Tag: birth control

An LA Times article covers the slow pace at which the Obama administration is working to change abortion-related policies, noting that any broad changes would require political capital he seems to be reserving for the economy.

An article in Glamour magazine discusses the emotional side to experiencing abortion and outlines some resources and questions for women to ask when deciding if abortion is the right choice for them.

Former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin responds to the email campaign launched last fall to donate to Planned Parenthood in her name, calling the move "political theater" that resulted in her receiving notes by the boxful thanking her for the donations, and more than a million dollars for Planned Parenthood: (via The Olympian).

Lawmakers in Arizona have introduced anti-choice legislation that would, among other anti-choice provisions, allow pharmacists to deny women emergency contraception based on "moral objections". Now that former pro-choice governor Janet Napolitano has gone to work for Obama and been replaced with an anti-choice Republican, anti-choice legislation is likely to pass and become law: (via Feminist.org).  

An opinion piece on RH Reality Checkoutlines why ultrasound laws are unnecessary and more importantly, patronizing and offensive in suggesting that women undergoing an abortion do not accurately understand what being pregnant means.  

In accordance with a recent FDA mandate, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceutical has launched a $20 million ad campaign for its popular brand of birth control pills, Yaz, to clear up previous commercials which the FDA and 27 state attorneys general found overstated the benefits of the pill and downplayed possible health risks: (via NY Times).

The Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues reintroduced the Health Care for Women Resolution into both chambers of Congress yesterday. If passed, the resolution would make sure any national health care reform would explicitly include the needs of women: (via Feminist.org).

An Associated Press article covers the effort to get President-elect Obama and Congress to cut off funding for abstinence-only sex education, noting that some states, including Georgia, say they will continue to teach abstinence-only with or without federal funds.

A Tri-City Herald report examines the DSHS budget cuts that will eliminate 55 family planning nurses, interviewing a nurse who will lose her job and a young woman with two children who is one of the 900 low-income Tri-City residents that will lose access to family planning care.

A New Mexico woman is suing a nurse and health care clinic in federal court after she had her IUD device removed against her wishes by an anti-choice nurse who proceeded to lecture the patient on her choice of contraception after removing it: (via Courthousenews.com).

On Barack Obama's change.gov website visitors can vote on which issues they would like the new president to address; currently ending funding for ineffective abstinence only sex education ranks fourth on the list.

Cristina Page writes a critical piece on the HHS "conscience clause" regulation, which goes into effect tomorrow, discussing some of the organizations that are working to overturn the regulation and lawsuits that could restrict implementation of the rule via injunction: (via RH Reality Check).

NARAL Pro-Choice America has released their annual "Who Decides?" state-by-state guide on the status of reproductive rights and access around the country.

U.S. News and World Report writer Deborah Katz discusses the startling lack of research into whether women over 35 should take birth control pills, noting that most doctors believe if you are free from risk-factors such as high cholesterol it is probably safe.

President Bush declared yesterday to be "Sanctity of Human Life Day", proclaiming his belief that "all human life is a gift from our creator that is sacred...each person, including every person waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world": (via Politico.com).

On The Huffington Post, author Cristina Page argues in favor of the Prevention First Act, which was introduced in the House and Senate this week, seeing it as a comprehensive bill to reduce unwanted pregnancy through increased Title X funding and comprehensive sex education:

Seven states have joined together in a lawsuit against the federal government over the HHS "conscience clause" rule, saying the regulation would "trump state laws" and is unconstitutional, according to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal: (via Seattle P-I).

A North Dakota lawmaker is introducing a bill requiring abortion providers to offer to show an ultrasound image at least 24 hours before an abortion takes place, in hopes this will lead to fewer women choosing to terminate their pregnancies: (via Kxnet.com).

Amanda Marcotte writes that the Vatican is being hypocritical and disingenuous by falsely claiming that birth control pills are responsible for environmental degradation and male infertility, and that these claims are simply made up without any scientific evidence as another way to coerce women "into giving up their freely made choices": (via RH Reality Check).

Thousands of Catholics are meeting in Mexico City at the sixth "World Meeting of Families" with one official condemning our "post-modern culture sick with individualism" where abortion and openly gay relationships are allowed: (via Google).

In its annual report on the world's children, UNICEF identifies teen pregnancy as a significant risk for girls in the developing world, as a 15-year-old is five times as likely to die in childbirth as a woman in her 20s: (via Austin American-Statesman).

In light of the upcoming 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade RH Reality Check discusses why prevention is so critical in reducing the need for abortion and the high cost of births resulting from unintended pregnancy.

The Obama transition team has posted policy proposals from many outside groups on its website, including a document entitled "Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration", outlining ways for Obama to advance reproductive heath, and supported by more than 50 reproductive rights organizations, including NARAL Pro-Choice America: (via change.gov).

Readers respond to Ross Douthat's New York Times editorial on the GOP and abortion politics, including co-chairwoman for Republican for Choice who says most self-identified "pro-life" voters still think abortion is a woman's choice and a board member of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health who calls Douthat "out of touch": (via NY Times).

