Physicians support reproductive rights ballot initiative

As of this month, the Montana Secretary of State has officially certified CI-128, the Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights ballot initiative, placing this crucial amendment on the November ballot and into the hands of voters. In less than 80 days, 117,000 verified signatures were collected in support of the amendment. 

As a family medicine physician practicing in Missoula, I cannot stress enough how pivotal this moment is for our state, as we now have the power to ensure that personal decisions about pregnancy and abortion remain with individual Montanans ­— not with politicians. 

I work with patients facing some of the most difficult and long-lasting decisions of their lives, and it is my duty to provide them with the best possible care without government interference. That’s why I am urging Montanans to vote yes on CI-128 this November. CI-128 is not just about preserving access to abortion; it’s about ensuring that the most intimate and personal decisions remain in the hands of the people directly affected by them — not the government. 

In my practice, I have cared for patients whose lives were endangered by continuing a pregnancy. I have seen the anguish of families faced with heartbreaking decisions about their loved ones’ health. I have seen how having a child in devastating situations can affect families for decades, even generations into the future.  

I’ve also cared for young people with the insight to say that they are not ready for parenthood. Ada was a young woman who came to Planned Parenthood during the early part of her sophomore year of college. She had had a non-hormonal IUD in place for a year but suddenly experienced such severe nausea that she couldn’t get out of bed, much less attend classes. A pregnancy test confirmed she was pregnant, leaving her devastated. 

Ada shared that she had always dreamed of becoming a mother, but now, despite using contraception, this dream had materialized at the wrong time. She reflected deeply on what her life would be like with a baby. She would need to live with her parents and abandon the career she had been working toward since childhood. 

Though she hoped to marry her boyfriend, she worried that a child might put too much strain on their still-developing relationship. She feared being estranged from her friends and worried that she might resent the child for limiting her potential and the life she had envisioned. 

Given these considerations, Ada felt that it was not the right time for her to choose parenthood. She decided to come in for an abortion. In these unfortunate situations, the ability to consider all medical options, including abortion, is essential. When faced with such a question — I want my patients to be able to make that decision for themselves. 

CI-128 ensures that when Montanas and the people we care about need these options most, they will be available. We have a critical opportunity to protect the rights of patients and families across our state. 

For years, extremists have been relentless in their efforts to ban abortion completely — with more than a dozen anti-abortion bills introduced in the 2023 legislative session alone. Politicians have even tried to keep this very initiative off the ballot, trying to throw out signatures, rewrite it, delay certification, and more. 

As a woman and primary care doctor, I am terrified of what anti-abortion legislation could mean for young women and families and feel very strongly in support of keeping power in the hands of the people who are directly affected.

CI-128 is a firm defense from these alarming trends — one that reaffirms our belief in the freedom to make private medical decisions without government intrusion. Voting yes means we can protect the rights we have now and ensure that future generations of Montanans can make their own choices about their health care. 

Our state has always been different. We think for ourselves, care for each other, and we hold our own. We won’t let power-hungry politicians who think they know better take our voices away from us. 

I’m proud to serve the people of Montana. I trust my patients to know what’s best for them, and I believe they should have the freedom to make decisions about their health without government interference. This November, I hope you’ll join me in voting yes on CI-128 to keep Montanans in charge of their own lives.

Annalise Mann is a family medicine resident physician in Missoula.