I cannot remain silent in the face of the extremely false TV ads of the opponents of Amendment 4. The ad I saw suggests that the status quo in Florida – no abortions after six weeks – is a moderate, middle-of-the-road position, while the 4th amendment is an extremist, no bans, abortion anytime position. This turns the truth upside down.

Florida’s current abortion law prohibits abortions after six weeks — a missed menstrual cycle. Raise your hand if you or your partner have ever known you were pregnant two weeks after missing your period. Also, try to schedule time off work, go see a doctor, and get the procedure done within that two week period. It is simply absurd to characterize this as a “moderate” approach.

What Amendment 4 would do is direct the legislature to restore the balanced approach established in Roe v. Wade over 50 years ago. Until a fetus is viable – capable of sustaining life outside the womb – the choice of whether or not to continue the pregnancy is a private one made only by a woman.

Generally, this is around 20 weeks of pregnancy. After that, abortions can only be performed if the woman’s life or a serious health consequence is at stake. This is a balancing perspective that has worked for 50 years. Any woman who feels that abortion is wrong under any circumstances is perfectly free to abstain from one. But it is the woman’s choice. There has been a lot of noise about giving the abortion decision to the states; how about trusting women?

The ad that I find so misleading makes underage women get abortions without parental consent if Amendment 4 is passed. Previously, before the six-week ban, the law on this point was much more nuanced than the announcement allows. In order for a girl to get an abortion without parental notice or consent, the girl had to petition a judge, appear in court, and let the judge determine if she was mature enough to make her own decision.

When that law was in force, as a lawyer, I represented several young women through this legal process. Some of my clients did not have a parent or legal guardian, others had been abandoned, abused or threatened by their parents.

In no case did I observe a loving, intact family into which a young girl was trying to slip. Sometimes the absence of a caring adult was what led to an unwanted pregnancy in the first place. If you believe it is essential to be involved in your daughter’s decision-making, then be a loving and involved parent. It is a tragic mistake to assume that this will be true or even possible for every girl.

When making the decision about how to vote on Amendment 4, be clear about what is extreme and what is not. A ban after six weeks is not a middle of the road position – it is the most extreme in the country. The Roe v. WadThe standard has worked for 50 years and should be reinstated. The only way to do this is to vote yes on Amendment 4.

Bonnie Enneking Davis is a retired attorney in Tallahassee.

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This article originally appeared on the Tallahassee Democrat: Opinion: Voting yes on Amendment 4 restores the right approach to abortion