Thomas Frank responds to Alex Kuczynski's article in the New York Times Magazine about her experience with surrogacy, discussing the complicated and exploitative nature of surrogate pregnancies and criticizing Kuczynski for her lack of insight about the ethical dilemmas involved and for ignoring the voice of the surrogate mother: (via Wall Street Journal).

An RH Reality Check article explores the unique way the pro-choice community was able to frame and thus defeat the 2008 South Dakota abortion ban, including using more empathetic language and stories, and by appealing to the South Dakotan libertarian mindset that government should not make personal medical decisions for families.

Amanda Marcotte discusses what the Bush administration is hoping to accomplish by passing the HHS "rule of conscience" regulation, which will likely be overturned either by Obama or the next Congress, but not before giving ammunition to the anti-choice community that the new administration is targeting the religious right.

An opinion piece in The Wichita Eagle agrees, saying Bush is "operating at the far edge of reasonableness" with the implementation of the HHS conscience clause regulation and ensuring Obama will be forced to face an unnecessary abortion controversy within his first months as president.  

An FDA panel is set to hear testimony on whether or not to approve a new female condom made by Female Health Co., which uses a different, less expensive material than the first version of the female condom. With FDA approval, USAID will be able to distribute the condom internationally to help women make more independent sexual health decisions: (via Reuters).

A pilot program to dispense birth control pills without a prescription will go into effect next year in some areas of England to determine whether unintended pregnancy can be reduced by women receiving birth control from behind-the-counter from a trained pharmacist rather than receiving a prescription by a doctor: (via AP/Google).

Australia officials are considering lifting the country's 12-year ban on foreign aid for abortion services, a similar policy as the U.S. global gag rule, though the Prime Minister faces pressure from religious conservatives who do not want to see the ban lifted: (via smh.com).

CBS News has an in-depth article exploring why the polls predicted the South Dakota abortion ban would come extremely close to passing, and why in the end the margin the ban lost by was about the same as in 2006, when the ban included no exceptions for rape, incest, or health of the woman.

Anti-choice Senator Saxby Chambliss has won re-election in Georgia's runoff election yesterday, shattering Democratic imaginings of a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate: (via ajc.com).

Advocates in Maine are preparing for a legislative battle to keep access to birth control available to teens in the state, which may be challenged by a bill that requires parental consent before school clinics and other health care facilities can prescribe birth control to minors: (via bangornews.com).

Last night on her evening talk show Rachel Maddow discussed the Bush administration's proposed HHS "right of conscience" regulation with Princeton University professor and reproductive rights advocate Melissa Harris-Lacewell: (via RH Reality Check).  

An NPR report discusses growing sexism in Italy, fueled by their media tycoon Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, who hired a former topless model to be his Minister of Equal Opportunities and is largely seen as the main proponent of sexualized images of Italian women on his television stations.

Ten Taliban insurgents involved in the November acid attack on Afghan school girls, which injured at least 15 girls and women on their way to school, have been arrested, and could possibly face execution for their crimes: (via The Independent).

Honor killings occurring in one of Iraq's largest cities, Basra, have doubled in the past year from 47 in 2007 to 81 this year, with the price of hiring an assassin as low as $100: (via The Guardian).

RH Reality Check writer Cindy Cooper discusses the invalidity of the anti-choice myth that Roe v. Wade is flawed since it was not decided by voters, by pointing out that the three ballot measures attempting to curtail abortion rights in 2008 were decided by voters, and failed.

A new report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research shows that by joining unions women are more likely to secure health insurance, a pension plan, and higher salary than counterparts not in a union.

In response to the massive backlash against his department's proposed regulations, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt claims that his intention is merely to clarify existing law saying that any medical provider can refuse to provide abortion care or referrals, not to redefine abortion or limit access to contraception (via The News Tribune).  

Women's Health News analyzes Leavitt's comments and compares them to his past positions on conscience clauses.  

While Bloomberg columnist Ann Woolner says that the Bush administration's redefinition of birth control as abortion and zygote as human being, shows how much danger it still poses for women.  

The Justice Department's investigation of 2001's anthrax mailings reveals that several victims may have been targeted because of their support of abortion rights (via NPR).

An RH Reality Check investigation discovers disturbing links between the American Pregnancy Association and anti-choice `crisis pregnancy centers'.  

The ACLU has filed a motion to hold an Arizona County Sheriff in contempt of court for refusing to comply with an order allowing female prisoners in Arizona to be transported by jail officials to access abortion services paid for by the prisoners themselves (via RH Reality Check).

The New Republic examines the efforts of anti-choice groups within the Democratic Party to change the party platform on abortion.

In response to the massive backlash against his department's proposed regulations, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt claims that his intention is merely to clarify existing law saying that any medical provider can refuse to provide abortion care or referrals, not to redefine abortion or limit access to contraception (via The News Tribune).  

Women's Health News analyzes Leavitt's comments and compares them to his past positions on conscience clauses.  

While Bloomberg columnist Ann Woolner says that the Bush administration's redefinition of birth control as abortion and zygote as human being, shows how much danger it still poses for women.  

