Kearns Goodwin at Planned Parenthood’s Celebrate Event
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Way back in a time I like to call “Pre-Obama is our President-Elect time,” Planned Parenthood hosted a rather large shindig, in which Doris Kearns Goodwin was the keynote speaker.
Yes, I know what you’re thinking--- “DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN, AWARD-WINNING HISTORIAN AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK TEAM OF RIVALS, A BOOK WHICH HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY RELEVANT IN THE ANALYSIS OF PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA’S CABINET SELECTIONS? THAT DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN?!?!”
To which I reply---yes, THAT Doris Kearns Goodwin. It’s true-- Kearns Goodwin’s book, A Team of Rivals: the Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, continues to come up when discussing the apparent conflict between the President-Elect and several of his future cabinet members. Kearns' field of research is so increasingly relevant that her speech from the Planned Parenthood fundraiser has been featured on MPR not once but twice!
If you weren’t able to hear Kearns Goodwin in person, then you should definitely give her speech (excerpted by MPR) a listen.
How very relevant indeed!
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Men’s programming chooses new angle for rape prevention
by AnnaWeb Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Year after year, educators try to impress upon young women ways to protect themselves from sexual assault: Take self defense classes. Avoid walking alone at night. At a party, never accept drinks you didn’t mix yourself. But year after year, the rape statistics are frightening: 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will be victims of sexual assault during their lifetime. 1 in 4 college women have experienced rape or attempted rape. 60 percent of sexual assaults go unreported.
A glance at these stats reveals that something more needs to be done, and some educators are taking the initiative by incorporating a fresh outlook into their programming. The new concept? Focus on men.
This approach is all about addressing the cultural problems and perceptions that make rape such a widespread travesty. Rape myths—misconceptions about what is and is not rape, misconceptions about women’s willingness to participate in sex in any situation, and misconceptions about what women are “asking for” when they dress provocatively, to name a few—are at the heart of this problem. New programming focuses on dispelling these myths and angles its plea in a new direction by making men potential allies, not potential criminals.
An early November article in the Star Tribune, discussing how Minnesota campuses are implementing male-oriented programming, really hit home for me. The article reported that one in five female college students at 14 Minnesota colleges and universities reported experiencing an actual or attempted sexual assault in 2007. Recognizing this as a problem that won’t go away without major intervention, “schools including the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Cloud State University, Minnesota State University, Mankato, and Carleton College are starting men's groups or have them in place.”
Men in these programs get together in peer groups, usually with peer educators (students tend to respect other students), to think and talk about all the things that go hand-in-hand with rape. The myths, the objectification, the pop culture and song lyrics that prove pretty derogatory when you stop to think about them-- all of this feeds into a conversation about how women are sexualized in our culture, and how simple actions and attitude changes can help. Just calling their guy friends out on derogatory language or disrespectful treatment, for example, is one way that these college men, and men in general, can work to make sexual assault as socially unacceptable as it ought to be.
Organizations are cropping up all over the country that share similar values and try to impart similar knowledge. One in Four and Men Can Stop Rape are just two of the many I came across that are implementing men’s programs to facilitate rape prevention. Focusing on peer education and victim empathy, these programs highlight how men can help rather than highlighting their status as potential rapists. How to support female friends who are recouping after a sexual assault experience is one crucial educational element. According to One in Four, 75 percent of “high risk” men who go through the organization’s programming report that they are less likely to commit sexual assault.
All of this, of course, comes back to something that isn’t just about formal education. It’s about the things we learn from everyone and everything around us—our parents, our friends, the media, our culture. The ultimate goal of these programs, and the ultimate goal of anyone who is concerned about sexual assaults, is to change cultural beliefs about sexuality so that women can enjoy complete respect and safety. Certainly not an overnight process, but programs like these indicate to me that we are on the right track.
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Lame moves from a Lame Duck
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Last week we caught wind that the President-elect Obama is already making plans to rescind the harmful Global Gag Rule. At the same time, we’ll likely be hearing later this week from the Bush Administration in regard to another anti-choice rule that would redefine abortion to include they most common forms of birth control. The effects of this could be extremely far reaching.
The Bush administration promised not to release any new rules after November 1st. But here we are on November 17 and it sounds like they may have changed their minds and are going to try sneak this new rule in under the radar. Please sign the petition and tell President Bush to stop the attack on women’s health!
