Why We Celebrate Abortion Providers

Each year on March 10 people from across the country celebrate National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers. This national observance serves as a time to recognize the skilled, highly trained professionals that provide essential reproductive health care services to patients with compassion and dignity. Providers put their lives on the line to provide this critical care to patients, even in the face of political attacks and growing barriers to care that make it increasingly difficult to provide abortion.

The Essential Role of Reproductive Health Care

Abortion providers believe in the health, well-being, and dignity of every patient, and trust patients to make their own personal, sexual and reproductive health care decisions, including abortion. Planned Parenthood greatly appreciates the hard work and dedication of the doctors, advanced practice clinicians, nurses, and Health Center staff that work every day to provide our community with a full range of reproductive health care services— including safe and legal abortion.

No one including politicians should silence anyone’s fundamental right to control their body. It is especially crucial that supporters rally around abortion providers now more than ever, as attacks on reproductive rights are running rampant across the U.S. and a pose a very real threat to abortion access for more than 36 million Americans of reproductive age.

Improving Media Coverage and Reducing Stigma

Recent coverage of Roe v. Wade reaffirms what providers have been saying for years: Journalists need to change the way we cover abortion. Last week, experts met to unpack the performative nature of abortion coverage, share paths toward refocusing the reporting, and explain the intersections between abortion care and abolition work. One of the things I’ll say that media does wrong is that it stems from not just journalists, but from editors, and who decides to green light longer form stories, when the deadlines are, and how they craft stories and pick them apart after they are written.

As abortion doulas, we are supposed to be destigmatizing abortion and really making sure that folks know the role that providers play. It is important to emphasize that Planned Parenthood is America’s most trusted provider of reproductive health care.

Patient Testimonials and Care Services

To show your support for abortion providers and to help ensure access to safe, legal abortion, donate to your local Planned Parenthood. The impact of their work is visible in the stories of those they help. One patient shared their experience: "I visited Planned Parenthood because I was scared and my husband and I were thinking about having an abortion. They really listened to my wants and needs, and made me feel safe and happy in whatever choice I would make. I cannot stress how bad/anxious/scared I was walking into Planned Parenthood thinking about abortion, but when I left I felt relieved and honestly amazing."

Summary of Provider Roles and Community Impact

• Doctors, Nurses, and Clinicians: Work every day to provide our community with a full range of reproductive health care services— including safe and legal abortion.
• Abortion Doulas: Work toward destigmatizing abortion and ensuring patients understand the importance of essential care.
• Health Center Staff: Skilled professionals providing care with compassion and dignity despite growing barriers.
• Scope of Access: Essential care services are vital for more than 36 million Americans of reproductive age.