New York state has taken a monumental step in defending the access to reproductive health products for women, with the recent passage of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) touted Reproductive Health Act.

The Reproductive Health Act passed through the state’s Legislature on the 46th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision.

“The RHA is ensuring access to safe and legal abortion. This helps to promote women’s equality and equal footing in society, and from a health perspective it helps reduce racial disparities in health care outcomes as well as reducing maternal morbidity and mortality rates which has definitely been an issue that has been highlighted within recent years,” said Dawn Gresham, New York state Sen. Liz Krueger’s health policy analyst.

Reproductive health is an important human right that should be protected by our government. The Reproductive Health Act is a perfect example of officials taking that responsibility seriously.

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Prior to the Reproductive Health Act, doctors in New York could be criminally charged if they performed an abortion after the 24th week of pregnancy, if the mother’s life wasn’t in danger. The new law puts an end to those criminal penalties.

The Legislature has also moved to end job discrimination related to women’s reproductive health decisions, under the Boss Bill, and has given people open access to obtaining contraception under the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act.

One of the main arguments against the Reproductive Health Act is that the expansion of abortion care conducted by non-medical practitioners includes nurses, physician assistants and licensed midwives. Under New York legislation, non-medical practitioners have the ability to perform medical procedures under a licensed physician’s supervision and authorization, which includes early abortion care.

“Advanced practice clinicians are required to have a professional relationship with a doctor whose scope of practice includes abortion, which makes them qualified to perform certain types of abortion care that is derived from their education and training,” Gresham said, though.

Having accessibility to certain types of health care should not be criminalized — it should be viewed as a right.

Brittany Zelada is a junior communications and rhetorical studies major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at bezelada@syr.edu.

Published on February 3, 2019 at 7:36 pm