As an OB/GYN with over a decade of experience treating patients with high-risk pregnancies and complications, I have seen firsthand how complex and vulnerable caring for these women can be. While political activists claim that Proposition 139 will improve healthcare in Arizona, nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve never encountered a proposal more dangerous for women’s health.
Supporters of Prop. 139 claim that it’s a necessary step to safeguard abortion access, but in reality, this measure dismantles critical health and safety standards, exposing women—particularly young women—to grave harm. Arizona is just one of 10 states considering such a measure, and the adoption of these constitutional amendments would send shockwaves across the country, paving the way for a radical erosion of reproductive health standards that could influence national policy.
Arizona law already allows abortions up to 15 weeks, with exceptions for later abortions in medical emergencies — a policy supported by 90% of the state’s residents. Prop. 139, however, goes far beyond guaranteeing access.
Consider this. Under Prop. 139, regulations that protect women during abortion procedures would be outlawed. Imagine a teenager seeking an abortion—shouldn’t her physician be required to explain the potential risks and ensure she understands her options? Under this amendment, such a requirement would become illegal. Mandatory ultrasounds to detect dangerous conditions like ectopic pregnancies? Illegal. Parental consent for minors? Also illegal. Requiring that a licensed physician perform the procedure? Illegal.
This isn’t speculation… it’s in the text of the proposition. Prop. 139 prevents any law or regulation that could be interpreted as a “barrier” to abortion. Even commonsense regulations such as regular inspections of facilities, or a waiting period before undergoing an abortion, would be cast aside. These precautions are simply designed to protect women’s lives and well-being. Worse yet, and perhaps most concerningly, the amendment is deliberately vague in its definition of who can perform abortions, labeling them simply as “health care professionals” without specifying their qualifications. This could allow unlicensed and unqualified individuals to perform the procedure.
The consequences would be devastating, and not just for Arizona. We’ve already seen states across the country adopt radical amendments like this one, and in Michigan, good laws that enhance healthcare for pregnant patients have been stripped away. What happens in one state often ripples into others, influencing policy debates and shaping future legislation at the national level.
This isn’t a return to reproductive rights; it’s a step back into the unsafe, unregulated, and dangerous world of back-alley abortions— but this time, with legal protection. The risk of botched procedures, infections, infertility, and even death would rise dramatically. Women will pay the price.
As a physician, I’ve treated women who were led to believe that abortion was a quick solution to their problems, only to experience lasting trauma—both physically and emotionally. These women deserved better medical care and better counseling that Prop. 139 simply will not provide.
And the danger doesn’t stop there. This amendment would likely lead to an increase in abortions performed later in pregnancy, where the risks to a woman’s health grow exponentially. According to research from the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, a woman’s risk of death increases by 38% each week after eight weeks of pregnancy.
Prop. 139’s proponents argue they want to make abortion “safe and easy,” but the reality is the opposite. Removing essential safety standards does not make abortion safe; it makes it deadly for women. Stripping away regulatory oversight doesn’t expand women’s rights—it puts their lives in jeopardy.
This fight extends beyond Arizona’s borders. If Prop. 139 passes, it will encourage other states to gut health and safety standards under the guise of expanding access. We cannot allow this dangerous and reckless model to keep gaining traction. Women across the nation deserve better – and the buck stops with us, the physicians entrusted to provide them with excellent healthcare.
As physicians, we are committed to doing no harm. But Prop. 139 would prevent us from upholding that oath. It would rob doctors of the ability to protect their patients and deliver quality, informed care. And in the end, more women will be hurt—physically, emotionally, and sometimes fatally.
The women of Arizona — and the women of America — deserve a future where reproductive care is safe, informed, and compassionate. For the sake of women’s health, we must reject Prop 139.
Dr. Erica Kreller is a board-certified OB/GYN practicing in Gilbert, Arizona. She is also a founding member of Arizona Physicians Against Prop 139.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has set her sights on Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs), launching an unfounded consumer fraud report against these life-saving organizations. It’s one thing to disagree politically, but when someone in a position of power like Mayes starts deliberately targeting groups whose mission is to protect life, it raises serious concerns. What kind of message is being sent when the state’s top law enforcement officer chooses to weaponize her office against organizations that offer free services and support to women in crisis?
Mayes’ consumer fraud report absurdly claims that PRCs “ALMOST NEVER SAY ON THEIR WEBSITES THAT THEY DO NOT PROVIDE ABORTION CARE OR REFERRALS.” This is not only misleading but entirely illogical. Expecting a Pregnancy Resource Center to advertise that they don’t offer abortion services is the same as demanding that a dentist disclose they don’t provide chiropractic care. It’s a manufactured issue designed to discredit these centers, and it’s terrifying that such a tactic is being employed by someone with such power and influence.
