Alarming report on women’s health in Florida underscores need for Amendment 4

As a physician, I have dedicated my career to serving my patients, guiding them through some of the most critical moments of their lives. At the core of my practice is a commitment to acting in the best interest of those under my care — a commitment all doctors uphold when they take the Hippocratic Oath. But Florida’s extreme abortion ban has made it increasingly difficult for doctors like me to provide the care that our patients need. A recent report from Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) illustrates the real-world consequences of Florida’s six-week abortion ban, and shows why we need to end it by passing Amendment 4.

Florida’s ban criminalizes abortions before many women even realize they are pregnant, and provides virtually no exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or even threats to a woman’s health. The new PHR report reveals the confusion and fear health care providers face when trying to navigate these restrictive laws. These legal hurdles have resulted in delays, denials of care, and a chilling effect on medical decision-making, often when time is of the essence.

Imagine being in the middle of an emergency, knowing exactly how to treat your patient but hesitating because you’re uncertain if you’ll face legal repercussions for providing the care you’ve been trained to give. This is not a hypothetical scenario — this is the grim reality many physicians in Florida now live with every day. The PHR report outlines some examples of this grim reality. One OB/GYN described a time when a patient who was around 21 weeks pregnant developed a life-threatening liver and blood clotting disorder. The known treatment for this condition required abortion. But because the physician had to wait for hospital approval under Florida’s abortion ban, the patient became even sicker before receiving care.

Another OB/GYN described a patient who, in her fifth pregnancy, had a spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a tear in the artery wall of the heart, and nearly died. She became pregnant again, and the doctor knew her life would be at risk again, but she had to consult with multiple hospital administrators to advocate for the care that would save this patient’s life.

The truth is, pregnancy is complicated. It involves life-changing decisions, deeply personal medical considerations, and in some cases, matters of life and death. Politicians are not equipped to make these decisions, and they shouldn’t be interfering in such intimate matters. As a physician, my role is to provide my patients with the best medical advice and options available — not to let politicians dictate what I can and cannot do for them.

Amendment 4 represents a crucial opportunity to end this dangerous government interference in medical care. Amendment 4 will ensure that decisions about abortion and other reproductive health matters remain where they belong: between a woman and her doctor, free from government intrusion.

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The Physicians for Human Rights report makes it clear that Florida’s current abortion laws are unworkable and harmful. Doctors are forced to practice in fear, patients are denied timely care, and the state’s most vulnerable populations are paying the price. The health care system is already struggling with staffing shortages and a lack of training in abortion care, making these bans even more dangerous for the future of health care in Florida.

We must trust women and their doctors to make the best decisions for their health and well-being. Voting yes on Amendment 4 is the only way to ensure that medical decisions remain in the hands of those most qualified to make them — women and their physicians — not politicians.

By voting yes on Amendment 4, we can remove politicians from the equation and restore trust in the doctor-patient relationship. We owe it to our patients, our health care providers, and our future generations to make sure that these life-altering decisions are made based on medical expertise, not political agendas.

Dr. Aparna Asher is a family medicine physician in St. Petersburg.