Report Examines Benefits of Publicly Funded Family Planning Services

This week, the Guttmacher Institute published a report on the benefits of publicly funded family planning services. The report found that, through the provision of contraceptives to young and low-income women, the national family planning program prevents 1.94 million unintended pregnancies and saves significant amounts of taxpayer dollars each year.

More than nine in 10 women receiving publicly funded family planning services would be eligible for Medicaid in the case of a pregnancy. By avoiding these costs associated with unintended pregnancies and pregnancy-related care, taxpayers save $4 for every $1 spent on family planning.

“Publicly funded family planning is basic health care that empowers disadvantaged women to decide for themselves when to become pregnant and how many children to have,” said Rachel Benson Gold, the study’s lead author.

>Read the full report here.

Stories of Real Women Featured in Glamour

Over one-third of women of reproductive age have an abortion by the age of 45. However, women who have chosen abortion are often absent from the public debate. In order to break the silence surrounding abortion, we will be featuring real stories from real women each Wednesday on our blog. If you would like to share your story with us or have it published on our blog, go to http://www.prochoice.org/pregnant/hotline/share.html.

This month, Glamour magazine published a six-page article about abortion, which profiles eight women who were willing to candidly share their abortion experiences. NAF members Dr. Deb Oyer, counselor Anne Baker, and Dr. Cassing Hammond were also featured in the piece.

Allyson Kirk, a member of NAF’s Patient Partnership, was one of the women who shared her story with Glamour:

“I was 23 when I discovered I was pregnant. My partner and I had been dating only a month, and I got pregnant due to failed birth control—I’d recently switched to the Patch, which didn’t work for me. I had just moved to Virginia from Florida and didn’t know where to go for an abortion, so I looked online and called a local NAF-recommended clinic. The day of my initial consultation, I drove to the address in a mall and entered an office that had a pregnancy-testing sign on its door. I filled out some forms, then a woman led me into another room to ask me more questions. Everything was fine until she asked what my religion was. I asked her why that was necessary, and she said she could not properly counsel me without knowing my “morality.” I was shocked—it was none of her business! So I asked to move on. She gave me a pregnancy test, and then as I waited for the results, she had me watch a video. Within minutes, I knew it was propaganda: It said not many people know the truth about abortion—that doctors who provide them graduate at the bottom of their class and that it is linked to breast cancer and depression. I was outraged. I went in trusting these people and felt betrayed and manipulated. When they started showing graphics of an actual procedure, using an illustration that was the size of a third-trimester fetus, I got up to leave. It was too upsetting. As I stormed past both the “counselor” and the receptionist, I said, ‘You people should be ashamed of yourselves.’ Once I got home, I called NAF to tell them they should take that clinic off their website—and that is when I first learned about these fake “crisis pregnancy centers” that sometimes use propaganda to discourage women from having an abortion. The NAF clinic I was supposed to go to was two doors down. When I went to see them the next day, I told them what happened, and they apologized and said it’s a common occurrence. It breaks my heart to think of someone going in there already scared. If I had been nervous or ill informed or did not have a support network, that experience would have been devastating.”

Allyson Kirk, 26

>Learn about NAF’s Patient Partnership.
>Read the full Glamour article.

Real Women Share Their Abortion Stories

Over one-third of women of reproductive age have an abortion by the age of 45. However, women who have chosen abortion are often absent from the public debate. In order to break the silence surrounding abortion, we will be featuring real stories from real women each Wednesday on our blog. If you would like to share your story with us or have it published on our blog, go to http://www.prochoice.org/pregnant/hotline/share.html.

Three years ago I had an abortion. I was living in England at the time, and when I had sexual intercourse with my boyfriend the condom broke. I found out I was pregnant two months later. I was still in school and working part time. My family is not well off and I had to work to earn my keep. I had no time to bring up a child and the best, most obvious option was to have an abortion. It was fine, and the operation went well. I am not scared at all, in fact, I am ok with my decision.

--submitted by Vanessa* via our website


I have always been pro-choice in that I strongly believe that if women and girls cannot control their own reproduction, we are in a very sad state. I absolutely thought I would never have an abortion-I thought I would never "need" to, that I "couldn't" do it.

About a year ago-at age 44 my fourth pregnancy ended in an abortion.

I could no more imagine continuing that pregnancy than I could imagine terminating the pregnancies that resulted in my three children. I am thankful every day for my children...I love them with all my heart, and spend most of my time with them.

I had an abortion because my mind, heart, and soul told me that continuing this pregnancy would only result in physical and emotional pain for those I love most. I have learned many things, including how much judgment of others hurts individuals and our society.

--submitted by Michelle* via our website

*Names have been changed to protect patient privacy

Abortion Far More Prevalent in Mexico Than in U.S., Study Shows

Despite the fact that abortion is largely illegal in Mexico, the abortion rate increased by one-third between 1990 and 2006, according to a recent national survey. The 2006 abortion rate in Mexico was more than 40% higher than the U.S. rate, where abortion is broadly legal and accessible.

The study, conducted by El Colegio de Mexico, the Population Council Mexico Office, and the Guttmacher Institute, found that many abortions in Mexico take place under unsafe conditions, resulting in serious health consequences for women.

In 2007, abortion was legalized in Mexico City within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy; however, abortion remains illegal in other Mexican states.

“These findings confirm research from other parts of the world – that making abortion illegal does not significantly decrease its frequency, it just makes it unsafe and puts women’s lives at risk,” said Fatima Juarez, lead author of the study.

>Learn more about reproductive rights in Mexico.

State Policymakers Continue to Attack Abortion Access

Lawmakers in multiple states continue to propose legislation attempting to restrict abortion access.

Earlier this week in South Carolina, a bill requiring that all women wait 24 hours after an ultrasound is provided to receive abortion care was approved by a House committee and sent to the full House of Representatives. Current law already requires women to wait one hour after the ultrasound examination.

Legislators in South Dakota have drafted a bill requiring that all providers meet with patients 24 hours prior to any scheduled appointment. Last November, South Dakota voters overwhelmingly defeated the most restrictive abortion ban in the nation by a margin of 55% to 45%.

Anti-choice legislation failed this week in Wyoming, however, where a bill requiring providers to offer patients the option of an ultrasound before providing abortion care failed in committee. Thanks in part to the strong testimony of Rep. Sue Wallis, the legislation was rejected by a vote of 6-3.

"To have the state impose this obligation on them to go through with this unnecessary procedure is an insult to me as a woman, and an insult to me as a United States citizen," Wallis said.

This week, pro-choice advocates in Richmond, VA took proactive steps to oppose anti-choice legislation by joining together with activists from all over the state to urge legislators to protect and expand reproductive rights. Organized by the Virginia Pro-Choice Coalition and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, Pro-Choice Lobby Day drew hundreds of supporters, and two anti-choice bills were defeated by legislative committees.