The right to legal and safe abortions is under attack in the United States since the Supreme Court’s 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade opened the floodgates for states to enact abortion bans and take away rights that have been federally protected for over 50 years. Confusion and fear are the result of a patchwork of ever-changing state abortion laws.

Abortion bans tie the hands of doctors under threat of criminalization or loss of medical licenses, limiting their ability to provide much-needed and life-saving treatment — as was the tragic case for two women in Georgia who died when denied abortions.

As the presidents and chief executive officers of Planned Parenthood of Maryland and Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC, we know that legal protection is the bedrock of our ability to provide patients with the necessary care.

Every day, we serve patients affected by abortion bans in their states who are forced to travel to our clinics to access care. Nationally, about 1 in 5 patients seeking an abortion has to travel to obtain one; the number of patients traveling from outside our region to our health centers for care has quadrupled. No one should have to travel far from home to get care that could be, should be and used to be provided in their communities.

Yes, Maryland has made significant strides towards ensuring access: The Montgomery County Council’s unanimous vote to reaffirm the county’s commitment to reproductive rights; the historic Abortion Care Access Act of 2022; and the 2023 reproductive rights bill package are examples of Maryland’s leadership. But there is more to be done.

We cannot be lulled into a false sense of security — a hostile state legislature or governor could erode the right to bodily autonomy. The right to safe and legal abortion must be enshrined in the state constitution.

Voters will have that opportunity in November. An amendment to the Maryland Constitution would protect the right to prevent a pregnancy through contraception, carry it to term, or have an abortion (Abortion is legal in Maryland. So why is there a ballot question about it? — Oct. 23, 2024). Without state constitutional protections, access to reproductive health care will remain under threat — even in the great state of Maryland.

To Marylanders and those who travel here, PPM and PPMW are fiercely committed to providing compassionate, expert care to everyone — no matter what.

Karen J. Nelson and Dr. Laura Meyers

Karen J. Nelson is president of Planned Parenthood of Maryland, and Dr. Laura Meyers is president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC, Inc.