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California voters reject proposition for pre-abortion parent notification
by AnnaWeb Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
California has been getting plenty of press this past week for the passage of Proposition 8, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. But November 4 also brought the rejection by California voters of a measure that, if passed, would have been a major detriment to the reproductive rights movement—Proposition 4, or Sarah’s Law. In other words, we do have cause to celebrate at least on of the decisions that our most populous state made last Tuesday.
Proposition 4 called for a "Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor's Pregnancy", requiring doctors to inform a minor’s parent or guardian of an intended abortion at least 48 hours before the procedure. California citizens voted on two nearly identical propositions in the past, Proposition 73 in 2005 and Proposition 85 in 2006, and rejected both, making this the third time that notification measures have been shot down.
It doesn’t require an expert to figure out that this proposed legislation was basically a dressed-up attempt to make it more difficult for a minor to obtain an abortion. Proponents used the ideal of increased family communication to promote the measure, but in reality many teenagers do overcome their fears and tell their parents about the procedure. I’m willing to believe that those who don’t probably have a good reason—a young woman might surmise that her parents would force her to reverse a decision she has obviously deemed best for herself. To my mind it is disrespectful to imply that a young woman in this difficult situation would make a rash decision unless forced to include her parents in the dialogue.
Just as importantly, some young women are desperate enough to opt for risky alternatives like illegal procedures if it allows them to keep their parents out of the loop, which is exactly why the California Medical Association and the California Nurses Association both spoke out against Proposition 4.
One exception that the proposal would have allowed involved notification waivers for young women with abusive parents. As the San Francisco Chronicle explained: “A physician could agree to a minor's request to notify another adult relative if there was evidence of a parent's physical, sexual or severe emotional abuse - and the doctor reported those allegations to law enforcement or Child Protective Services. The only other exception would be for a medical emergency or if a parent had waived his or her right to notification in advance.” My guess is that this process would prove pretty complicated and strenuous for someone who obviously has plenty on her plate already.
Upwards of 30 states already have legislation like Proposition 4 in place, requiring parent notification prior to abortion. California, and states like South Dakota, and Colorado, which also defeated anti-choice initiatives, are standing their ground on the abortion issue in general. These rejections, compiled with the election of a president who will actually lend us his support, is a heartening move for the reproductive rights movement.
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Passing the Test: Preventing STIs
Kristine
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Wouldn’t it be nice if we lived in a world free of disease and sexually transmitted infections? Unfortunately this is not the case, so we as a nation--and a planet--need to work together to fight STIs. A great way to do this is through prevention. Getting tested greatly discourages the spread of infection and encourages awareness of reproductive health. But when clinics are underfunded it becomes difficult for them to provide this resource. However, it is imperative that such facilities be made available, as there is a much higher chance of STIs becoming widespread if people who are infected are unaware of it. Getting tested also means a likelier chance of seeking treatment.
Being informed of one’s sexual health is critical. But evidently, many young people today are simply not aware of the consequences that sex can bring. According to a 2003 study on sexual health attitudes of young adults, many are dangerously uninformed when it comes to protecting themselves from disease. The study, National Survey of Adolescents and Young Adults: Sexual Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Experiences, reports that:
While three quarters of adolescents and young adults say they know at least "something" about STDs and HIV/AIDS and one-quarter say they know "a lot", half of those surveyed did not know that 25% of sexually active young people contract an STD, and one-third were unaware that people their age account for 50% of all new HIV infections. Between one-fifth and three-fifths of those surveyed do not know the specific complications of certain diseases. One-fifth of young people believe they would simply "know" if someone else had an STD even if they were not tested, and one-sixth believe that STD transmission can only occur when obvious symptoms are present.
Dire consequences for our nation’s young men and women await if we cannot provide them with adequate sexual health resources. If we as a nation do not take responsibility for our citizens’ sexual health, we will certainly be sacrificing a lot.
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Obama to repeal the Global Gag Rule
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Transition advisers to President-elect Barack Obama have compiled a list of about 200 Bush administration actions and executive orders that could be swiftly undone to reverse White House policies on climate change, stem cell research, reproductive rights and other issues…
…The new president is also expected to lift a so-called global gag rule barring international family planning groups that receive U.S. aid from counseling women about the availability of abortion, even in countries where the procedure is legal, said Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. When Bill Clinton took office in 1993, he rescinded the Reagan-era regulation, known as the Mexico City policy, but Bush reimposed it.
