HB606

This committee has heard me speak on this bill last year when it was titled The Right to Sterilization Bill. I wanted to speak up in support of this bill even though this bill as written now would not have helped me with any of the problems I spoke about last time. I was not diagnosed with endometriosis until I was able to have a tubal ligation at the age of 37. And I was only able to finally be sterilized at 37 because I had private insurance that I could use in another state, and I had a wealthy boyfriend who was friends with a surgeon in Maine who agreed to do the procedure. While she was in there she removed the endometriosis that was attached to all the organs in my abdomen. I was pain-free for about a year before it grew back. The day of my tubal ligation procedure was when I finally received an official diagnosis of endometriosis. My biggest concern with this bill not allowing us the right to a sterilization procedure as a form of birth control, is that most of us will never be diagnosed with endometriosis if we have to be diagnosed with endometriosis to receive a sterilization procedure. It just won’t happen. For many of us endometriosis tissue does not show up on an ultrasound. Mine didn’t even though my abdomen was “riddled with it”. I was never offered the surgery to diagnose endometriosis, I was just given Vicodin or told to take more ibuprofen depending on which decade I am referring to. (I suffered from 1986-2010, then again 2012-present because by the time I was finally offered hysterectomy I had developed a Neuroimmune disease that makes me less of a candidate for surgeries.) I’ve had doctors tell me that having a period doesn’t actually hurt, that we just think it hurts because we think it’s dirty. I laughed at that one. I wasn’t raised to think it was dirty and when I’m woken up at 3 AM to run to the toilet to vomit from the cramps of my period I wasn’t even expecting to pop up that day I certainly wasn’t vomiting and passing clots the size of grapes because I was distressed over feeling dirty. Back in 2020 the White House had a doctor going on TV telling people that endometriosis is caused by having sex with demons. I keep trying to give my providers grace by reminding myself that back in the 80s they didn’t know much about this, but in 2020 they knew that it doesn’t come from having sex with demons. I wasn’t even offered Luperon until last summer (at 51) and I was looking into it when my period finally started to stop. The RAGE I felt when I heard in one of these committee hearings that KIDS get Luperon but GROWN WOMEN can’t. Ridiculous. Nobody told me I could go to therapy and confirm I wanted to get sterilized and then I could have the procedure. This was never offered to me at all. But a teenager can go to therapy then get sterilized? Is this real life?? I keep telling myself that I'm old and things are better now, and then I hear Charlotte’s story and I realize that even if this bill would not have helped me there are so many people it would help, and even if it ONLY helps Charlotte it’s worth passing. No one should be forced to suffer like we are forced to suffer simply because we have female reproductive organs. I should not have had to vomit a couple days every month from the time I turned 13 until my period started stopping (except for the year or two where I had relief after surgery at 37). I knew from the time I was a child that I didn’t want to have children. I have never changed my mind about that, I have never regretted that decision. What I do regret is that I didn’t drag my husband into an office visit when I was married, but why should I need permission from ANY MAN to use birth control of any form?? This is MY body and MY life. I regret that I had to spend money on birth control pills every single month when I could’ve just had a sterilization procedure had I been born a man. I do NOT regret not having babies. My quality of life suffered because I was denied medical care I needed because some hypothetical man I would never ever date in the first place might want me to have babies. My quality of life suffered because I had to take hormonal birth control for years that affected my mental AND financial health. My heart breaks for Charlotte. My career and earning potential and ability to LIVE MY LIFE suffered because I was denied medical care simply because I’m a woman and someone’s sky daddy thought I needed to breed for society. Charlotte SHOULD NOT have to suffer like this until she’s in her 40s. This is abuse. And I suppose my surgeon in Maine was delighted to bill United healthcare the $10,000 for my procedure, I suppose if New Hampshire surgeons don’t want that money we can continue to go to Maine or Massachusetts or Vermont. Is that really what we are supposed to do in the “live free or die state”?? I have a 1st amendment right to not be used as a brood mare. If your sky daddy says you can’t perform the sterilization procedures then you shouldn’t be doing them on ANYONE, if you’re willing to sterilize someone on Medicaid with six kids and your religion doesn’t prevent that, your religion has no right telling me (a Childfree woman) that your sky daddy says I can’t have a sterilization procedure. THE FIRST AMENDMENT GIVES ME A RIGHT TO BE FREE FROM YOUR RELIGION. THAT IS LITERALLY WHY AMERICA WAS ESTABLISHED. I HAVE A RIGHT TO BE FREE FROM FORCED BREEDING. Some of us would rather be dead than pregnant, and the state will not force us to get pregnant and stay pregnant. That will never happen. And when it does we see tragedies like the Harmony Montgomery case. I realize her parents probably wanted to give birth to her because they could get free money for having her, and I realize the state saw lots of economic activity surrounding that case. But if our concern is only going to be for the economic activity and not human lives then why is NH turning away perfectly good revenue? Why should I have had to go to Maine and pay a Maine hospital to give me a sterilization procedure?

in a time when people feel uncertain and apprehensive about their available options for medical care, this reiteration of safety and assurance is helpful and quite necessary.

