PoliticsIdaho OB-GYN supported abortion measure until Church opposed it
An Idaho obstetrician-gynecologist who is a practicing Latter-day Saint says she was "100% yes" on supporting the state's abortion-access ballot measure until the Church announced its opposition. Dr. Heather Pugmire tells the Salt Lake Tribune she witnesses daily the healthcare crisis Idaho's current abortion laws have created.
The Church donated $1 million to a PAC opposing the Idaho measure, drawing criticism from some members who say the institutional stance conflicts with the medical realities physicians face. Pugmire's story illustrates the tension some Latter-day Saint healthcare providers feel between their professional experience and their church's political positions.
October 14, 2026 at 7:03 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 5 sources