As it stands currently under President Bush, international family planning organizations can choose to cease discussing abortion as an option and therefore continue to receive aid to do other family planning work OR continue discussing abortion and receive zero dollars to provide important preventative work.
Consider this: 190 women worldwide will experience an unintended pregnancy every minute. Also consider the fact that about 46 million abortions are performed worldwide annually—nearly half are unsafe. Every hour, eight women will die as a result of an unsafe abortion.
Getting rid of the Global Gag Rule is a big deal— it means saving women’s lives and funding important work that will help reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies and STIS.
Kudos to President-elect Obama for already planning to repeal this atrocious, ideological, policy.
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PODCAST: Election Results and their impact on Planned Parenthood
If you are experiencing slow play back, click the link below and try loading the mp3 version.
Play PodcastPODCAST: Election Results and their impact on Planned Parenthood
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
By now we all know that Minnesota elected a pro-choice President, but do you know what other pro-choice candidates made the cut?
Listen to my interview with Tim Stanley, Executive Director of the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund, by using the player below. You can can also subscribe to our podcast in itunes.
In the State House, we held onto our narrow pro-choice majority and gained at least 2 additional pro-family planning seats! Unfortunately, we also lost a few of our strongest supporters; most notably, Ron Erhardt (Edina) lost his re-election bid. Ron had served Edina for 18 years and was the last pro-choice Republican in the Minnesota House.
At the Federal level, we await the results of the U.S. Senate race and are hopeful that a recount will bring victory for Al Franken! However, several pro-choice candidates were elected to U.S. Congress including Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison and Tim Walz!
Check out the list of pro-choice candidates that won on Tuesday on the list to the right! ------>
Thanks for voting!!! It really makes a difference!
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Obama’s election means a bright outlook for Planned Parenthood
by Anna
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
It was definitely a big moment last night when the California polls closed and it became clear that Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States. Big for many reasons, and one of them, for those of us who align ourselves with the ideals of Planned Parenthood and other reproductive rights groups, is the realization that 2009 will usher in a new chief executive who has time and time again placed his support behind the same policies that we do.
I was prepared to write this blurb no matter what happened last night, and the plan was that if McCain/Palin won I would issue some sort of cry for solidarity in the pro-choice community, which I’m sure would have been all the more upsetting for its unmasked disappointment. Luckily, I can instead say wholeheartedly that this election came out our way.
Barack Obama is only the second presidential candidate that the Planned Parenthood Action Fund has ever officially endorsed. The organization’s support spawned from Obama’s ongoing backing of pro-choice legislation, comprehensive sex education, and other reproductive health movements: He acted as honorary chair Planned Parenthood of Chicago’s Roe v. Wade celebration in 2005 and sponsored the Freedom of Choice Act, a bill resisting government efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade. He was an original co-sponsor of the Congressional Prevention First Act to ensure that all federally funded education programs include medically accurate contraceptive information. He supports over-the-counter availability of Plan B emergency contraception. And that’s the short list.
Of course, as Obama said himself in last night’s acceptance speech, the work is only beginning. To promote comprehensive sex education in all corners of the country, to protect Roe v. Wade, to ensure that birth control and other forms of contraception are readily available to every woman—things that Planned Parenthood strives for—we will have to put forth our dedication and effort for many years to come. Electing a president who agrees with us does not mean we have turned the United States into a country that universally supports our goals.
Still, I am willing to believe that Obama’s election will be instrumental in removing barriers from our path. Here’s to hoping that we soon see the U.S. making the kind of reproductive health progress we’ve been working toward.
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South Dakotans Reject Second Abortion Ban
South Dakotans Reject Second Abortion Ban in Two Years – Planned Parenthood Calls for End to Divisive Politics - Calls for Meaningful Conversation about Health Care
(Sioux Falls, SD) For the second time in two years, South Dakotans have voted down a dangerous and unconstitutional abortion ban.
“South Dakotans have affirmed by their votes tonight that no vague law can account for every individual circumstance. And that is precisely why women and families, not the government, should make these personal health care decisions,” said Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (PPMNS).
