Sydney Martinez, Campus Carrier opinions editor

Abortions save lives. Women facing life-threatening conditions, such as severe hemorrhaging, need access to abortion care to survive. Yet lawmakers are trying to strip away this fundamental right, placing women in danger.

Reproductive rights have long been a heated debate. Should women have the right to make decisions about their own bodies, or should politicians dictate those choices? The push to take away reproductive and sexual rights is a direct attack on women’s autonomy. Conservative lawmakers have introduced multiple bills criminalizing abortion, ignoring the reality that women are not mere vessels for reproduction — they are human beings with the right to decide if and when they want to have children.

Reproductive rights encompass far more than abortion. They include access to contraception, fertility treatments and comprehensive reproductive health education. Research has shown that protecting these rights benefits society as a whole. According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), reproductive rights lower adult mortality rates, reduce infant mortality and decrease teenage pregnancy rates. NLM also found that “women living in states with fewer restrictions related to reproductive rights have lower rates of low birth weight.” The more restrictions placed on these rights, the higher the risks to both mothers and infants.

There are countless reasons why abortion access is essential. First and foremost, women should have the right to control their own bodies. In cases of rape, some survivors may feel immense psychological distress at carrying the pregnancy to term. Others may not be in a position to provide for a child, and in some cases, a wanted pregnancy ends in miscarriage, where abortion procedures are necessary to prevent deadly complications. Roe v. Wade allowed women the right to obtain an abortion when needed, but once that was overturned, women now faced the fear of possible pregnancy complications. With attempts to roll back reproductive rights, some claim to be “saving children,” but if they were truly pro-life, they would consider the safety and well-being of the mother as well. Restricting abortion does not save lives — it endangers them.

House Bill 1334 “Unborn Children” in Indiana is attempting to modify their criminal codes to include “unborn child,” including fertilized eggs, to be named as victims of a murder if a woman gets an unnecessary abortion and if a doctor completes the procedure. The consequences of such a law could be far-reaching, discouraging women from seeking medical help and putting their lives at risk.

Currently, U.S. House Bill 78, titled the Pregnant Women Health and Safety Act of 2025, is making its way through Congress. The bill claims to be about health and safety, but in reality, it is another attempt to restrict abortion access. One provision mandates that physicians performing abortions must have admitting privileges at a hospital within 15 miles of their office and the clinic where the procedure is performed. While this may sound like a minor requirement, the reality is devastating. Many doctors are unable to obtain these privileges due to hospital policies, leading to clinic closures and fewer available providers. Women will be forced to travel longer distances, endure extended wait times and struggle to find a doctor willing and able to perform the procedure. This is not about safety — it is about controlling women.

The injustice of this legislation is glaring. Republican representatives Andy Biggs from Arizona and Rick Allen from Georgia sponsor this bill — men who do not have uteruses, yet they seek to dictate what women can and cannot do with theirs. No politician should have the power to control a woman’s body. The fight for reproductive rights is not just about abortion, it is about preserving women’s autonomy, health and fundamental freedoms.

Women deserve the right to make their own choices — without interference from lawmakers who will never face these decisions themselves.