Healthcare workers rally for abortion access on IUPUI campus

INDIANAPOLIS — Hundreds of healthcare workers and medical students rallied for abortion access on the IUPUI campus Wednesday evening.

"Abortion care is healthcare. There's no way around it," Caitlin Bernard said.

Bernard is an OB/GYN, who teaches at IU's School of Medicine. She also helped organize the rally.

"We already have incredibly high maternal mortality here in Indiana, we already have difficulty taking care of patients, and this is just going to make it that much harder," she said.

Abortion is still legal in Indiana up to the 22nd week. If abortion is banned or restricted, it could change the way that healthcare workers treat their patients.

"We have increased requests for contraception, but we've also had increased referrals. I've received referrals from Ohio and Kentucky and states surrounding us," Bernard said.

For medical students entering residency, it could change the trajectories of their entire careers.

"For students applying to OB/GYN residency, this is going to be a huge factor when we're thinking about where we're going to go. Whether or not we can go to certain states if residency programs are going to be advocating for us to get the best, most well-rounded education," student Catherine Burns said.

A small group of anti-abortion activists held their own demonstration that was not well-received.

"Look at the actual evidence. Without a shadow of a doubt, human life begins at conception. If you're going to say that some human life is worth more than others, where does that end?" ICU nurse and anti-abortion activist Elizabeth said.

Many activists on both sides say this is not their first rally since the Supreme Court's decision on Friday. Many are hoping to ride this momentum to the ballot box in November. That's when Hoosiers can vote for state lawmakers who will have the power to regulate abortion access.

"I think that people realize that their votes count, that their votes matter," Bernard said.