I’ve been a practicing physician, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology for over 40 years. I work in a rural area of the state and know the toll it takes on my patients who have to travel long distances to reach a medical center. Not having access to quality, comprehensive reproductive health care can lead to disastrous effects for women and their families. We should be lowering the barriers that limit access to health care, not building new ones — but that’s exactly what Donald Trump and his allies in the legislature are doing.

Comprehensive reproductive care does — and must — include abortion. The decision to terminate a pregnancy is not always easy, but it is one that belongs between a woman and her doctor. I know in my practice that women can and should be the ones to make that choice. It’s infuriating to see politicians who are not experts in medicine, like Trump and his MAGA Republican allies, try to take that freedom away from patients and doctors.