Marie Stopes International's Response To The 2010 Abortion Statistics In England And Wales

Official figures released today by the Department of Health show that the number of women having abortions in England and Wales has risen for the first time in three years. In total 189,574 abortions were performed in 2010, representing a 0.3% increase from 2009...

National Right To Life Responds To Latest Guttmacher Report

Today, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates, disputed claims that restrictions on abortion "disproportionately affect" poor women...

Following Abortion, Immediate Use Of An IUD Is More Likely To Prevent Unintended Pregnancies

Women who receive a contraceptive known as an intrauterine device or IUD immediately following a first trimester abortion experience few complications and are less likely to have an unintended pregnancy than those who delay getting an IUD by several weeks, according to a new study at Oregon Health & Science University. The findings are published in the June 9 New England Journal of Medicine...

FPA Responds To Latest Abortion Statistics, UK

Responding to today's Abortion Statistics for England and Wales 2010, Natika H Halil, Director of Information for the sexual health charity FPA said: 'Over the last decade, we've seen significant achievements in abortion services. Most women are having abortions under 13 weeks and we've seen a substantial rise in early medical abortions...

Overall Abortion Rate Drops 8% In Eight Years, Rises 18% Among Poor Women In USA

While the abortion rate dropped between 2000 and 2008 overall in the USA, among women whose family incomes are below the federal poverty level it rose, researchers from the Guttmacher Institute wrote in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. 40% of all abortions in America in 2008 were performed on poor women...

More Indian Families Selectively Aborting Girls So That There Is At Least One Boy In The Family

New research published Online First and in an upcoming Lancet shows that, in Indian families in which the first child has been a girl, more and more parents are aborting their second child if prenatal testing shows it to be a girl, presumably to ensure at least one child in their family will be a boy...

Judge Approves Cutting Public Funding For Planned Parenthood In Indiana

Indiana is the first US state to stop public funding to Planned Parenthood for general health services after a federal judge refused to block a new abortion law. Many see this as a move to enhance Republican Governor Mitch Daniel's credentials among conservatives as he deliberates on running for president...

Trained Midwives And Nurses Can Provide Early Medical Abortion As Safely And Effectively As Doctors

Properly trained auxiliary nurse midwives and nurses can provide early medical abortions* as safely and effectively as doctors in developing countries, concludes an Article published Online First in The Lancet...

Abortion Statistics, England & Wales: 2010

The following National Statistics were released today by the Department of Health: Abortion Statistics, England & Wales: 2010 Main findings: In 2010, for women resident in England and Wales: - The total number of abortions was 189,574, 0.3% more than in 2009 (189,100) and 8.0% more than in 2000 (175,542). -The age-standardised abortion rate was 17...

Link Between Increased Contraceptive Supply And Fewer Unintended Pregnancies

Rates of unintended pregnancies and abortions decrease significantly when women receive a one-year supply of oral contraceptives, instead of being prescribed one- or three-month supplies, a UCSF study shows...

The Social Stigma Surrounding Abortion

An international team of researchers says abortion stigma is under researched, under theorized and over emphasized in one category: women who've had abortions. As a result, they're launching a new direction into research that explores the social stigma surrounding abortion...

Abortion Provider Said To Have Understated Abortion Numbers By Thousands

Planned Parenthood's Guttmacher Institute has disclosed that a Delaware abortion provider has admitted to greatly underreporting the number of abortions it performs each year-including in statistics that it provided to Delaware's Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS)...

NCCMH Consultation On Induced Abortion And Mental Health, UK

The National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) at the Royal College of Psychiatrists is starting a 12-week consultation on a systematic review of the mental health impact of induced abortion. The review has been commissioned by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and is funded by the Department of Health. The review is being carried out by the NCCMH...

