In the years following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, there have been a slew of assaults on reproductive rights, including numerous states enacting aggressive and restrictive abortion bans. Against this backdrop, many educational institutions began to provide reproductive care more widely on their campuses, recognizing their responsibility to ensure students’ bodily autonomy. It is past time NYU does the same and provides abortion pills at the Student Health Center.
A medication abortion involves taking two pills — mifepristone and misoprostol — to halt the production of the hormone progesterone in the body, and then to induce the uterus to expel the fetal material. This process is one of the safest abortion methods one can use and has about a 96% success rate, though its efficacy can decrease over time. This means it’s especially necessary that NYU provide abortion medication in a timely manner.
Other New York City universities, both private and public, have begun providing medical abortion services since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The New School and Columbia University began providing medical abortion services in July 2023 and March 2024 respectively. All schools within the State University of New York and City University of New York systems are required to provide students with medication abortion services under a bill that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed in May 2023.
NYU has made great strides in improving access to reproductive health care for its community. In the fall 2023 semester, the university expanded its coverage under its health insurance provider, Wellfleet, to fully cover both elective and medically necessary abortions. After the Roe v. Wade reversal, NYU also installed five vending machines that dispense emergency contraceptives for $15, a crucial step in promoting accessible contraception.
While these measures are significant, offering medication abortion services at the SHC would go a long way in furthering reproductive health care on campus. This would allow students to manage an unwanted pregnancy in a less invasive and time-consuming way, while also avoiding the stigma and logistical hurdles associated with off-campus procedures, such as transportation costs, navigating a complex health care system and worrying about missing class or work. This would make acquiring an abortion less tumultuous and less threatening to students’ academic success.
NYU boasts a diverse student body, drawing thousands from states like Texas, Florida and Oklahoma, where draconian abortion bans have left many with no safe or legal options to terminate their pregnancies. For these students, attending NYU represents more than an academic opportunity. It’s a chance to live in a state that respects reproductive freedom. But if NYU does not provide comprehensive abortion care, students aren’t truly given that chance. Providing this service at the SHC is an essential part of ensuring all students have equal bodily autonomy. This is the chance for NYU to help level the field in terms of reproductive care in a country where race, statehood and socioeconomic status all impact who has access to abortions.
As a private institution, NYU providing abortion care when not required to do so by law makes a statement that bodily autonomy is a fundamental human right — and something that cannot be overlooked when considering student well-being. In a time when reproductive rights are under siege, our university must respond publicly and tangibly. With NYU’s existing health care infrastructure, incorporating this service would be a feasible and natural extension of its existing commitment to health equity.
While we grapple with the results of the 2024 presidential election, we know the fate of reproductive rights are on the line. They very well could get far more restrictive, and NYU taking this step will ensure that our school solidifies its commitment to protecting students’ rights.
WSN’s Opinion section strives to publish ideas worth discussing. The views presented in the Opinion section are solely the views of the writer.
Contact Mehr Kotval at [email protected].
