WASHINGTON, June 25,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement
from the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) regarding the
United States Supreme Court decision in the case of Dobbs v.
Jackson Women's Health
Organization.
On Friday, June 24, 2022, the US
Supreme Court issued its highly anticipated decision overturning a
half-century of abortion rights set in the landmark Roe v. Wade
decision. This ruling effectively returns the legality of abortion
and whether there is a right to abortion to each state, and
consequently triggering what will be a mosaic of laws on the
reproductive health of women in the US.
This decision will isolate the poor, socioeconomically
disadvantaged, and minority populations specifically, widening the
already large gaps in healthcare for our most vulnerable
communities. It is important to underscore that this will occur
against a backdrop of the highest maternal mortality rates in Black
and Latino women creating additional barriers to achieving health
equity.
A lot of work has been done in recent years on the intersection
of women's reproductive health and cardiovascular health, one of
the leading causes of maternal mortality. For almost 50 years, the
Association of Black Cardiologists has devoted significant effort
to the elimination of disparities related to cardiovascular disease
in all people of color and the march toward health equity. As part
of these efforts, the ABC has dedicated a long-term focus on
cardiovascular disease in women and the policies impacting women's
health. In particular, more recent efforts have been directed to
pursuing strategies and solutions to mitigate the Black maternal
mortality crisis. Unfortunately, the loss of broad protections
supporting the medical and often life-saving procedure of
abortions, is likely to have a real impact on the maternal
mortality rate, especially in those with congenital and/or acquired
cardiovascular conditions where evidence-based guidelines advise at
times on termination of such high-risk pregnancies. At the ABC, we
truly believe a person's fundamental health decisions are their own
to make, in consultation with their clinician and loved ones. We
believe that every woman, and every person, should be afforded the
right to safe, accessible, legal, timely, patient-centered,
equitable, and affordable healthcare.
As a cardiovascular society dedicated to health equity, we will
continue to advocate in support of policies and organizations
fighting for equitable solutions to health. We call on governments
at the federal, state, and local levels to be intentional in making
the required investments to improve maternal health for all
especially for historically underserved groups as they operate in
this new legal environment.
Anekwe E. Onwuanyi, MD, President of the Association of Black
Cardiologists (ABC) and Rachel M.
Bond, MD, Co-Chair of ABC's Cardiovascular Disease in Women
and Children Committee.
About ABC
Founded in 1974, the ABC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
eliminating the disparities related to cardiovascular disease and
achieving health equity such that all people can live long healthy
lives. Membership is open to all interested in the care of people
with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, including health
professionals, lay members of the community (Community Health
Advocates), corporate and institutional members. Today, the ABC's
public and private partnerships continue to increase its impact in
communities across the nation. For more information, visit
www.abcardio.org and wearethefaces.abcardio.org or
connect with ABC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Association of Black Cardiologists