To make matters worse, this aggressive stance could pave the way for even more dangerous outcomes if Proposition 139 passes. Prop 139, which seeks to enshrine abortion as a constitutional right in Arizona, would only strengthen the hands of those, like Mayes, who are intent on dismantling any organization that dares to stand up for the lives of unborn human beings. If passed, this amendment would not only make abortion legal up until birth, but also makes it even harder for PRCs to operate without fear of government interference or harassment. The attack on PRCs that we’re seeing now would be just the beginning.
Consider the work being done by the Aid to Women Center. This incredible facility offers a range of services from free pregnancy tests to parenting classes, helping women navigate unplanned pregnancies with care, compassion, and real solutions. Yet, in Mayes’ world, because they don’t provide abortions, they’re somehow guilty of fraud. The real fraud here is the notion that abortion is “healthcare.” Abortion dismembers life—PRCs like Aid to Women Center work to protect and preserve it.
Mayes’ attack on PRCs is not about transparency—it’s about silencing those who stand for life. If Proposition 139 is passed, it will only embolden those who want to shut down PRCs, making it harder for women to find the real reproductive care they need. Pregnancy Resource Centers do not need to apologize for their mission to protect the most vulnerable among us. Instead of demonizing these centers, our attorney general should be lifting them up as the real champions of women’s health.
Katarina White serves as Board Member for Arizona Right to Life. To get involved and stay informed, visit the Arizona Right to Life website.
A growing number of Arizona pastors are joining together to stand in opposition to a ballot measure that would amend the state constitution to allow abortion on demand.
This month, Pastor Eric Jones of Evident Life Church in Gilbert, announced that there were almost 700 faith leaders who signed the Declaration of Arizona Pastors in Defense of Voiceless Children and Vulnerable Women.
In July, Jones wrote, “Last August, after hearing about the horrific ‘Arizona Abortion Access Act’ (now called Prop 139) which would legalize abortion for all nine months, I felt the Lord calling me to do something. This declaration and the growing coalition of Arizona pastors is the result.”
The Declaration reads as follows:
“To save the lives of innocent children, to protect the health of women, to help people avoid a terrible regret, and to show love to our neighbors, we, as Christian pastors in Arizona, declare the following:
Whereas every human life is valuable because every human life, born and pre-born, is wonderfully made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13-14).
Whereas abortion is the ending of an innocent human life, and results in danger and hurt towards women (Exodus 21:22-25; Genesis 9:6).
Whereas the church is here to compassionately serve and support vulnerable women (1 John 3:18, Psalm 82:3-4).
Whereas abortion is not a political issue, but a biblical and moral one (Mark 12:17).
Whereas effort is underway to change the Arizona Constitution to allow children to be aborted during all nine months of development in the womb.
The undersigned Arizona pastors urge every person to refuse to provide a signature to put the ‘Arizona Abortion Access Act’ (Prop 139) on the ballot and should also vote against the Act, or any similar measure, if it appears on the ballot (Proverbs 6:16-17, Ephesians 5:11).”
According to the Declaration’s website, the purpose of this document and statewide effort is “designed to unify Arizona Christian pastors around the sanctity of human life while providing a clear voice against the proposed ‘Arizona Abortion Access Act’ (Prop 139).” The website shares that, per an analysis from an attorney, “the amendment is written so broadly that it allows unlimited abortion up to birth, removes most safety standards, eliminates the required qualified medical doctor, gives broad leeway to who can provide abortions, shuts out moms and dads when their minor daughter needs them most, shields sex offenders who force their victims to get abortions to cover their crimes, opens the door to taxpayer funded abortions, [and] threatens conscience protections for healthcare workers.”
Arizona voters will get an opportunity to decide the fate of the Abortion Access Act in November’s General Election.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Throughout history, we have witnessed the horrors that unfold when societies dehumanize entire groups of people. In the era of slavery, Black people were considered less than human—mere property to be bought, sold, and exploited. During the Holocaust, Jews were labeled as “subhuman” and systematically exterminated. Today, we look back on these atrocities with disbelief and sorrow, wondering how such inhumanity could have ever been justified. And yet, in our current era, we face a similar moral crisis with abortion—a modern-day holocaust where the humanity of unborn children is denied, and their lives can be murdered right up to the moment of birth.
Proposition 139 is not just another policy debate—it is a question of life and death. If passed, this proposition would permit the killing of unborn children until birth. The Arizona Supreme Court recently ruled that the term “unborn human being” will remain in the ballot language for this proposition. This decision challenges us to face the uncomfortable truth: the lives at stake are not mere “fetuses” or “clumps of cells” but human beings in their most vulnerable form.
The Arizona Abortion Access Campaign, which claims to stand for “truth,” has fought fiercely to exclude the term “unborn human being” from the language of Proposition 139. Why? Because they understand that words matter—words shape perceptions. If voters are confronted with the reality that abortion involves the killing of an unborn human being, they might see through the euphemisms of “reproductive rights” and “women’s health” to the brutal truth.