Allow all people the right to bodily autonomy.

As a woman of New Hampshire, I believe the state has a responsibility to practice what it preaches via its state motto. I too would rather Live Free or Die, so when I heard of HB606, I knew this would return autonomy to us, would return some freedom of choice to us. So House, I would ask, will you let the people of this state have their freedom and autonomy?

The only cure for some illnesses is a hysterectomy! If it is necessary, a woman should be able to get help!

for women.

At the age of 31 I had asked for a hysterectomy. I had horrible periods, cramping, vomiting, back pain where I couldn't walk most of the time. My doctor told me I was too young and "what if you want children?". I was talked into getting a laparoscopic surgery to see what was going on. I was diagnosed with endometriosis. I had minimal pain for about 5 years and then it kicked up again. I again asked for a hysterectomy and was told no. I had another laparoscopic surgery to help with the pain. It helped a little. The next year I then had a period for 15 days and was told by the dr office just stop the pill for a few days and it should reset. Then in 2021 I experienced more ongoing pain. My back had always been bad and at time had to walk around with a TENS unit. Even the chiropractor knew and said something was wrong internally as he couldn't move me more. I had asked for help and the OBgyn told me that we could try a different medication to put me into menopause or do another lap surgery. I told her I wanted a hysterectomy and was again denied. Later that week I had a second opinion and was asked why I hadn't gotten it done sooner I told her the last doctor wouldn't let me. She looked at me and said "Hannah this is a no brainer." I was schedule with the surgeon 2 months later and surgery was later that month. Getting pathology back I was told I had 5 fibroids not 3, 1 adhered to my ureter and 1 adhered to my broad ligament along with having adenomyosis. Adenomyosis is only treated with a hysterectomy. My pain would have been gone at age 31 if she had listened. Instead I had to wait another 8 years to get the help I needed and asked for. This should never have happened. I knew something was wrong because I know my body but I wasn't allowed because of age and potentially wanting children. I couldn't have had them anyways with that diagnosis. Please don't let this happen to anyone else.

Patients must be able to access this vital health care.

I’m 20 years old and spend too much time at the doctors for endometriosis. Having multiple invasive ultrasounds a year. I want a hysterectomy to end my pain and suffering that has been going on for 7 years. Doctors have told me “what if you want kids?” I have made up my mind on children and that I do not want to birth my own. I have been told I’m too young to receive medical care that would end my suffering. Make sure this doesn’t happen anymore to the thousands of women suffering.

I support Bill HB606 Right to Appropriate Reproductive Care for Medical Conditions. Many grown women are denied medically essential sterilization treatments, such as for PCOS, Endometriosis, PMDD, and even cancer—simply because their doctor prioritizes the woman’s ability to bear children over her quality of life, or even over her survival. This critical bill says that a doctor must not deny a patient with a medical condition for which sterilization is a treatment on the basis of age (provided they are not a minor), marital status, number of children, or the physician’s belief as to the patient’s reproductive intentions contrary to the patient’s statement. Treatments include surgeries or medication that impact reproduction. Adults should be able to make their own choices about when and if they want to reproduce and that should never be the business of their doctor. Please vote to support Bill HB606 Right to Appropriate Reproductive Care for Medical Conditions. Thank you.

my name is abbi and i am a young woman with pcos and pmdd. throughout my life, ive been put on countless birth controls and medicines and been diagnosed incorrectly with things that i do not have (and been treated for these things unnecessarily!) because of the lack of education on the womens reproductive system. thankfully, my problems are not debilitating to the point where i need sterilization treatment (at least not yet) but this bill is so important to so many people who have a uterus and a biologically female reproductive system. please do the right thing.

I want women to have as many options as possible without judgment from physicians.

