Tag: contraception

NARAL Pro-Choice New York President Kelli Conlin writes in the Albany Times-Union that an important task lies ahead for Gov. David Paterson in appointing a new senator to replace Hillary Clinton, and that her successor ought to be as passionate about using the Senate to advocate for women as Clinton has been.

President Bush is expected to announce the "right of conscience" rule allowing any employee in a health care facility that receives federal money to deny care based on personally held beliefs, which proponents such as the Christian Medical Association and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops say extends to birth control and artificial insemination: (via Seattle Times).

A San Francisco Chronicle article highlights the several treaties President-Elect Obama may seek to have ratified as president, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which has been ratified by every other industrialized nation and was signed by President Carter in 1980 but has never made it to the U.S. Senate.

An RH Reality Check article discusses the intersection between natural disasters and the extra reproductive health care difficulties faced by women during them, noting the need for increased training and access to reproductive health care resources during times of crisis.

The anti-abortion group, Christian Defense Coalition, is planning to gather activists to sidewalk chalk Pennsylvania Avenue with "pro-life messages and pictures" to greet the Obamas at the White House: (via Colorado Independent).

A new Spanish radio ad launched for World AIDS Day yesterday aimed at Catholics promotes a message that "good Catholics use condoms", focusing on a Catholic person's responsibility to care for loved ones by protecting themselves and others: (via RH Reality Check).

With the nomination of Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as Secretary of Homeland Security abortion rights activists are concerned her replacement, Republican Secretary of State Jan Brewer, will be detrimental to progressive abortion policy in the state: (via azcentral.com).

Planned Parenthood in Indiana has created quite a stir in the anti-choice community by offering gift certificates for services, which are intended to help financially strapped men and women pay for preventative health care, but can also be used for abortion services: (via NY Times).

The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published a study finding that between 2005 and 2007 access to emergency contraception from pharmacies has increased considerably since the medication has become available without a prescription, with large chain stores more likely than smaller local chains to stock and dispense EC: (via National Parternship.org).

In the journal Contraception an editorial examines possible reasons why increased availability of emergency contraception has not necessarily reduced the incidence of unintended pregnancy, including possible sporadic use of the medication or women using EC when no true risk of pregnancy exists: (via National Parternship.org).

A Guttmacher Institute policy review provides suggestions for making contraception more accessible and easy to use and calls for more attention towards the issue since 9 in 10 women at risk for unintended pregnancy use contraception, yet half of all pregnancies remain unintended: (via National Parternship.org).

The Catholic priest in California that called for parishioners to go to confession for voting for Obama attempts to clarify his statements to his congregation and in an interview with the Modesto Bee.

A recently released New Zealand study finds a small link between abortion and mental health issues, saying for many women abortion may be a stressful or traumatic time but does not cause devastating effects on mental health, as the anti-choice community would like people to believe: (via medicalnewstoday.com).  

Though abortion in Bolivia is legal in some circumstances, access for women who are able to legally obtain one are often practically prevented from doing so by anti-abortion judges and doctors, and illegal abortion remains frequent and dangerously unsafe: (via RH Reality Check).

RH Reality Check explores what the appointment of former Senator Tom Daschle to Health and Human Services Secretary for the Obama administration means for the reproductive health care community.

The Catholic church of the Philippines says it has the support to defeat the family planning bill being decided by the Philippine Congress, which includes promoting sex education and use of contraceptives, and will introduce its own bill to limit the sale of contraception and condoms: (via Yahoo.com)

The Pittsburg Post-Gazette editorializes against the Bush administration's decision to implement the "provider conscience" rule, saying the decision takes rights away from patients and that fears over the implications of the rule are "warranted".

Zita Lazzarini writes in the New England Journal of Medicine on how the South Dakota "informed consent" law, which requires abortion providers to tell patients they are terminating "the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being", is a breach of First Amendment rights and violates the patient-physician relationship by requiring doctors to provide misinformation.

A blogger for The Atlantic, Conservative Ross Douthat, writes in support of many anti-abortion measures, but also calls on the anti-choice movement to stop fighting access to contraception, especially as more evidence shows birth control pills and similar contraceptives do not work by preventing implantation.

