Media Center: Press Release

“Not only would this law endanger California's young women, but research shows that parental notification laws do not increase family communication or reduce teen pregnancy.”

San Francisco, CA—More than 150 physicians and healthcare providers from 50 cities and towns around California and ten medical associations announced their opposition to Proposition 85 today in a letter denouncing the initiative. If passed, Prop. 85 would amend California’s state constitution, requiring that doctors notify a young woman’s parent before she can receive an abortion and imposing a 48-hour mandatory delay after notification. As the doctors state in their letter, Prop. 85 “would force some desperate young women to either face abusive parents or navigate a confusing, overcrowded court system to seek a judicial waiver. Confronted with these options, some teens may take matters into their own hands by seeking dangerous, self-induced or back-alley abortions.” The letter, which is included below, urges Californians to vote “No” on Proposition 85 in order to protect the health of California’s teens.

In addition to individual physicians and healthcare providers, ten medical organizations in the state of California endorsed the letter of opposition. Organizations opposed to Prop. 85 include the American Academy of Pediatrics, California District; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District IX; American Medical Women’s Association, California chapters; California Medical Association; California Pan-Ethnic Health Network; California Primary Care Association; California Physicians Alliance; San Francisco Medical Society; Society for Adolescent Medicine, Northern California Regional Chapter; and Society for Adolescent Medicine, Southern California Regional Chapter.

The signature-gathering campaign for this letter was organized by Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, a national physician-led organization with offices in San Francisco and New York City.

California physicians oppose Proposition 85; it threatens the health of young women

Dear California voters,

As individual physicians and medical associations, we are opposed to Proposition 85, which would amend the State Constitution to require parental notification and a 48-hour delay before a young woman can obtain an abortion.

This initiative may seem logical on the surface, but in reality, it would put the health and safety of California’s most vulnerable teens—those who live in abusive homes, victims of rape or incest, and homeless youth—in jeopardy.

As physicians, many of whom are also parents, we recognize the value of healthy family communication, particularly between the teens we care for and their parents. In fact, as doctors, we have the same top priority as any concerned parent—making sure young women receive the safe and timely medical care they need. We encourage our teenage patients to speak to their parents about healthcare decisions, and we know that most young women do involve their parents in decisions about abortion. We have all treated patients and heard stories of teens who do not talk to their parents for solid—and often heartbreaking—reasons, such as fear of violence or being thrown out of their homes. When teens have access to confidential health services, they can turn to trusted, responsible doctors and counselors to make sure their medical and psychological needs are met. Proposition 85 would remove this safety net, leaving thousands of frightened teens utterly alone.

This law would force physicians to compromise our patients' trust by handing off critical medical decisions to judges, who have no training in adolescent medicine or counseling. It would force some desperate young women to either face abusive parents or navigate a confusing, overcrowded court system to seek a judicial waiver. Confronted with these options, some teens may take matters into their own hands by seeking dangerous, self-induced or back-alley abortions. Teens in Southern California may cross the border into Mexico to seek illegal but widely available abortions there.

Not only would this law endanger California’s young women, but research shows that parental notification laws do not increase family communication or reduce teen pregnancy. In fact, our state has decreased the teen pregnancy rate by 46 percent over the past ten years without a mandatory notification law. The medically sound method to reduce unintended pregnancies among teens is to provide comprehensive sexuality education, including abstinence and birth control, while fostering healthy families and supportive communities.

While we strongly support family communication, Proposition 85 is not the solution California needs. In order to protect the health of California's teens, we urge Californians to vote NO on Proposition 85.

Sincerely,

American Academy of Pediatrics, California District
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District IX
American Medical Women's Association
California Academy of Family Physicians
California Medical Association
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network
California Physicians Alliance
California Primary Care Association
San Francisco Medical Society
Society for Adolescent Medicine, Northern California Regional Chapter
Society for Adolescent Medicine, Southern California Regional Chapter

