ICYMI: Planned Parenthood Southeast Storyteller Testifies at Senator Ossoff Hearing
 

ICYMI: Planned Parenthood Southeast Storyteller Testifies at Senator Ossoff Hearing

MSNBC: At Georgia Senate hearing, women testify against Georgia’s abortion ban

AJC: Yasmein Ziyad, Planned Parenthood Southeast storyteller, sworn in under oath to testify at Senate Judiciary hearing

ATLANTA, GA - Yesterday,, two Georgia women and an OB-GYN testified before Senator Jon Ossoff’s Human Rights Subcommittee that Georgia’s six-week abortion ban is harming women and causing them to continue nonviable pregnancies.

 Watch the entire hearing here. 

Yasmein Ziyad, who is part of Planned Parenthood Southeast’s storyteller program, testified about her experience seeking miscarriage management (medically referred to as a spontaneous abortion) when she found out in late February of 2024 that she was experiencing a miscarriage.. Yasmein was denied critical care that resulted in traumatic agony and pain due to the doctor’s fear of losing his medical license under Georgia’s abortion law:

“At my follow-up appointment, which would have me at eight weeks, the doctor confirmed the miscarriage. I asked again about the D&C (Dilation and curettage), and he spoke around the topic, then stated ‘These laws. I don’t want to lose my license or be arrested,” Ziyad testified. “A week later, I started to experience severe cramping and pains. A few days after that, I began to bleed. I was experiencing severe pain as the cramps were strong enough to stop me from doing anything.”

These testimonies share that despite carrying nonviable pregnancies, these women learned that they were unable to receive the abortion care they required. One woman was forced to travel out of her state to receive care while other women weren’t as fortunate to have that opportunity. 

Dr. Carrie Cwiak, an OBGYN in Atlanta,  testified how she has seen patients go septic, need feeding tubes or need a hysterectomy, all consequences of the Georgia abortion ban that are drastically altering the lives of these women. These bans have increased maternal mortality and overall health outcomes of women in Georgia according to Dr. Cwiak.

Senator Jon Ossoff closed the hearing with this statement: 

“It is critically important that the public hear directly from health care providers and from women who have been denied basic health care in the State of Georgia as a result of our State’s abortion ban. I am grateful to each of you for sharing your experiences with us today and your expertise. As we heard from Dr. Cwiak, these brave women who testified here today are not alone. This abortion ban is causing needless health complications for women across the state, and as we have heard today, forcing women with high-risk or nonviable pregnancies either to continue those pregnancies or to leave the state for health care.”

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Planned Parenthood Southeast believes in the fundamental right of each individual to have access to high-quality, non-judgmental health care and prevention-focused education regardless of the individual's income, marital status, race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, faith identity, or immigration status. Our mission is to provide comprehensive sexual health care through the provision of reproductive health services, education, and advocacy.