Democratic strategist Laura K. Chapin says in a U.S. News and World Report article that the wedge issue of abortion is dead in the western states after the defeat of three abortion bans this election.

The California Supreme Court has decided to hear arguments on the constitutionality of Proposition 8 and will answer questions on the legality of the marriages between 18,000 same sex couples who were wed prior to the passing of Prop. 8: (via NY Times).

The Tacoma News Tribune writes an editorial asking Dino Rossi to renounce the BIAW for their shady campaigning tactics because campaign ethics must have "respect for the spirit as well as the letter of the law".

The Seattle Times profiles Darcy Burner and her ties to the "netroots", the group of progressive bloggers who have supported Burner in fundraising and campaigning.

Asian country East Timor has the highest fertility rate in the world at 7.8 children per woman, a rate that will double their population by 2020, however knowledge of contraception is extremely rare in this mostly Catholic nation that has incredibly strict abortion laws. (via RH Reality Check).

The Brewster School Board has decided not to pursue a grant to open a school-based health clinic over fears it may increase access to contraception, despite the fact that the main purpose of the clinic would be to provide immunizations and primary health care for sick kids: (via Wenatchee World).

In addition to the Senate letter signed by 28 senators, 126 House Democrats have drafted a letter sent to the HHS opposing the rule that would allow health care providers to deny care based on personal, non medical beliefs saying it "puts policy and ideology before quality health care": (via NationalPartnership.org).
The letter.

A ten-year-old Yemeni girl who was granted a divorce from her abusive husband three times her age has returned to school to start the second grade: (via LA Times).

Another study by Guttmacher finds that the amount of women seeking contraceptive services in private and public clinics is increasing, with about 1 in 4 seeking reproductive health services at a publicly funded clinic where over 69% are specifically requesting contraception: (via NationalPartnership.org).

A new book called Abortion and Life, which puts a face on women who have had abortions and tells their stories, intends to de-stigmatize the experience and allow the sometimes complex emotions surrounding abortion to be shared: (via The Phoenix).

In response to the book, an anonymous writer discusses her abortion experience and why it is important for ordinary women who have had abortions to not be ashamed of their decision: (via The Phoenix).

Gloucester, Mass. Mayor and School Committee Chairman are encouraging School Committee members to allow the high school health center to dispense contraception to its students after the high school was embroiled in a pregnancy scandal earlier this year that garnered extensive media coverage and caused the resignation of many top school officials: (via Boston.com).

The LA Times published an editorial against California's parental notification proposition (Prop 4), saying the law would hinder abortion rights and possibly, contrary to its supposed goal, put pregnant underage girls in greater endangerment.

Thirteen state attorneys general and several medical associations have come out in opposition to the proposed HHS rule that extends the abilities of health care workers to deny services based on their personal beliefs, saying the rule would "obliterate the rights of patients": (via AP/Google).

The Republican Majority for Choice will not be nominating a candidate in the presidential election, citing an "outpouring of concern from our members" over McCain's selection of adamantly anti-choice Gov. Sarah Palin for his running mate: (via RH Reality Check).

A new poll conducted by the New York Times and CBS News, shows continued support for abortion rights in the mainstream of American life, yet also indicates that very few voters are making their decisions based on social issues - highlighting the need to educate voters that reproductive rights are as vulnerable as the economy (via RH Reality Check).

An op-ed published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer says that McCain's determination to move the Supreme Court even further to the right should be of concern to all Americans, particularly his campaign pledge to appoint more federal court judges like those appointed by George W. Bush.

John McCain Is No Choice for Women!

John McCain has an alarming history of disrespecting women and their contributions to society. He's violently opposed to womens' reproductive freedom, has voted against women's access to health care, and has repeatedly opposed women receiving equal pay for equal work. None of us can afford to vote for a person like John McCain, who shows such utter disrespect for women.

John McCain Opposes A Woman's Right to Choose

John McCain clearly opposes a woman's right to choose. John McCain would appoint Supreme Court Justices who would overturn Roe vs. Wade, and support radical religious extremists' efforts to ban birth control. Meanwhile, Barack Obama strongly supports a woman's right to choose, a position shared by a majority of Americans.