If Initiated Measure 11 had passed, it would have been one of the most restrictive and dangerous bans in recent history. PPMNS, the only provider of abortion care in South Dakota, is committed to protecting the health and safety of women and families.
“Tonight, we call on the opposition to stop the relentless attack against women’s health and safety and work toward a common sense, compassionate solution that will prevent unintended pregnancy and the reduce the need for abortion. We call on them to respect the voters of South Dakota and put politics aside to work for the good of women and families throughout the state,” said Stoesz.
The full text of the ban along can be found here:
http://www.sdhealthyfamilies.org/pages/downloads/
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Elect Pro-Choice Candidates Today!!!
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
We need Obama to undo all the damage the Bush Administration has done to women’s health worldwide. We need Obama to increase access to family planning and fund medically accurate, responsible sex education. And we need Obama to appoint judges who believe strongly in upholding the law of the land, Roe v. Wade.
But if we want to enact common sense policies like Barack Obama supports, then we need to elect pro-choice candidates all the way up and down the ticket!!
Minnesotans, we need to elect Al Franken for Senator. Norm Coleman is in the pocket of special interests, has a terrible record on women’s health, and will toe the line of anti-choice hardliners.
Al Franken, on the other hand, is not taking any money from the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. Franken has won the endorsement of the Planned Parenthood Action fund because he’s committed to making sure that we ALL have access to affordable, high-quality health care, INCLUDING reproductive health care. We need Franken in Washington to look out for best interests of Minnesotans!
Minnesotans-- check out our Pro-Choice Voter Guide to find out which federal and state candidates in your area are endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund!
For more info on other federally endorsed candidates, click HERE.
Visit the MN, ND, or SD Secretary of State Page for more info on voting laws in your state!
Please Vote!
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CBS news on the South Dakota Abortion Debate
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
We've got just 1 day left to encourage South Dakota voters to VOTE NO 11, and recent polls suggest that SD voters are evenly split on the issue. As you saw in the video, this abortion ban is a blatant attempt to overturn Roe V. Wade so if this ban were to pass, it could affect women and families throughout the United States.
South Dakotan's---please encourage other South Dakotans to vote NO on 11. And those of you who have friends or family in South Dakota, please give them a call or send them an email and ask them to NO on 11.
Check out these videos for reasons to vote no on 11.
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Thank you for supporting Pro-Choice Candidates!
Let’s not let this happen to us! Yes, it looks like Obama is doing well in the polls but let’s continue that fight to the finish line so that on November 5th we’re celebrating the victory of a Pro-Choice President and not sitting on the curb with a severe case of road rash, wondering what happened.
We’re participating in a massive coalition Get Out the Vote (GOTV) drive during the weekend prior to the election, and we are in need of volunteers! We’ll be phone banking and knocking on doors on Saturday, November 1st and Sunday, November 2nd! All volunteers will receive a FREE Planned Parenthood T-Shirt!
If you’d like to help out, go to: www.govoteminnesota.org and sign up for a shift! Don’t forget to select “Planned Parenthood” from the Organization drop down menu, so we know you’re one of our volunteers.
Repercussions for all Women
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Just wanted to take a second to share with you this extremely compelling video from the National Advocates for Pregnant Women about some of the repercussions involved with passing anti-choice laws, including laws like the abortion ban in South Dakota. (via feministing)
Issues surrounding abortion are much more complex than I think most people realize. This video perfectly illustrates the profound consequences that we face when we pass backsliding, anti-choice legislation. I hope people will begin to realize that the only way to compromise on this extremely personal issue is to focus on reducing the rates of unintended pregnancy through better access to family planning and a comprehensive approach to sexual education.
There is still time to help ensure that the abortion ban in South Dakota is defeated. Visit the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families to make a donation and stop the abortion ban and the backsliding of women’s rights.
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PODCAST: A Discussion about Voting with the Minneapolis Planned Parenthood Teen Council
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Can you believe it? The election is only 6 days away! I figured it was about time we do a podcast all about voting. I spoke with several members of the Minneapolis Planned Parenthood Teen Council to learn more about what they are doing to help get out the vote, as well as what their thoughts are on this year's election, including their predictions on the all-important youth vote.
You can listen using the player below or subscribe to our podcast in itunes.
