As physicians and health care professionals, we are gravely concerned that the U.S. Supreme Court appears prepared to end the constitutional right to an abortion. We urge the Supreme Court to to scrap their draft opinion, uphold the constitutional right to an abortion, and ensure that abortions remain legal nationwide, as allowed for in Roe v. Wade. In this moment of crisis, we want to make crystal clear the consequences to our patients’ health if they can no longer access abortions.

Abortions are safe, common and a critical part of health care and reproductive medicine. Medical professionals and medical associations agree, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Nurse Midwives and many others.

Prohibiting access to safe and legal abortion has devastating implications for health care. Striking down Roe v. Wade would affect not just abortion access, but also maternal care as well as fertility treatments. Pregnancy changes a person’s physiology. These changes can potentially worsen existing diseases and medical conditions.

As physicians and medical professionals, we see the real-life consequences when an individual does not get the care that they know they need, including abortions. The woman who has suffered the violation and trauma of rape would be forced to carry a pregnancy.

Denying access to abortion from people who want one can adversely affect their health, safety and economic well-being, including delayed separation from a violent partner and increased likelihood of falling into poverty by four times. These outcomes can also have drastic impacts on their health.

Beyond safety and medical necessity, many people simply don’t want to be pregnant, and should have the power to control their own bodies. Period.

When access to abortion is restricted, people are forced to travel, sometimes thousands of miles. Those without resources may be forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term.

These restrictions disproportionately harm those who have limited resources or already face barriers to overall medical care, including low-income and poor people, residents in rural areas, and Black, Indigenous and minority populations. Combined with higher maternal mortality rates and worse health outcomes, denying access to abortions only increases health risks and disparities for already disadvantaged people: Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, and Indigenous women have pregnancy-related mortality rates twice as high as white women.

Decisions around abortion should be made by pregnant people themselves, in consultation with their health care provider — not politicians and the courts.

As medical professionals, we have a duty to provide our patients with the treatment they need to be safe and healthy. Patients should be able to make their own decisions about their health, using science and medical guidance from their physicians, without interference or influence from politics or the courts. We call on the Supreme Court to abandon their draft decision and uphold Roe v. Wade to protect abortion access across the United States.

Signed by over 2,500 medical professionals in all 50 states. Names hidden from public page for security.