Georgia Legislation Would Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks' Gestation

State Rep. Allen Peake (R) on Thursday introduced a bill (HB89) banning abortions after 20 weeks' gestation based on the notion that a fetus can feel pain, the Macon Telegraph reports. The bill contains an exception to allow abortion if a woman's life or the life of another fetus is in danger (Lee, Macon Telegraph, 1/28)...

The Impact Of Sex Selection And Abortion In China, India And South Korea

In the next 20 years in large parts of China and India, there will be a 10% to 20% excess of young men because of sex selection and this imbalance will have societal repercussions, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)...

New Jersey Gov. Christie Deceptive On Extent Of His Antiabortion-Rights Stance, Editorial Says

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) "is no longer posing as a moderate voice on abortion rights" and "is now championing the antiabortion cause," a Newark Star-Ledger editorial states. According to the editorial, Christie favored reproductive rights as a young lawmaker but changed his mind when his daughter was born...

Ark. Senate Passes Bill To Prohibit Abortion Coverage In Insurance Exchanges; Va. House Approves Tighter Clinic Restrictions

The Arkansas Senate on Thursday voted 27-8 to approve (SB 113) that would prevent health insurers participating in the new health insurance exchanges from offering abortion coverage, the AP/Texarkana Gazette reports. If women purchasing health coverage through the exchanges wish to have coverage for abortion, they would need to purchase separate policies or riders with private funds...

FPA Statement On High Court Abortion Ruling

Secretary Of State Urged To Amend Class Of Place For Abortions Says Sexual Health Charity FPA Reacting To Today's High Court Judgement Reacting to today's ruling in the High Court that rejected the bpas legal challenge to re-interpret the 1967 Abortion Act to allow women to take the second stage of a medical abortion at home, Julie Bentley, Chief Executive FPA said: "D...

NARAL Pro-Choice America's Keenan Explains Threat Of 'Stupak On Steroids'

One day after the House passed a bill (HR 2) that would repeal the federal health reform law (PL 111-148), House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) "declared a far-reaching anti-choice bill (HR 3) to be one of his 'highest legislative priorities'," NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan writes in an opinion piece on The Hill's "Congress Blog." The bill's main sponsor, Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J...

Pa. Committee Bill Would Ban Insurance Coverage Of Abortion; Wyo. House Rejects Ultrasound Measure

The Pennsylvania Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Tuesday voted 12-2 to approve a bill (HB 3) that would prohibit health insurance plans that participate in state-based health insurance exchanges from providing coverage for abortions, the Philadelphia Inquirer's "Commonwealth Confidential" reports...

Clandestine Abortions Generate Up To $95 Million A Year For Polish Doctors As Women Use Illegal Private Sector

New analysis published by the UK journal Reproductive Health Matters shows that the criminalisation of abortion in Poland has led to the development of a vast illegal private sector with no controls on price, quality of care or accountability. Since abortion became illegal in the late 1980s the number of abortions carried out in hospitals has fallen by 99%...

I am a Giant Whiner About the Heat, and Attempts to Defund Planned Parenthood in Tennessee

Ugh. The air conditioner at my place has been broken for the last few weeks, and it’s been a pretty constant 85 degrees in here. I have no idea how people tolerate the south without a/c on a regular basis – the persistent heat is making me whiny and angry and just generally unpleasant. It also has the effect of making it less pleasant for me to focus the energy to post about whatever nonsense our state legislature is up to related to women and their bodies.
If the heat didn’t make me cranky enough, Senator Stacey Campfield (R, duh), added an item to the state budget to “cut off $747,900 a year in federal money for non-abortion family-planning and women’s health services to Planned Parenthood in Memphis and $335,000 to Planned Parenthood in Nashville.”
No...

