By james art 
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) – Hundreds gathered in Baton Rouge on Saturday for the Louisiana March on Life, coming together to protect unborn life.
While anti-abortion advocates celebrated the state’s strict abortion laws, others highlighted the unintended consequences of these regulations, particularly on women’s health and marginalized communities.
Anti-abortion advocates say the march was to support the voiceless.
“Louisianians like whole life and believe in protecting the value of human life,” says Louisiana Black Defenders for Life Director Tara Wicker.
Louisiana has one of the strictest abortion bans in the US, with no exceptions for rape or incest. For anti-abortion advocates like Wicker, the law shows that all life has value.
“No matter how one is conceived, this life has value,” Wicker said. “We have so many cases where people were framed for rape or certain situations that weren’t the best case scenario, but their lives turned out to be remarkable and added so much value to the community.”
Anti-abortion advocates see the law as a victory. But reproductive rights advocates say they have harmed women, especially women of color and in rural areas.
Caitlin Joshua, a reproductive rights advocate, had a miscarriage. She shared her experience with Louisiana’s abortion laws.
“I never wanted to believe that the Black Health Crisis was as bad as people said,” Joshua said. “But now that I’m trying to navigate what I consider basic maternal health care, it’s helped me understand what people are talking about.”
Joshua said he was unable to get timely medical attention because of doctors’ concerns about violating the state’s abortion ban.
“My mother, out of helplessness, I just asked straight out: ‘How can we take care of her?’ She is bleeding profusely; She is in a lot of pain. What are we going to do here? The medical provider replied, “Just take Tylenol,” which I had been doing for several days. “
Joshua’s story shows the risks women face under the law. She believes it hurts underserved communities.
“I would like to see no more laws that add potential harm to women of color or people in rural areas,” Joshua said. “These communities are already struggling to access care because of maternity deserts in our state.”
Anti-abortion advocates say support exists for women with difficult pregnancies. This includes adoption services and financial assistance.
“A lot of times moms are concerned about how they can afford to take care of a baby,” Wicker said. “We want to make sure these challenges are addressed so they have no reason to feel their life and their baby’s life is not valued.”
The Louisiana Right to Life march served as a reminder of the deep division surrounding the abortion debate. Anti-abortion advocates celebrate the state’s stance. But reproductive rights advocates want changes to protect women’s health.
Louisiana remains a battleground in the National Abortion Debate. Both sides are committed to their beliefs.