Yet, the scientific truth is clear. According to Keith L. Moore’s The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology (6th ed., 1998), “Human development begins at fertilization, the process during which a male gamete or sperm unites with a female gamete or oocyte to form a single cell called a zygote. This highly specialized, totipotent cell marks the beginning of each of us as a unique individual.” From conception, a developing life in the womb carries its own unique DNA—a distinct genetic blueprint that is undeniably human. To deny this is to deny biological reality in favor of a narrative that serves a political agenda.
Consider the parallels. In both slavery and the Holocaust, those in power used language and rhetoric to strip away the humanity of their victims. Slaves were considered property, not people. Jews were referred to as “vermin.” These labels made it easier to carry out heinous acts without facing the moral consequences. Today, the abortion industry reduces the unborn to “fetuses,” distancing from the murderous act of abortion and its reality—the ending of a human life.
Despite this, Dawn Penich, a spokesperson for Arizona for Abortion Access, argued that the court’s decision to use the term “unborn human being” would prevent voters from understanding the ballot in a “fair, neutral, and accurate way,” claiming they would be “subjected to biased, politically-charged words developed not by experts but by anti-abortion special interests to manipulate voters and spread misinformation.” But isn’t it more manipulative to hide the biological reality of what abortion truly involves?
The irony is staggering.
The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to allow the term “unborn human being” on the ballot forces us to confront what is truly at stake. This is not just a matter of “reproductive rights”—this is about whether we, as a society, will sanction the destruction of human life up to the point of birth.
History has taught us the catastrophic consequences of dehumanization. In every era, from slavery to the Holocaust, society’s refusal to recognize the humanity of its victims has led to unspeakable horrors. Today, abortion stands as the latest chapter in this tragic story—a chapter that will be judged by future generations. Will we turn a blind eye, or will we stand for the truth that every human life, born or unborn, deserves recognition and protection?
As Arizona voters head to the polls in November, they must decide whether they will be complicit in this modern-day holocaust or whether they will choose to defend the most fundamental of all human rights: the right to life. The fight over language is a fight over truth, and truth, once revealed, compels us to act. Let us not be found on the wrong side of history.
Katarina White serves as Board Member for Arizona Right to Life. To get involved and stay informed, visit the Arizona Right to Life website.
The Screwtape Letters is a satirical novel written by C.S. Lewis in which a senior demon advises his nephew on how to lead humans astray. It exposes moral issues by presenting them from evil’s perspective, and it made me think. I wonder how Uncle Screwtape would reveal the distorted reasoning behind actions like supporting abortion through Proposition 139.
My Dear Wormwood,
I am thrilled to see our schemes in Arizona advancing so well. This November, the humans will vote on Proposition 139, the Arizona Abortion Access Amendment—a constitutional amendment that would enshrine the slaughter of infants up until the point of birth. What a splendid victory this could be for our cause!
For years, we’ve worked to twist their concept of “freedom” into a license for destruction, and what better vehicle than “choice”? The language of this amendment is, dare I say, masterful—dressed up in words like “rights” and “autonomy” that tickle the human mind and make them believe true freedom lies in rejecting any duty toward the most vulnerable. How easily they are led to view abortion not as ending a life, but as an empowering act of independence. Wrap it all in euphemisms, and they’ll never notice the blood on their hands.
But do not underestimate our opposition. Those meddlesome pro-lifers, especially Arizona Right to Life, remain a thorn in our side. They are determined to educate the public on what this amendment truly means and why it must be stopped. They speak of “defending life” and “protecting the innocent,” and they’re working hard to reach as many people as possible with their message. If they manage to expose the truth behind our cleverly disguised rhetoric, they could sway enough voters against us.
We must counter this by portraying them as extremists—out of touch with today’s values and opposed to women’s rights and personal liberty. Our allies in the Arizona Abortion Access Campaign have been skillful in steering attention away from uncomfortable topics like late-term abortions or the erosion of parental consent. Instead, they’ve focused on narratives of compassion and healthcare.
However, we must stay vigilant. Arizona Right to Life is relentless in its efforts to inform voters of the amendment’s dangers. They are spreading the word through educational campaigns, determined to expose the amendment’s potential for unfettered abortion access. We must work tirelessly to drown out their message, keeping the focus on appealing catchphrases and steering the conversation away from the harsh reality of what’s at stake.
In the end, the humans will think they are securing a “right,” when in truth, they will be codifying a monstrous wrong. Our task is to keep them in the dark until it’s too late.
Your affectionate uncle,
Screwtape
Katarina White serves as Board Member for Arizona Right to Life. To get involved and stay informed, visit the Arizona Right to Life website.
