Indianapolis, IN - Voices for Life, represented by Thomas More Society, has petitioned the Indiana Supreme Court to revive efforts to restore public access to Terminated Pregnancy Reports (TPRs), records the Indiana legislature requires to enforce pro-life laws, understand maternal health outcomes, and ensure citizens can meaningfully participate in public policy debates.

“Terminated Pregnancy Reports are not just compliance forms. They are indispensable tools for identifying patterns that affect maternal health, enforce legal requirements, and shape effective policy,” said Patrick Gillen, Senior Counsel at Thomas More Society. “Public transparency ensures the safety of women and their preborn children and allows citizens to engage in self-government. As pro-life activists around the state gather for the March for Life this week, we ask the Supreme Court to honor the will of pro-life Hoosiers and restore access to these critical reports.”

TPRs provide data that can reveal trends over time such as complications, repeat abortions, gestational age patterns, and compliance with statutory requirements. When available to the public, this information helps inform legislative decision-making and ensures policy is based on real-world outcomes rather than assumptions.

“When access to this information is blocked, lawmakers and citizens are left in the dark,” Gillen said. “This case is before the Court because abortion providers are attempting to shield themselves from the very transparency the legislature required. Rather than comply with a system designed to allow public oversight, abortion providers are asking the courts to block access to reports that reveal whether pro-life laws are being followed and whether safeguards meant to protect women are working.”  

If successful in keeping TPRs private, plaintiffs would transform a statutory reporting requirement into a secrecy rule benefitting the abortion industry while cutting citizens and lawmakers off from information the law says they are entitled to see.

“This case goes to the heart of whether citizens retain the right to examine how the law is carried out,” Gillen added. “Transparency enables accountability, and accountability is what protects both women and their preborn children. We are proud to represent the dedicated and compassionate team at Voices for Life and will continue to stand for the protection of women and children.”

Read the petition to transfer to the Indiana Supreme Court in Caitlin Bernard, M.D. and Caroline Rouse, M.D. v. Indiana State Health Commissioner and Voices for Life, here.