How abortion magnifies our prejudices

Sam and the Perfect World by David Lenz, father of Sam who has Down SyndromeHumans are a predictable species.В  The more we know about something, the less it scares us.В  The more we interact with different people the less prejudice guides our words and actions.В  From people of another color, to the elderly, to the sick and dying, the more we engage, the less we judge on preconceived notions.В  What does this have to do with abortion?В  Everything.В  When 90% of babies with Down Syndrome are aborted, it means a 90% less chance of ever meeting someone with Down Syndrome.В  90% less chance of understanding how wonderful a person with Down Syndrome is.В  90% less chance of understanding that an extra chromosome 21 does not define or negate a person. Instead we have a world that is nearly Dow...

Abortion kills 12 million girls in India

Just wondering when the feminists are going to figure out that abortion kills women...lots of them.В  From Reuters:Up to 12 million girls were aborted over the last three decades in India by parents that tended to be richer and more educated, a large study in India found, and researchers warned that the figure could rise with falling fertility rates.The missing daughters occurred mostly in families which already had a first born daughter. Although the preference for boys runs across Indian society, the abortions were more likely to be carried out by educated parents who were aware of ultrasound technology and who could afford abortions."The number of girls being aborted is increasing and may have reached 12 million with the lower estimate of 4 million over the last three decades,&quot...

New UK Abortion Statistics: 12 Women A Day Travel From Ireland To Britain To Access Abortion Services

The number of women who travelled from Ireland to Britain for abortion services last year has remained stable, according to the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA). Figures released today (24.05.11) by the UK Department of Health show that in 2010, a total of 4,402 women providing Irish addresses had terminations in England and Wales...

Maddow Contrasts Republican Stances, Actions on Abortion

Rachel Maddow put together a montage of videos featuring Republicans talking about two things – 1) not wanting bureaucrats between people and their doctors, and 2) wanting less regulation overall – and contrasted that with what they’ve been up to on abortion, including legislature-driven, medically inaccurate consent scripts and TRAP laws.
WordPress won’t let me embed it, but it’s online at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#43103392 (with a transcript).
Filed under: Abortion, Access, Rights, & Choice, Government (Source: Women's Health News)

New Guttmacher Video Tackles Misconceptions About Women Who Choose Abortion

There are plenty of stereotypes about women who have abortions, and things most people don’t realize – such as that the majority of women having abortions are already mothers. The true picture is apparent in the CDC abortion surveillance data, but let’s face it – these detailed reports aren’t exactly catchy or easy reading.
The Guttmacher Institute has put out a much simpler version of the facts about women who have abortion in the United States, with clear information about who has abortions, and a call for better access to prevention, comprehensive sex education, and abortion coverage through insurance and for low-income women.

[hat tip to ema] (Source: Our Bodies Our Blog)

India Man Beats Pregnant Wife to Death for Carrying a Girl

Abortion was supposed to be so liberating for women.В  Turns out it just makes it easier to make sure there are less of us.В  And if we refuse to have one?В  Well read this from Asia News:Mumbai В– A man has been accused of beating to death his six-month pregnant wife after finding out she was carrying another girl. The crime took place in Shankarmut, C Bellagal Mandal, in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.The couple already had two daughters. After tests revealed she would have another one, Prakash Chari told his wife last Tuesday to have an abortion. When she refused, he beat her.Neighbours rushed the seriously injured woman to a nearby hospital, but she died of her injuries the next day.The two were married six years ago, police said. A first information report has been filed and an investigation...

Stirring the Pot – How Has Obama Done on Choice?

We’re all pretty used to hearing about anti-choice, anti-reproductive justice Republican proposals that do little to promote the health of all women, but how is our current Democratic President doing on these issues? That is the theme explored by the current issue of Conscience, the magazine of Catholics for Choice, which explores the question of President Obama’s record of pro-choice action.
In the first essay, Jodi Jacobsen of RH Reality Check asks, “Is Obama Prochoice?” and focuses on the topic by looking at the President’s actions related to the stimulus package, healthcare reform debates, the murder of Dr. Tiller, and other events. Her conclusion? “Is Obama Prochoice? Not by my definition.”
Other authors discuss the need for a true “cham...

