On Thursday, February 15, 2018. Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio joined a lawsuit challenging an Ohio law that criminalizes abortions when one of the reasons for the abortion is because of a prenatal genetic test with a diagnosis of Down syndrome. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, on behalf of Preterm Cleveland and a number of other abortion providers in Ohio, including Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region, filed this lawsuit earlier today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio in Cincinnati.

Governor Kasich signed House Bill 214 into law on December 22, 2017 and it is scheduled to take effect on March 22, 2018. As we have said all along, this ban violates the constitutionally protected right to abortion and opens the door for politicians to further intrude into the personal health decisions of women and families. The ban is just the latest attempt by Ohio lawmakers to make it impossible for a woman to obtain an abortion in Ohio.

House Bill 214 is clearly unconstitutional and has been struck down in previous courts, most recently by a federal judge in Indiana. This law interferes with the patient–doctor relationship and prevents women from asking important health care questions. Doctors could soon face criminal charges and a revocation of their medical license for having a simple conversation with their patients. You can rest assured, Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio will take action any time a woman’s right to access safe and legal medical care is at risk.