After recent Supreme Court decisions, Louisiana has put in place a near-total abortion ban. 

Because of this ban, all three abortion clinics in the state have had to cease providing abortions for their patients. 

The Louisiana abortion clinics have suffered greatly after the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

Though I might not agree with the notion of abortion itself, I do not enjoy seeing the hardships of the people affected by this drastic and quick change in law; I doubt anyone would want this distress present in their community. 

Patients were especially troubled and left wondering whether or not they will continue to have access to reproductive health care. 

Staff were left with their jobs up in the air. Constant protests have been putting participants, as well as the clinics’ staff and patients, in danger. 

Physicians have been forced to live in fear of prosecution and are battling with the chaos surrounding whether or not to provide care to their patients. 

If this closing occurred as a gradual shift rather than a sudden change, the patients and staff would have had a better opportunity to adjust and accept these changes. 

The trigger laws put into effect after the Roe v. Wade overturn were unfair to abortion clinics. 

Louisiana’s trigger laws include the Human Life Protection Act, which says neither drugs nor procedures may be given with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of an unborn human being. The resulting abortion clinic closures were inevitable. 

These laws were challenged in the courts by some clinics. I applaud these clinics for standing up for their businesses, but this fight did nothing but create increased confusion and uncertainty for the clinics. 

Instead of allowing them to provide the healthcare they once did, the legal battle was only able to give them hope through temporary restraining orders, just to later be disappointed and forced to halt this care once again. 

Increased support and help for women before and after birth could be helpful during this chaotic adjustment period. 

Pregnant women can get this support at pregnancy crisis centers such as Mary’s House Pregnancy Care Center, a faith-based center in Shreveport. 

According to Mary’s House, their goal is to give pregnant women hope and encouragement by providing early prenatal care, education and guidance.