After a bill to charge a woman with murder if she has an abortion was heard in the Louisiana House, Kathaleen Pittman, Director of the Hope Medical Group for Women, which provides abortions in Shreveport, said it’s not just antiabortion protesters that upset her.
“What appalls me more are the legislators, that as far as I’m concerned, have done nothing but show cruelty to the women,” said Pittman.
The bill was heavily amended and then returned to the calendar by the bill’s author.
Pittman who’s advocated for abortion rights for more than three decades said more restrictive abortion laws are only going to put more women in danger.
“You’re going to see women, further into their pregnancy trying to end their pregnancy. You’re going to see hospitalizations; you’re going to see more maternal deaths. I’m absolutely firmly convinced of that,” said Pittman.
As a guest on Jim Engster’s Talk Louisiana radio program Pittman was asked about her feelings about majority male lawmakers making decisions regarding female reproductive rights, she said she feels it’s about control. And when religion is brought into the debate, Pittman has a response.
“When someone comes to me and says well you know pregnancy is God’s will, well ok so is impotence so don’t treat that,” said Pittman.
Pittman said when Texas outlawed abortions in September they experience a significant increase in patients who crossed state lines for a procedure.
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