At NAPW, we envision a world in which all people—including those who are pregnant or have the capacity for pregnancy—are treated with dignity and humanity, free from criminalization and state violence. In just 8 days, the day after Giving Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the case that threatens to overturn or gut Roe v. Wade.

Imagine facing manslaughter or murder charges for experiencing a miscarriage or stillbirth. Or being charged with prescription fraud for filling a legitimate and necessary prescription for pain medication while pregnant. Or being denied the right to medical decision making and being forced to undergo unnecessary cesarean surgery “in the interest of the fetus.”

The real cases described above are just some of the ones we’ve worked on this year. They are a frightening preview of what more pregnant people in the U.S. will experience if Roe v. Wade is overturned or gutted. That’s because anti-abortion ideology doesn’t just harm people seeking abortion. Anti-abortion laws and ideology are also used to justify the arrests and prosecutions of, and other punitive actions against, women who have continued their pregnancies to term or experienced a pregnancy loss.  

Abortion bans and restrictions are obstacles to realizing our vision: a society where all people, including pregnant people, are treated with compassion, support, and care instead of surveillance and criminalization. We envision a society where justice isn’t reserved for the privileged, and where no one is stigmatized because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, drug use, or any health condition.

A week from today is Giving Tuesday, and we hope we can count on you to help us defend against the criminalization of pregnancy. 

Between now and midnight on November 30, 2021, thanks to a generous donor, your gift to NAPW will be matched up to $10,000, doubling your impact!

We deeply appreciate your support as we prepare for the increased criminalization of pregnancy should Roe fall.

Sincerely,

Lynn M. Paltrow

Founder and Executive Director 

National Advocates for Pregnant Women 

P.S. Want to further your impact? You can now start a Facebook fundraiser for NAPW or use the donation sticker on your Instagram stories to share our mission with family and friends!