Richard Addison, PhD
Asya Agulnik
Seth Ammerman, MD
Tessa Anderman
Martin Anderson, MD, MPH
Ann Arvin, MD
Brian Ash, MD
Coco Auerswald, MD
Amy Autry, MD
Kelly Baptiste
Naomi Bardach, MD
Meera Beharry, MD
Robert L. Black, MD, FAAP
Judith Bliss, MD
Nena Bonn
Rosanne Botha, MD
J. Robert Bragonier, MD, PhD
David Breland, MD, MPH
Serena Brewer, MD
Donald Broder, MD, PhD
Judith Broder, MD
Rebekah Burns, MD
Tiffany Castillo
Tonya Chaffee, MD, MPH
Janet Chaikind, MD
Claudia Chaufan, MD
Carlin Chi, MD
Stacey Coleman, MD
Blair Colwell
Steve Daniels, MD
Matthew Davis, MD
Lindsey Dawson, MD
Claudia De Young, MD, MS
Christine Dehlendorf, MD
Teresa DePineres, MD, MPH
John Downey
Mark Dressner, MD
Michael Durfee, MD
Jennifer Edman, MD
Beth Farman-Farmaian, MD
Kate Fawcett
Carrie Fields, DO, FAAFP
Mary Fisher, MD
Victoria Floriani, RN
Catherine Forest, MD, MPH
Carolyn Fredericks
Gordon Fund, MD, MPH
Susan George, MD
Elizabeth Goldsmith
Mana Golzari, MD
Michele Gomez, MD
Tress Goodwin
William Goodyer
Robert Gould, MD
Gilberto Granados, MD, MPH
Lyman "Bo" Greaves, MD
Steven Green, MD
Stephen Greenberg, MD, MPH
Tamra Groode, MPH
Carla Grossman, MD
Pratima Gupta, MD
Fasih Hameed, MD
Jimmy Hara, MD
Ruth Haskins, MD
Jennifer Hastings, MD
Cynthia Herzog, MD
Janie Hirata, MD
Alice Huang
Michelle Hugin, MD
Calista Hunter, MD
Vivien Igra, MD
Susan Ivey, MD, MHSA
Emma Jacobs
Carolyn Jasik, MD
Karl Jeffries, MD
Carla Kakutani, MD
Elisabeth Kalve, MD
Barry Kaminsky, MD
Bory Kea
Leigh Kimberg, MD
Jessica Kingston, MD
Anna Kirby
Jerry Klein, MD
Alexandra Klikoff, MD
Lisa Kutner, MD
Leslie Lane
Samuel Leavitt, MD
Jay Lee, MD
Barbara Long, MD, MPH
Michelle Look, MD
Panna Lossy, MD
Eleanor Luce, MD
Jeffry S. Luther, MD
Elizabeth Lyster, MD, MPH
David Malmud, MD
Mali Mann, MD
Shelly Maramonte, MD
Gena McIlwain-Dunivan, MD
David Meister
Johanna Meyer-Mitchel, MD
Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD
Kavita Mishra
Connie Mitchell, MD
Cindy Mong
Joann Moschella, DO
Judith Murphy, MD
Karrie Murphy, MD
Katrina Nardini
Sarah Nathan, RN
Anita Nelson, MD
Rhoda Nussbaum, MD
Adekemi Oguntala, MD
Christina Oliver
Cheryl Padin, MD
Amy Paris
Christian Pariseau, MD
Jeffrey Pierce, MD
Elizabeth Potter, RN
David Priver, MD
William Quillin, MD
Michael Rabbino, MD
Adrian Ramos, MD
Judy Ramos, MD
Sonal Rana
Jeremiah Ray
Beth Robie, MD
Stephen Rovno, MD
Mark Rubinstein, MD
Rachel Ruskin
Caryn Rybczynski, MD
Asal Sadatrafiei
Aida Sadikovic
Belma Sadikovic
Nicholas Sasson, MD
Conor Schaye, MPH
Dave Schneider, MD
Megan Schwarzman, MD
Penina Segall-Gutierrez, MD
Michelle Serlin, MD
Ruth Shaber, MD
Sweta Shah
Janet Shalwitz, MD
Urmila Shende, MD
Sarah Siebold, RN
Peter Simon
Sam Singer
Susan Sklar, MD
David Smith, MD
Karen Sokal-Gutierrez, MD, MPH
Tonya Southard, MD
Kris Srinivasan
Jody Steinauer, MD, MAS
Alan Steinbach, MD
Alice Stek, MD
Catherine Stott
Katherine Sutherland, MD
Kari Teran, MD
Emily Toch, MD
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Jeffrey Waldman, MD
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Curren Warf, MD
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