant mortality and a 56% increase in Texas pregnant women deaths increased vs. the national 11%.
2. Idaho – Criminalizing Travel for Reproductive Care
In 2023, Idaho passed a law making it illegal for adults to help minors travel out of state to obtain an abortion without parental consent. The law effectively traps young women in situations where they cannot access healthcare even in neighboring states where abortion is legal, and it has sparked fears that similar laws could expand to target women of all ages.
This restriction places minors at severe health risk, particularly in cases of sexual assault or abuse where seeking parental consent may not be safe. It also discourages healthcare providers from offering advice, limiting women's ability to make informed decisions about their health.
3. Louisiana – Criminalizing Medical Providers for Reproductive Care
Louisiana has passed some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, including a trigger law that went into effect when Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022. This law makes abortion illegal in nearly all cases, including rape and incest.
Doctors are now hesitant to provide critical reproductive care, including care for miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies, because of fear of prosecution.
With the state's constitution offering no protection for reproductive rights, women have no legal framework to challenge these extreme restrictions on their health. They are left without the ability to advocate for their own medical needs or hold healthcare systems accountable.
4. Missouri – Health Decisions in the Hands of Politicians
Missouri’s near-total abortion ban prohibits abortion except in medical emergencies, but the law is vague about what constitutes an emergency. This lack of clarity has led to delays in care for women experiencing severe pregnancy complications, as doctors fear criminal prosecution.
One well-known case involved a woman who was forced to travel out of state after her water broke at 18 weeks because doctors in Missouri would not terminate the pregnancy, even though the fetus was not viable and the woman’s health was at risk. These delays can result in infections and long-term health damage.
4. Alabama – Granting “Personhood” to Fetuses
Alabama has one of the most restrictive reproductive laws in the U.S., with a 2018 constitutional amendment recognizing fetal "personhood," giving embryos and fetuses the same legal rights as living individuals.
Additionally, Alabama's abortion ban went into effect after Roe v. Wade, outlawing nearly all abortions with few exceptions.
Medical providers, including fertility clinics and services like embryo transfers, in Alabama are now wary of criminal prosecution for interventions that could be viewed as endangering fetal life.
5. Georgia – Six-Week Abortion Ban and Fetal Personhood
Georgia’s 2021 “heartbeat law” (HB 481) bans most abortions after six weeks, a point at which many women are unaware of their pregnancies. This law also recognizes fetal personhood, granting fetuses legal rights, which has implications for broader reproductive health decisions.
Amber Thurman died in 2022 from complications after taking abortion pills when Georgia doctors delayed a D&C procedure, fearing repercussions under the state’s six-week abortion ban. The lack of clear guidelines on what qualifies as a “medical emergency” led to the delay, resulting in a preventable fatal infection.
Why Breast Cancer Should Matter To Women Under 50
As we close out Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I also wanted to highlight how the election can impact the progress we’ve made in breast cancer prevention, detection and treatment in the face of terrifying stats including how breast cancer rates continue to increase in younger women.
The Trump administration has made it clear that it will implement Project 2025, which includes key measures to roll back protections and cut budgets that currently ensure hold up basic healthcare for women. This is what’s at risk:
Weakening or repealing parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which could limit access to preventative screenings and essential services that help in early breast cancer detection and treatment. Many women rely on the ACA for coverage, including those with pre-existing conditions like breast cancer.
Cuts to federal heath agencies, like the National National Institutes of Health (NIH) or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), could reduce funding for breast cancer research, screenings, and educational programs.
Limiting and even eliminating reproductive health services like Planned Parenthood and similar organizations that provide access to mammograms, breast exams, and other vital women’s health services. Stripping Medicaid funds from these organizations could restrict access to preventive care, making it harder for women, especially in underserved areas. to obtain timely breast cancer screenings and early interventions.
Higher insurance costs or denial of coverage if protections for pre-existing conditions for breast cancer patients and survivors get rolled back, complicating access to ongoing care and follow-up treatments.
The domino effect of abortion restrictions impacts ALL aspects of women’s health, from contraception and fertility treatments to miscarriage management and mental health. Many abortion bans, for example, also make it difficult to treat miscarriages, which occur in 10-20% of known pregnancies.
If you scan the State bullets, you see the pattern: doctors are unable to do their job of providing care and saving lives. We’re already seeing the repercussions of this with medical residents avoiding states with abortion bans. By placing legal barriers on reproductive health, these policies create a climate of fear among providers and limit access to critical healthcare services for women.
Be one of 100 founding MyAdvo members!
No matter what happens after November 5th, one thing remains certain: women need each other to shatter the silence and stigma around women’s bodies. We cannot let the momentum for better healthcare stall. This is what it means to be part of history.
That’s why I’m thrilled to announce our new membership drive. We’re rallying people with endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids, and/or adenomyosis to join the MyAdvo community by December 31, 2024.
MyAdvo members get access to:
Private WhatsApp support group
Help shape what’s next for our advocacy
Exclusive swag and events
Much more to come!
We’ll be hosting a kick-off party in early 2025 🎉 for all who join. If you enjoy this newsletter but aren’t yet a member, I hope you’ll consider adding your voice.
Spread the word! Follow us on IG @hellomyadvo for easy ways to share and help us amplify this campaign. Thank you in advance for your support!
GO VOTE!!!
🔖 MyAdvo Monthly Reads
(policy, podcasts, research, trends & more to advocate for yourself)
⚖️ White House proposes women obtaining OTC contraception without prescription at no cost
⚖️ Georgia Supreme Court reinstates state’s 6-week abortion ban
📚 Common Endometrial Cancer Screening Test May Miss Cases in Black Women
💉 World’s first ovarian cancer vaccine being developed in UK
💊 New cervical cancer treatment regimen cuts risk of dying from disease by 40%
🧬 Scientists finally recommend we stop discarding placentas after birth