New York Times Editorials, Letter To The Editor Critique Recently Proposed Legislation Restricting Abortion Access

Two New York Times editorials examine the current "wars" over abortion in the states and in the federal government. Also, Center for Reproductive Rights President Nancy Northup addresses potential court challenges to state abortion legislation...

Sunday News Round-Up, Car-Free/Carless Edition

This post is late because I was busy taking the bus to get here.*
I wrote several times in 2008 about the case of Juana Villegas, an immigrant in Nashville who was arrested as the result of a traffic stop and ultimately ended up shackled to a hospital bed during labor, separated from her newborn for two days without seeing him, and denied a breast pump or cream for lactating women. This past week, a federal judge ruled in her favor that the shackling during labor and after delivery violated her civil rights. I have a full post up at Our Bodies Our Blog on this topic.
I also have a full post up at the OBOS blog on the Skin Deep database, which provides info on the safety and ingredients of skin care and cosmetic products.
I spent the last few days at the IHA Health Literacy conference. I...

Federal Judge Says Baltimore Ordinance Requiring CPCs To Disclose Services Is Unconstitutional

U.S. District Judge Marvin Garbis has ruled that a Baltimore ordinance (FID 09-0406) requiring crisis pregnancy centers to post signs saying they do not provide abortions or birth control violates the Freedom of Speech Clause of the Constitution and cannot be enforced, the AP/Washington Times reports...

Coercive Sterilization Program Tries to Expand to South Africa

Project Prevention, a program formerly known as C.R.A.C.K. that seeks to bribe/coerce women with drug addictions into be sterilized or accepting long-term birth control (that may not be medically appropriate) through financial incentives, started out in the United States by advertising quick cash for addicted women who surrendered their reproductive options and control. The program often targeted communities of color.
Needless to say, the program is vile and racist — founder Barbara Harris has been widely quoted comparing women to dogs and their children to unwanted animals, saying, “We don’t allow dogs to breed. We spay them. We neuter them. We try to keep them from having unwanted puppies, and yet these women are literally having litters of children.”
The program has ...

Tennessee Constitutional Amendment on Abortion to Go to Voters, Planned Parenthood Responds

SJR127, a joint resolution in the Tennessee legislature to “provide that nothing in Constitution of Tennessee secures or protects right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion,” has passed through the legislature. It will go to a public vote on the 2014 state ballot. The resolution has been raised for years, but never made it through both arms of the legislature until now.
Supporters argue that the change would Tennessean’s abortion rights in line with those in the rest of the country by making our state Constitution neutral on the matter. Voting in the change could allow further restrictions, and in the (presumably unlikely) event of a total Roe overturn, it would allow a state ban on abortion.
Naturally, I’m not too enthused about this move to make th...

The Blame Game: Prenatal Genetic Testing and Abortion

Amniocentesis (Photo credit: Saturn Stills/ www.sciencesource.com)Do you get that feeling?В  You know when you hear about a new prenatal test and you shake your head, let a little grumble escape from your mouth, and then you notice the sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach.В  Many pro-lifers get that feeling because they know that a new prenatal test performed even earlier means more innocent babies aborted.В  I normally don't talk about something as mushy as feelings, but today, I want to talk about that feeling.A few months ago scientists announced a new way to genetically test a fetus as early as 12 weeks.В  Unlike amniocentesis, or chorionic villus sampling (CVS) each with a risk of miscarriage, this new method finds fragments of the fetal DNA in the mother's blood.В  This test ...

Blogs Comment On The Abortion Rights Movement, Crisis Pregnancy Centers, Birth Control Access

The following summarizes selected women's health-related blog entries. "I Went to the March for Life, and All I Got Was This Lousy Fear for Choice," Sarah Erdreich, Feminists For Choice: The crowd at the March for Life in Washington, D.C...

