Texas or Missouri? When I applied to medical school, I had to decide whether to leave my home state of Texas or stay in a place where my education would be threatened. Abortion and reproductive rights in Texas had become completely outlawed in 2021 and have been since. Although I love my home, I had seen how the people of Missouri rallied together and successfully reinstated abortion rights. I wanted to learn medicine in a state where my education and the care I provide for patients would not be limited by legislation. Amendment 3, on the ballot for the November 3, 2026 general election, is unlike the Amendment 3 voted on in 2024. Amendment 3 will repeal the voter-approved amendment that provides reproductive healthcare rights and will allow legislation to restrict abortion.1 The new Amendment 3 not only jeopardizes the health of women in Missouri but disregards the will of Missourians that was made clear just two years ago.

Like me, many medical students and residents consider abortion laws when deciding where to learn and practice. Since Texas instituted its near-total abortion bans, one in five OB/GYNs have considered leaving Texas. By 2030, Texas will face an OB/GYN shortage with 15% fewer physicians than needed to care for Texas women.2 If what is happening now in Texas is any indication, women in Missouri will soon experience significant obstacles in finding OB/GYNs for their health needs in general. We can already see how previous abortion bans have affected Missouri, as there has already been a 25% drop in OB/GYN residency applications despite an overall national increase in applications.3 These numbers have devastating implications for a state already facing a shortage of healthcare professionals. Speaking to OB/GYNs both in Texas and Missouri, I have seen firsthand the emotional battle OB/GYNs wage with themselves as they struggle deciding between respecting a patient’s wishes or protecting themselves from the terrifying threat of criminal charges. As my classmates and I plan our futures, many have raised serious concerns over practicing in Missouri. With the threat of fluctuating abortion legislation, there is no sense of safety nor stability that is protected in other states. If OB/GYNs and students like me decide against practicing in Missouri because of abortion bans, Missouri women and families may experience unnecessary hardship and suffering. 

By choosing to go against the wills of Missourians, policymakers have jeopardized the health of Missouri as a whole. OB/GYNs do not just provide abortion care – they are critical to the wellbeing of both mothers and infants. Missouri already has one of the highest pregnancy-related mortality ratios in the country. A study conducted by the Missouri Pregnancy‑Associated Mortality Review Board found that 80% of all pregnancy-related deaths in Missouri were preventable.4 From 2021 to 2022, one year following Texas’s ban on abortion, there was a 12.9% increase in infant mortality compared to the U.S. which only increased by 1.8%.5 Based on what we have seen in Texas, Amendment 3 has the potential to increase both the maternal and infant mortality here in Missouri. Pregnancy for most is a time filled with joy and hope. The women of Missouri deserve to have this experience without fear of death. If Amendment 3 passes, this fear will be solidified in law.  

Policy in every state should reflect the will of the people. Amendment 3 does not. As a medical student in Missouri, I hope to provide and learn care without worrying about legal stipulations at the cost of patient lives. More than that, I hope Missouri can avoid the same fate as Texas and remain a place where reproductive healthcare is provided to all who need it. Vote “no” on Amendment 3 to ensure that abortion care remains legal and that laws continue to reflect the values of Missouri. 

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