Why Your State Needs an AAPLOG State Chapter

Initially, Wendy, Tom and I sought to develop a state chapter to increase our validity under the umbrella of AAPLOG, the preeminent medical voice defending both of our patients.  We had been thwarted continuously at the Colorado legislature, and the lack of a supporting medical organization appeared to limit our effectiveness.  We also observed many medical professionals testifying independently, again limiting impact without coordination and cooperation to intensify our persuasiveness.    

The first year of the Colorado Chapter of AAPLOG has proven fruitful and beneficial for Colorado’s Prolife Medical Professionals, the state of Colorado, AAPLOG, and the nation.  We will focus on the benefits within Colorado.

AAPLOG Colorado has four primary goals: 

1. Develop community for prolife medical professionals 
2. Champion and encourage the next generation of prolife medical professionals and leaders 
3. Equip and provide medical professionals to provide evidence-based defense of both of our patients, mother and baby, as we educate public and media 
4. Be a resource for policy makers and create/ support life-affirming policies espousing pregnancy and childbearing

Benefits for the Colorado Prolife Medical Professionals 

• Community – We welcome medical professionals of all professions and all specialties.  While we strongly and regularly encourage AAPLOG membership, it is not required.  Many have become members over time.  Colorado membership increased 50% in the first year of AAPLOG CO 
• Engagement – We have had semi-weekly Zoom meetings as we develop, and to prepare members to educate the public about the reckless and extreme Amendment 79.  This collaborative effort has also developed community 
• Events – Many members have prepared and hosted events to educate the public in their communities. This has inspired others to do the same, multiplying our effectiveness 
• Collaboration and Prolife Medical Resource for legislative and ballot initiative (Amendment 79) with Prolife Colorado and the issue committee Right to Know CO.  AAPLOG CO leads the medical arm, and its leadership is on the Board of Prolife CO, participating in all strategic planning and implementation. The coordinated medical voice has been instrumental in developing polling, developing messaging, educating the public, influencing the media narrative about Amendment 79, and correcting misinformation in the media.  This has included developing a strategic Op Ed and Letter to the Editor campaign throughout Colorado, with many members participating.  Regardless of whether published, the editors are receiving critical evidence-based information that should be persuasive and transformative.  We have also provided coordinated comments and testimony for the Voter’s Guide (The Blue Book).  A Declaration regarding the harms of Amendment 79 is currently being prepared to solicit signatures of medical professionals and to raise public/media awareness.   
• Cross-pollination and multiplication of prolife efforts – Collaboration with and medical resource for Prolife non-profit organizations, including pregnancy resource centers. churches, Focus on the Family, Colson Center, Save the Storks, Students for Life. 
• Developing recognition as the principle source for contact for evidence-based information about life-affirming care and about abortion in Colorado 
• Creativity – networking and collaboration with members, between leadership, and with other prolife organizations has birthed into many innovative projects with significant efficacy. 
• Next Generation medical professionals and leaders – members of AAPLOG CO have spoken with high school, college and medical students, increasing membership, and encouraging many who thought their conscience would not align with entering medicine in general, or Ob-Gyn related fields.  Some students have attended MBEC, which promotes community, mentorship, and leadership development 
• Having the authority and support of the preeminent prolife medical organization, AAPLOG 
• Collaboration with physicians of other states with ballot initiatives (“Former Abortionists Speak Out about Womens’ Healthcare” event on 9/24/24).  Developing a network with organizations and physicians in other states to participate in their projects, share ideas, learn what is effective and not, and for encouragement and support.

Benefits for Colorado 

• Turning Colorado from a “leader in abortion” to our destiny:  a leader in life. 
• Public:  education and visibility of Hippocratic Medicine, life-affirming, exemplary care for both the mother and the baby.  
• An area of opportunity:  Prolife medical professionals identifying and participation in resolving local and state obstetric needs, promoting excellent care for both our patients, including participating in solutions to the maternity care/ maternity desert crisis in Colorado – a gap created by the focus of other professional medical organizations’ primary and unrelenting advocacy for unrestricted, unregulated  abortion, rather than optimal access and equality of access to essential maternity care and delivery.   
• Pregnancy Resource Centers – we are the medical organization many now notify of medical staffing needs, and to support, promote and defend their work 
• Collaboration and medical resource for other prolife organizations 
• Development of media relationships to share evidence-based information about the developing baby and abortion, and to educate about prolife issues. 
• Legislation – create and defend prolife legislation that helps Coloradans thrive, defend from harmful pro-abortion legislation, providing testimony, op eds, letters to the editor, and be a medical resource to policy-makers 
• Potential prolife participation on the state medical, nursing and pharmacy boards, state medical society, and other committees to promote evidence-based, Hippocratic practice 
• Engagement and development of next generation prolife medical professionals and leaders 
• Restore TRUST in medicine 
• Hold biased medical publications responsible and promote a return to unbiased scientific inquiry 
• Expose and correct harmful disinformation in the media 
• Developing outreach to abortion workers and abortionists, promoting their exit, and healing, and facilitating the closure of abortion facilities in Colorado

This is a tiny taste of the powerful reverberations of expanding AAPLOG’s vision and mission, resources and authority into your state.

Please reach out to us with comments, ideas, and questions:  colorado@aaplog.org

The Executive Team,

Wendy Smith, ACNP-retired
Tom Perille, MD
Catherine Wheeler, MD