California, one of the most pro-abortion states in the country, is expanding abortion even further. Currently, physician assistants (PAs), along with licensed nurses/midwives and nurse practitioners, can commit abortions in California — but they will now be able do so without a physician supervising.
In 2013, Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation allowing non-physicians to commit abortions; in 2022, a bill was passed allowing nurse practitioners (NPs) to commit abortions without doctor oversight.
Images below may be disturbing to readers.
Now, women will also be able to undergo abortions committed by PAs without a doctor’s supervision. Jeremy Meis, president-elect of the California Academy of Physician Associates, told the San Francisco Chronicle that this will mean “fewer barriers, and shorter wait times for this essential service.”
The “essential service”:
Photo of 10-week aborted baby: Reddit user brazen 177
Aborted baby at 10 to 12 weeks; face, skull tissue, eyes, spinal column, and ribs can be clearly seen.
The American Medical Association (AMA), which otherwise supports abortion, is strongly opposed to this, denouncing it as “scope creep:” legislation allowing non-physicians, like PAs, to perform medical procedures without a doctor overseeing them. “Our policy stance is the same on scope of practice expansion regardless of procedure,” Kelly Jakubek, the AMA’s media relations manager, said.
One PA is already training to take advantage of this new law at Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley. “I just think it’s really important to be able to provide a comfortable, safe, and very effective way to terminate a pregnancy for patients,” the PA, who remained anonymous, said.
Not only can this PA commit abortions on her own, but she is also able to train other PAs — another feature of the new law.
“It’s encouraging this cross-profession training and collaborations, which is really important when we’re looking at increasing access to essential services,” Jessica Dieseldorff, senior program manager of abortion services at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in Santa Cruz, said. Dieseldorff is a nurse-practitioner who also commits abortions and trains other NPs to do so as well.
“It’s been gratifying to be able to progress and become a provider myself, provide non-stigmatizing and compassionate and safe care to patients; and now, at this stage in my career to be training others to do the same.”
A 2013 study from the Ryan Residency abortion training program at the University of California San Francisco found that abortions committed by non-physicians are more likely to end in complications than those committed by physicians. So while this legislation may increase the number of abortions committed in California, it also means more women’s lives could be put at risk of serious injury, or worse.
