Bernard Tells O'Donnell Since Roe Vs. Wade Was Overturned "We're Hearing Stories All Across the Country of People Who Are in Dire Circumstances... Needing Abortion Care and Not Able to Get It," adding, "It's Worse, Faster."

In Indiana, Bernard says she’s "Anticipating Potentially a Complete Abortion Ban... Medicine is Not About Exceptions"

“We're at a Time in Our Country Where People Are Starting to Realize the Impact of These Anti-abortion Laws....That is Not What They Want for Children, for Women, to Be Put in These Situations of Life-threatening Conditions, of Traumatic Pregnancies. They Realize That Abortion Needs to Be Safe and Legal," Bernard Says.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE

In an additional interview excerpt, Bernard says she received a call from Vice President Kamala Harris thanking her for speaking out on the issue. WATCH HERE

CBS Evening News Anchor and Managing Editor Norah O'Donnell had an exclusive television interview with Dr. Caitlin Bernard, who according to Indiana records, is the doctor that provided a medicine-abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio. She speaks for the first time about the threats she's received, how cases like the 10-year-old are more common than one may think, and what it's like to be an abortion provider since Roe was overturned earlier this summer. The interview aired tonight, Tuesday, July 26 on the “CBS EVENING NEWS WITH NORAH O'DONNELL” (6:30 PM, ET).

*Mandatory credit: CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell*

Read more on CBSNews.com HERE.

INTERVIEW EXCERPTS:

Bernard on what has changed since Roe vs. Wade was overturned: NORAH O'DONNELL: How would you describe how things have changed since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade? DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: It's been incredibly difficult. People have always had to travel for abortion care but now it's increasing, such that entire states have essentially no access to abortion care. We're hearing stories all across the country of people who are in dire circumstances, complications of their pregnancies, or you know, traumatic situations and are needing abortion care and not able to get it. NORAH O'DONNELL: Is it worse than you imagined? DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: It's worse, faster.

On the frequency of children needing abortion care: NORAH O'DONNELL: Generally speaking, how often do you receive calls from doctors in other states that say they have young, young women who have been raped and need an abortion? DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: Unfortunately, sexual assault in children is not uncommon. I'm not the only provider who has taken care of young children needing abortion care.

Bernard on why she thinks the case of that ten-year-old girl who was raped garnered international attention: DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: I think we're at a time in our country where people are starting to realize the impact of these anti-abortion laws. You know, this has been going on for a long time, becoming harder and harder in many states for people to access abortion. And now when it's finally become impossible for some people, I think people realize that that is actually not what they intended. That is not what they want for children, for women, to be put in these situations of life-threatening conditions, of traumatic pregnancies. They realize that abortion needs to be safe and legal.

Bernard on those who oppose abortion due to religious beliefs: NORAH O'DONNELL: How would you address concerns by conservatives or those with deeply held religious beliefs that abortion is immoral and wrong? DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: What I would say is if you don't believe that you would have an abortion, then don't have one. You cannot stop other people from accessing medical care that they need based on your personal religious beliefs. You would never want somebody to do that to you.

In an additional interview excerpt, Bernard says she received a call from Vice President Kamala Harris thanking her for speaking out on the issue: DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: I was at work one day-- in the hospital and I received a phone call from Kamala Harris. NORAH O'DONNELL: The vice president. DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: Yeah.NORAH O'DONNELL: And what did she say? DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: You know, she really just thanked me. She thanked me for speaking out, for bringing this issue up-- and you know, she talked about how important it is to hear the voices of physicians, and again, what has been made into a political situation but is actually about health care-- and how important it is for physicians to be advocates for their patients.

TRANSCRIPT:

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: I think we're at a time in our country where people are starting to realize the impact of these anti-abortion laws. You know, this has been going on for a long time, becoming harder and harder in many states for people to access abortion. And now when it's finally become impossible for some people, I think people realize that that is actually not what they intended. That is not what they want for children, for women, to be put in these situations of life-threatening conditions, of traumatic pregnancies. They realize that abortion needs to be safe and legal.

NORAH O'DONNELL: Generally speaking, how often do you receive calls from doctors in other states that say they have young, young women who have been raped and need an abortion?

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: Unfortunately, sexual assault in children is not uncommon. I'm not the only provider who has taken care of young children needing abortion care.

NORAH O'DONNELL: When your name was publicly attached to this case, the attorney general of Indiana said he would investigate you. What was your reaction?

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: It's been really difficult. It's been really difficult for me, for my family to know what's going to happen, to keep ourselves safe.

NORAH O'DONNELL: Have you felt threatened?

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: Yes. Yes, I have. And it, you know, it shows how, you know, abortion, instead of being-- part of health care, which it is-- a needed, life-saving procedure, which it is, has been used to create a wedge between people politically and personally. And it-- it shows how far we have come and how sad that is.

NORAH O'DONNELL: Indiana's Attorney General Todd Rokita described you as "an abortion activist acting as a doctor". How do you respond to that?

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: I'm a physician. I've spent my entire life working to have this position, to be able to take care of patients every single day. And that's exactly what I am.

NORAH O'DONNELL: Indiana's legislature is currently debating a near total ban. What would that mean for your state?

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: We are anticipating potentially a complete abortion ban, maybe with exceptions. You know, medicine is not about exceptions. We can't be calling our lawyers in the middle of the night to see if, you know, what we need to do for this patient in front of us is allowed or not allowed. Patients will be forced to continue pregnancies that are traumatic, that are unsafe, that are dangerous for them. People will be forced to leave the state to try to access that care, and many will not be able to. You know, the most vulnerable, young people, people who have been raped, you know, people who don't have the means to get childcare and transportation, those are the people who are gonna be forced to continue pregnancies.

NORAH O'DONNELL: How would you address concerns by conservatives or those with deeply held religious beliefs that abortion is immoral and wrong?

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: What I would say is if you don't believe that you would have an abortion, then don't have one. You cannot stop other people from accessing medical care that they need based on your personal religious beliefs. You would never want somebody to do that to you.

NORAH O'DONNELL: How would you describe how things have changed since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade?

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: It's been incredibly difficult. People have always had to travel for abortion care but now it's increasing, such that entire states have essentially no access to abortion care. We're hearing stories all across the country of people who are in dire circumstances, complications of their pregnancies, or you know, traumatic situations and are needing abortion care and not able to get it.

NORAH O'DONNELL: Is it worse than you imagined?

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: It's worse, faster.

NORAH O'DONNELL: I mean, you've spent your life, your career taking care of and providing care for women and babies. What has this Supreme Court decision done?

DR. CAITLIN BERNARD: When you take away the right to privacy in your medical decision making, it puts you in a situation where you don't know where to turn. And it makes it incredibly difficult, not just to provide abortion care, but full-spectrum reproductive health care. You know, this will affect our ability to take care of miscarriages. This will affect our ability to take care of complications in early pregnancy that could kill someone. This will affect our ability to provide infertility treatment, contraception, the list goes on.

Press contact:

Brooke Lorenz

Lorenzb@cbsnews.com