March 24, 2020

As representatives of over 30,000 physicians who practice according to the Hippocratic Oath, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), the American College of Pediatricians, Christian Medical & Dental Associations, the Catholic Medical Association, and the Association of American Physicians & Surgeons decry the call to continue elective abortion during the COVID-19 pandemic made by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and others which falsely characterize elective abortion as essential healthcare.Click for PDFDownload

In such an uncertain and tumultuous time, the entire healthcare profession is being called upon to conserve resources and healthcare professionals to an extent never seen before. And yet, in the midst of this call, while hospitals are postponing elective procedures and many outpatient clinics are rescheduling non-essential office visits, the abortion industry continues with business as usual.

In their recent joint statement, ACOG with several other traditionally pro-abortion medical organizations, made the preposterous claim that “abortion is an essential component of comprehensive health care” for women, even though elective abortion treats no disease process.
Furthermore, over 85% of practicing obstetricians and gynecologists do not perform elective abortions. If elective abortion were an “essential component” of women’s health care, it would be a part of every obstetric and gynecologic practice.

Currently, across the United States, services that do constitute essential health care for women, including routine Pap smears, mammograms, and pelvic exams, are being postponed in order to reduce everyone’s risk of exposure to COVID-19, and to conserve scarce medical resources.
Dr. Christina Francis, Chairperson of AAPLOG, recently exposed ACOG’s transformation into a politicized pro-abortion organization in the Wall Street Journal. ACOG spinning “elective” abortion into “essential” health care is more of the same. Continuing to perform elective abortions during a pandemic is medically irresponsible. Elective abortion is neither “essential” nor “urgent,” but it does consume critical resources such as masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment, and unnecessarily exposes patients and physicians to pathogens.

Elective abortion, both surgical and drug induced, also generates more patients to be seen in already overburdened emergency rooms. Most abortion providers instruct women to go to an emergency room if they have any concerning symptoms after the abortion. Approximately 5% of women who undergo medication abortions will require evaluation in an emergency room, most commonly for hemorrhage. Surgical abortions can also result in hemorrhage. Emergency room personnel – who are already struggling to meet the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic – will be further strained to provide care to these women.

The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Pediatricians, Christian Medical & Dental Associations, the Catholic Medical Association, and the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons call for all elective abortions to be suspended in accordance with the current CDC recommendations pertaining to elective procedures and office visits.

Sincerely,
Dr. Christina Francis, Chairman of the Board, American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Dr. Michelle Cretella, Executive Director, American College of Pediatricians
Dr. Michael Chupp, CEO, Christian Medical & Dental Associations
Dr. Michael Parker, President, Catholic Medical Association
Dr. Kristin S. Held, President, Association of American Physicians and SurgeonsF