As someone who has Endometriosis, PCOS, and Uterine Fibroids myself I fully support this bill and believe that thus bill should be implemented as soon as possible. It's heartbreaking that a bill has to be in place in order for us women to have what is necessary for our health, in order for us to be able to live healthy lives as much as possible. It's not our fault as to why we're born with the conditions and disabilities that we have and we didn't choose to be here on this earth. We're told that we have to be functional individuals of society, but yet we're not given an opportunity to Eve function, due to not being provided the care that we need, the care that we should be able to receive if and when needed. I started having my monthly cycles at the age of 8, in which every cycle I have is abnormal. I was constantly ignored and dismissed for my symptoms until I reached my late 20's-early 30's when I finally received answers to what I've been experiencing my entire life, and I'm currently 32. As someone who had PCOS, Endometriosis, and Uterine Fibroids in addition to my other chronic conditions and disabilities, I stand for this bill, I highly believe that this bill should be passed, implemented, and executed as soon as possible. It's so heartbreaking and saddening that we live in a world where everyone has in some way a mother, sister, niece, cousin, etc, yet we get treated as if we should be 3rd class citizens and we get treated as if we don't and shouldn't matter. How would the world be if women didn't exist? People wouldn't exist and the world wouldn't exist, society wouldn't exist if that happened. It's also heartbreaking and saddening that the world is trying to do God's work by trying to tell us women what we should and shouldn't do with our own anatomy. As someone who is God loving and God fearing, we should be able to do what's medically needed and what's medically necessary for ourselves, in order for us to be able to live as long as we can, as best as we can, and as healthy as we can in order to do what God asks of us, the best to our ability and in order to help be a functional part of society, to contribute to society, and to come together to make everything better in every way, for everyone. -C.W.

Every adult in the state of New Hampshire deserves the right to make informed medical decisions for themselves and based on their own bodies, priorities, quality of life, circumstances, and life goals. This right should not be diminished by medical professionals who think themselves better suited to make those decisions, which do not impact their lives.

Everyone deserves the right to reproductive freedom, such as getting a necessary surgery like a hysterectomy. There are many women who have been denied a hysterectomy due to the personal opinion of medical professionals (like what their future spouse may think, when they don't have one) which is ludicrous, as options such as fostering and adoption exist, and the life of the person who needs the treatments or surgeries are very much real, rather than theoretical. Please help these people get the treatment and they deserve, no one should be denied care due to personal opinion.

A citizen over the age of 18 is an adult. They understand the regulations of reproductive procedures and have the right to make that decision. Should a patient request a reproductive procedure, a physician shouldn't deny the procedure on the basis of age, number of children, or future reproductive ability. Doing so would be discrimination.

Help those who are here now to help kids in the future since you’re so worried about them. Adults who have now rights over themselves cannot take care of children. If you’re more worried about possible children, think about how their lives would be living with those who don’t want them, forced to have them, forced to live in pain because don’t can’t or won’t help them.

Health care choices surrounding reproduction are personal decisions to be made between the person in need of the procedure or treatment and their qualified health care provider. Providers should not limit health care options based on their own perceptions. All options should be discussed and weighed. If treatment leads to sterilization; and is a reasonable and proven medical treatment for the ailment, disorder, or the reason for seeking treatment/intervention then as such the procedure should still be offered.

Protect NH citizens’ rights!

Why should women have to fight to live?

Denying medically necessary treatmemt to so many people because of a small hypothetical chance that they *might* be able to *eventually* have children is barbaric and inhumane.

People should not be denied medical care because it is a sex specific disorder. They already should not have been. We need places of asylum in this time and I hope this bill passes for the sake of people who need such life changing care.

My name is Sofia, I'm 22 years old, and a hysterectomy saved my life. For half of my life I suffered from PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder). This disorder causes severe changes in mood including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Every month I would go through the unending cycle of the lowest of lows, fighting the disorder inside me threatening my ability to keep myself safe. Several times I tried to take my own life because of PMDD. After a long search I finally found a birth control that helped to alleviate my symptoms, but gradually that stopped working and I decided to get a hysterectomy. Thankfully, my OBGYN was a saint, and I didn't have to fight for my right to have one, but that is not the case for most women across the country which is why I am strongly in support of HB606. The theoretical children a woman may have does not supercede her right to live a healthy, happy, and pain free life. I can testify to the fact that my hysterectomy changed everything, it was as if I became a totally different person, finally free from the burden of PMDD. I never have to worry about the person it would make me every month and I never have to worry about taking my own life again. Please stand for the right women to deserve to make decisions for their own body with their due consent, unrestrained by theoretical ideals. Thank you.

People should be able to make healthcare decisions for themselves and should not be forced to carry an organ that is killing them because of fertility.

As a sufferer of reproductive health issues I cannot attest to enough how important reproductive autonomy is. Freedom for each individual to make THEIR decisions regarding their own lives. And supporting this freedom. And protecting from retribution. It is time for legislation to actually support, help, and keep people safe especially concerning reproductive health.