Ohio Republicans Want Our Blood Type

Just... why?

Every year, the Ohio Department of Health produces an “Abortion Report” with an accounting of every woman who’s had an abortion in the past 12 months. That seems creepy enough already — why do politicians need our private medical information?

But a new provision in the state budget is now calling for that report to gather even more private information. It would require doctors to list each patient’s blood type, education level, zip code, number of previous abortions, menstrual history, and any method of contraception used. Why on earth would they need any of this? How does our blood type or education level have anything to do with our reproductive freedom?

In 2023, Ohio voters overwhelmingly passed Amendment 1 to enshrine reproductive freedom in the state constitution. Despite huge roadblocks put up by Republicans in the state, especially the Secretary of State Frank LaRose, 57% of Ohioans voted that citizens have the right to make their own reproductive decisions without a politician interfering.

So why are they still meddling in matters that should be between patients and doctors?

It’s now up to the State Senate to decide if this stays in the new budget. They’re likely to vote by June 12, so if you live in Ohio, be sure to reach out to your Senators and let them know that you don’t support this attack on privacy and freedom.