Doctors and Pro-Life Leaders Tell Ohio Legislators to Ban Dismemberment Abortions

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jun 20, 2017   |   4:48PM   |   Washington, DC

Today, Jessica Koehler, director of legislative affairs for Ohio Right to Life, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in favor of the Dismemberment Abortion Ban (S.B. 145). Pro-life medical professionals, advocates, and Ohio Right to Life affiliate leaders joined her in supporting the groundbreaking legislation.

“The Dismemberment Abortion Ban is a crucial step in the fight for the recognition of human rights for the unborn,” said Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life. “Dismemberment abortion is a procedure in which a living baby is taken from the womb by vicious mutilation. It’s as simple and disgusting as that. Others may make this battle one of choice, but this issue is more than rhetoric: this is an issue of brutal human rights abuses.”

Dismemberment abortion, otherwise known as dilation and evacuation (D&E), is a procedure in which the abortionist first dilates the woman’s cervix and then uses steel instruments to dismember and extract the baby from the uterus. In 2015, the Ohio Department of Health reported nearly 3,000 D&E abortions in the state of Ohio.

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Dr. Donna Harrison, executive director of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said “To talk about D&E requires that you leave the sterility of political bantering, and enter the reality of what a D&E actually consists of…”

Others who testified in favor of the legislation include: Denise Leipold, executive director for Right to Life of Northeast Ohio; Melissa Stack, B.S.N., R.N., President of Right to Life of Licking County; Emma Mysko of Mercer County Right to Life; Ellen Wittman, student and pro-life activist; and Dr. Dennis Sullivan, M.D., Director of the Center for Bioethics at Cedarville University.

“Today’s testimonies gave perfect clarity to the medical, ethical and legal reasons for passing this legislation now,” said Gonidakis. “It is incumbent on the State of Ohio to lead the way in protecting the most vulnerable among us from the brutality of dismemberment abortions. With this legislation, Ohio can take the lead in changing U.S. abortion policy, and winning hearts and minds.”