Dr. Warren Hern runs the Boulder Abortion Clinic, one of only five in the country that offers second- and third-trimester abortions. The services provided by the clinic are highly controversial, sparking fierce political debates. Critics argue that abortions performed after the point of fetal viability are too late in a pregnancy to terminate.
Though only about 1% of abortions occur after 21 weeks, red states with strict abortion laws are sending patients to Dr. Hern’s clinic for various reasons, including severe medical emergencies and cases involving rape, incest, or fatal fetal anomalies. Patients often face emotional distress and difficult decisions, such as one family from Texas who had to travel to Colorado for an abortion due to a severe fetal anomaly.
The clinic also sees patients like Willow, who faced delays and difficulties in accessing abortion services due to restrictions and long wait times at other clinics. With the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, the situation for patients seeking abortions, particularly in states with restrictive laws, has become more dangerous, expensive, and emotionally stressful. Dr. Hern warns that criminalizing abortion is not just a health crisis for women, but a national catastrophe.
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