Karen Cooper, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, issued a statement on the selection noting that Senator Biden has consistently expressed support for a woman's right to choose and has a strong record of opposing judicial nominees with hostile anti-choice records.

The Seattle Times editorializes against the Bush administration's HHS proposal, saying that it is an unnecessary change that "isn't solving a problem as much as it is taking an 11th-hour stand against choice".  

Norman Gant, executive director of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology has publicly released his organization's response to the HHS proposal, noting that it seems that the HHS is willfully misinterpreting ABOG certification rules in order to justify the new regulations.

An anonymous author has started blogging about the process of terminating her pregnancy, after searching the Web for abortion blogs and finding only anti-choice propaganda.  

Broadsheet comments that, given that abortion is still taboo in pop culture, it's not surprising that bloggers have previously avoided the subject and commends the author for opening this dialogue.  

ABC News reports on new studies by Gynuity and Ibis Reproductive Health to research how many women undergo non-medically supervised abortions and why, highlighting the need to improve communication of reproductive rights and address barriers to reproductive health care.

Women's eNews reports on the increased role of women at the Democratic National Convention.

The New York Times reports on the difficulties faced by Mexico City's government in increasing access to abortion services in a country with obstructive conscience clauses, which may foreshadow future problems in United States as refusal rules such as those recently proposed by the HHS are implemented.

ABC News reports that John McCain's campaign has indicated that he is backing away from his previously stated goal of changing the GOP's platform, a move which pleases his conservative base but is likely to alienate any moderate voters he was hoping to attract.

Slate reports on the dilemma facing South Dakota's abortion providers, who are now required by law to provide medically inaccurate and misleading information to their patients.

SIECUS has released the 2007 edition of its annual state profiles report, detailing where federal abstinence-only-until-marriage dollars are being spent and important Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Study (YRBSS) statistics (via RH Reality Check).  

The Detroit News reports that some Catholic leaders in the Detroit area are increasingly promoting Pope Paul VI's 1968 Humanae Vitae, which condemns contraception.

Barack Obama seeks to increase his already significant lead over John McCain amongst female voters by focusing on the issue of pay equity (via The Washington Post).  

The New York Times publishes a disappointing article on HPV vaccines in which the author uses the fact that HPV is of a much graver concern in the developing world than the United States to downplay the need for women to protect themselves.  

Writing about Obama and McCain's comments on abortion at the Saddleback Church presidential candidate's forum, Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts Jr. writes that John McCain's `crisp and concise' answers were more conducive to the format, but cautions readers "not to mistake stark simplicity for wisdom".

In a related story, the Austin-American Statesman reports on the increasing opposition to birth control within previously liberal Christian denominations.  

During a two-hour forum on faith hosted by megachurch minister Rick Warren, Barack Obama reaffirmed his commitment to reproductive rights, stressing the importance of reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and supporting low-income families, while John McCain reiterated his anti-choice position (via The Columbian).
When asked which of the sitting Supreme Court justices he would not have appointed, McCain named all the liberal judges and noted that there might be several vacancies soon (via The News Tribune)  

Responding to John McCain's comments that he hasn't ruled out choosing a pro-choice running mate, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge said he thinks whoever is selected should defer to McCain on abortion rights issues, meaning their opinions would be nothing more than pointless window-dressing (via The News Tribune).

The New York Times' Judith Warner agrees, saying that abortion opponents who hoped to gain ground with the Democrats are frustrated that the Platform does not provide additional ammunition for a moral debate.  

Nancy Keenan, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America, responds to John McCain's comments that he has not ruled out a pro-choice vice president, noting that the president is the one who sets policy and will nominate a Supreme Court justice (via Huffington Post)

A new study from the Guttmacher Institute says that the percentage of U.S. women using contraception has increased from 36% in 1995 to 41% in 2002, with one quarter of them obtaining contraceptive services used publicly funded clinics (via Washington Post).

RH Reality Check analyzes McCain's latest ads which seeks to portray Obama's popularity with young female voters as a negative, commenting that McCain's stance on reproductive rights was already dismissive of young women and his latest ads assume that he has already lost their vote.