The Justice Department's investigation of 2001's anthrax mailings reveals that several victims may have been targeted because of their support of abortion rights (via NPR).

An RH Reality Check investigation discovers disturbing links between the American Pregnancy Association and anti-choice `crisis pregnancy centers'.  

The ACLU has filed a motion to hold an Arizona County Sheriff in contempt of court for refusing to comply with an order allowing female prisoners in Arizona to be transported by jail officials to access abortion services paid for by the prisoners themselves (via RH Reality Check).

The New Republic examines the efforts of anti-choice groups within the Democratic Party to change the party platform on abortion.

A Science Progress article addresses the many scientific reasons why pregnancy begins at implantation, and not fertilization, and why the proposed HHS rule is wrong to conclude otherwise.

A New York Times piece points out that Obama's pro-choice stance may drive away some Catholic voters, but that other issues Obama supports, such as ending the Vatican-opposed Iraq war and more support for immigrants and the poor, may be reasons for Catholics to vote for Obama.

The Stranger provides a comically charged endorsement list for the August 19th primary, supporting NARAL Pro-Choice Washington endorsed candidates such as Gov. Gregoire, Darcy Burner, and John Ladenburg among many others.

RH Reality Check blogger Elisha Dunn-Georgiou is concerned that the conscience clause included in Bush's reauthorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) codifies discrimination by allowing for U.S. funded organizations to opt out of providing "care" for any person they find morally objectionable.

Several Latin American and Caribbean countries met prior to the Mexico City International Conference on AIDS to discuss a health and education plan that would include comprehensive sex education as national policy in order to reduce HIV/AIDS infections: (via RH Reality Check).

The House approves reauthorization of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which was passed in the Senate last week.  While the bill provides triple the money to combat AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis worldwide, it also includes a provision requiring a report to Congress if less than half of HIV prevention funds in a particular country are spent on abstinence and fidelity programs (via The Baltimore Sun).

The number of abortions in Connecticut increased in both 2007 and 2006, despite a nationwide decrease of abortions, which Planned Parenthood of Connecticut says could be attributed to the federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 which prevents college health clinics from purchasing and providing birth control at discounted rates (via the Connecticut Post).  

Syndicated columnist John Young criticizes the proposed HHS rules which could preclude many family planning organizations and clinics from receiving federal funding, saying that "tax dollars don't pay for abortion" but in fact prevent abortion in the most effective manner possible by providing access to birth control (via The Seattle Post-Intelligencer).  

Senators Patty Murray and Hillary Clinton have called on the Secretary of Health and Human Services to stop the potential federal rule that could limit birth control access, saying that the proposal is a poorly-veiled attempt to roll-back women's health care options before the current Administration leaves office.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also voiced her objections saying that the proposal represents "a sustained pattern of the Bush administration to reject medical and sound science in favor of a misguided ideology that has no place in our government" (via the International Herald Tribune).

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorializes against the Bush Administration's proposal saying that "it's more important than ever for our courts and Congress to protect our right to access Plan B".  

The Senate has reauthorized the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, including several provisions - one of which will end the ban on immigration and travel to the U.S. by people with HIV, and another which will unfortunately increase the amount of funding required to go toward ineffective abstinence and fidelity programs (via the LA Times).

The Politico says that John McCain's offensive and sexist `jokes' are out of touch with today's voters and especially likely to alienate women.

The Bush administration is seeking to codify its discrimination against family-planning measures by requiring all recipients of aid under federal health programs to certify that they will not refuse to hire nurses and other providers who object to abortion and even certain types of birth control (via the New York Times).
The proposed regulations also attempt to classify many types of birth control as abortifacients by defining abortion as "any of the various procedures -- including the prescription, dispensing and administration of any drug or the performance of any procedure or any other action -- that results in the termination of the life of a human being in utero between conception and natural birth, whether before or after implantation".

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer publishes an opinion piece which says that pharmacists who refuse to fill women's birth control prescriptions are exhibiting "unmitigated arrogance".

John McCain held a 'women only' town hall meeting in Wisconsin, in an attempt to woo female voters, but failed to address many issues affecting women including children's health care, early childhood education, unequal pensions and family medical leave.  In McCain claimed to be "committed to making sure that there's equal pay for equal work", despite having skipped a vote to invoke cloture on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was filibustered in the Senate in April of this year (via Pioneer Press).

A spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin cites more widespread availability of emergency contraception as the reason abortion rates in Wisconsin are the lowest on record: (via Milwaulkee Journal Sentinel).

ABC News reports 40% of women getting abortions in Minnesota cite financial reasons as one factor in their decision; while Planned Parenthood of Minnesota spokesperson Sarah Stoesz worries the high price of birth control in troubling financial times may be leading to more unplanned pregnancies.

The ongoing debate about the teen pregnancies in Gloucester, MA is now focusing on whether a childcare center at the pregnant teens' high school sent a positive message on teen parenthood or is necessary to help young mothers succeed and graduate: (via MSNBC).