October 6, 2022
“As fellow medical professionals who care deeply about our patients and our members, we were very disappointed that the ACNM decided, after accepting our application and money, to cancel our educational exhibit booth at the upcoming Midwifery Works conference…The reason given for canceling our exhibit booth, “We are unable to accommodate as your mission doesn’t align with our position statement on abortion. We affirm individual patient autonomy,” is a clear attempt to silence the voices of many within your own organization who do not include abortion as part of their clinical practice and who desire to educate on the peer-reviewed medical literature that show the risks abortion poses to the health of women.”
To read our entire letter to ACNM, click here.
**Update as of Nov. 16, 2022 – After several conversations with ACNM leadership, they agreed to welcome AAPLOG’s midwifery subsection to exhibit at the ACNM annual conference in May 2023. They included this statement as part of their response: “ACNM is a multi-faceted organization. We support policy solutions and a wide range of (opinions from members) that work to promote (the delivery of evidence-based information to its membership aimed to promote midwifery-led care, improve the culture of the people and communities we serve and create better health outcomes for all people nationwide despite party or politics, even if their position differs from the official ACNM position. In all instances, the ACNM will maintain sole discretion to invite and secure additional event sponsors.” We appreciate that ACNM leadership was willing to engage in conversation with us and ultimately agree to allow our joint members to present the medical evidence to attendees of the effects of abortion on women and the importance of life-affirming care for our patients.