Sunday News Round-Up, Not Intended to Be a Factual Statement Edition

Actually, the round-up is not a joke – but I have been cracking up at Stephen Colbert’s response (and the resulting tweets) to Republican John Kyl’s way, way off statement on the Senate floor that >90% of what Planned Parenthood does is abortion (it’s more like 3%), and his spokesperson’s response, when Kyl was called on the error, that it “was not intended to be a factual statement.” [more via Know Your Meme]
At Our Bodies Our Blog, some discussion of “opiate babies” as the new “crack babies,” with all of the problematic media coverage and decentering of women’s stories and experiences that implies.
Also, OBOS is looking for individuals who might want to be on the cover of the 40th anniversary edition of the book,...

New Debate Over Addicted Mothers and Their Babies

This week, the New York Times ran a piece focused on the babies of women addicted to prescription painkillers. The focus of the narrative – almost exclusively on the babies, with a lack of real interrogation of or accountability for how the system currently fails and demonizes addicted pregnant women – should be familiar to anyone who witnessed media coverage of the “crack baby” in the 1980s.*
In fact, the writer explicitly draws this parallel by stating, “Like the cocaine-exposed babies of the 1980s, those born dependent on prescription opiates — narcotics that contain opium or its derivatives — are entering a world in which little is known about the long-term effects on their development.”
The same paper ran a piece in December 2009, “The E...

What Should I Do With My Uterus? Let's Put it to a Vote!

In this morning's Nashville, TN newspaper:
Tennessee abortion protections are scheduled to come up for debate in the legislature today, in a critical vote that could determine whether the issue goes before voters in 2014.
What's meant to go before voters  if/when it clears the state legislature  is an amendment to the state Constitution to say that ;Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. Supporters plan to implement waiting periods, legislated scripts for doctors, and other restrictions if the amendment is passed.
Naturally pro-choice folks -including me  are concerned about: a) amending the Constitution to suggest fewer rights for women; b) putting it up to a popul...

Sunday News Round-Up, Whining About the Heat Edition

This week I added one more lecture to the list of lectures I need to write up for posts here; this week it was Kevin Pho, better known as KevinMD. I’ll have more detail and commentary later, but I particularly appreciated his closing remark that patients *are* going online for health information, and physicians can either roll their eyes and resist or get on board – I’ve made the same argument in various posts here.
One more example of the Tennessee state legislature being up to utter hateful bullshit: Legislature moves quickly to nullify council’s newly adopted nondiscrimination ordinance. Nashville passed an ordinance basically meaning that businesses contracting with the metro government have to have nondiscrimination policies in place that include protections a...

"Right To Life" means "You Have No Rights To Your Life" In Republican.

H/T Red Rambler: Is Pro-Life really Pro-Life?Image via Wikipedia  Have you ever noticed that when Social Conservatives use a bumper sticker term like "Right To Life," it often means something entirely different than what ordinary English Usage would suggest? "Right to Life" - you would think - would imply a broad reverence for life and a reluctance to interfere in matters of individual liberty. But in fact, the only real right to life they seem to respect is their right to interfere with your life, and there are two iconic causes here - any chance that a woman might control her own reproduction, even in cases of rape or incest (one is tempted at times to use the word especially)  and of course the gun-culture fetishism. It is not Right to Life when the direct outcome of policy an...

Sunday News Round-Up, Sunny Day Edition

The New England Journal of Medicine published a freely available Clinical Practice article, “Care of Transsexual Persons.” It covers hormones, surgery, and adolescents. Note that it does use the problematic gender identity “disorder” language as included in the DSM and it also promotes the standard psychological counseling hoops that transgender persons must jump through prior to obtaining treatment – Julia Serano‘s “Whipping Girl” provides a good primer on why those hoops can be problematic. It might be worth checking out what kinds of materials health care providers are seeing regarding these topics, including how they’re problematic.
Relatedly, there’s a possibility that “gender identity disorder” will be renamed &...