Check out the Teen Council's Youtube page to see their Get out the Vote Videos!
Get more information on voting laws in your state by visiting Rock the Vote.
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FAIL!?!?!?
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Let’s not let this happen to us! Yes, it looks like Obama is doing well in the polls but let’s continue that fight to the finish line so that on November 5th we’re celebrating the victory of a Pro-Choice President and not sitting on the curb with a severe case of road rash, wondering what happened.
We’re participating in a massive coalition Get Out the Vote (GOTV) drive during the weekend prior to the election, and we are in need of volunteers! We’ll be phone banking and knocking on doors on Saturday, November 1st and Sunday, November 2nd! All volunteers will receive a FREE Planned Parenthood T-Shirt!
If you’d like to help out, go to: www.govoteminnesota.org and sign up for a shift! Don’t forget to select “Planned Parenthood” from the Organization drop down menu, so we know you’re one of our volunteers.
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Coleman on Health Care
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Health care reform is a huge issue for millions of Americans. And there’s a whole bunch of candidates out there talking about what they think that reform should look like, including Minnesota’s Senatorial candidates. The Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund recently sent out a series of mail pieces discussing Norm Coleman’s ties with the Pharmaceutical and Insurance Industries.
Coleman has taken almost a million dollars combined from the Pharmaceutical and Insurance Industry. He’s also voted against expanding coverage for kids in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. He’s also voted against allowing the government to negotiate lower drug prices for seniors.
As a Senator, Norm Coleman gets his health benefits courtesy of the taxpayers of the United States, including you and me here in Minnesota---but he votes against giving Minnesotan’s those same benefits.
Fortunately, Norm’s opponent, Al Franken, is not taking ANY money from the insurance and d
rug companies - a principled stand previously adopted by the late Senator Paul Wellstone. So if you ask me, it’s pretty clear that Al is the candidate who is working for the best interesting of Minnesotans, rather than the special interests.The Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action fund has endorsed Al and has launched a major voter contact campaign on his behalf because we know he’s committed to fighting to make sure that everyone has access to affordable, high-quality healthcare, INCLUDING reproductive health care.
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FDA warning leads to halt in ovarian cancer test sales
by Anna
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Alas, things are never that simple. LabCorp, the clinical laboratory company that produced and marketed the test, received an FDA warning letter on September 29 stating that the company was illegally selling the test without FDA approval. Typically, when a test is developed by an individual private laboratory, FDA verification is not required. In this case, however, LabCorp developed OvaSure at Yale University. According to the FDA, collaboration with a research university means that the product is not exempt and must obtain approval before going on the market. Last Thursday, October 24, LabCorp announced that it would halt sales of the test in accordance with FDA policies.
Legal intricacies abound—and to be honest, I can’t claim to fully understand what needs FDA approval and what does not, or why. One medical item of interest within this controversy, though, is the claim by groups like the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists that OvaSure is not necessarily accurate because it can produce false positive results. In initial testing by LabCorp the test had a false positive rate of about 6 percent, identifying 95 percent of cancers correctly, but the SGO says the false positive rate may be even higher. These false positives, even if they are infrequent, could lead to unnecessary surgeries, opening up a whole new line of inquiry—is it worth the risk?
Ovarian cancer is often called the “silent killer” because it often shows no symptoms in its early stages. Once it becomes more advanced, chances of surviving the disease are farm slimmer. 80 percent of cases go unnoticed until this early stage, in which the cancer is often curable, has passed. About 21,000 cases are diagnosed every year, and while the five-year survival rate is as high as 92 percent when the cancer is caught before spreading, the rate is only 30 percent when the cancer is already advanced. The key issue here is obviously catching ovarian cancer early on, and tests like OvaSure, if approved by the FDA, could play a crucial role in providing this early detection.
Not that I’m advocating a quick and rash decision to put OvaSure back on the market—on the contrary, I think LabCorps needs to get the politics all squared away by trying to obtain FDA approval. Of course, if the SGO is correct and the false positive rate comes out too high, the company has some substantial kinks to work out before the test can become available. If this is not the case and the test is deemed reliable, let’s hope it finds its way back into the hands of doctors and women as quickly as possible.
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VIDEO Reasons for Voting No on Initiated Measure 11
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VIDEO: Dr. Buehner Speaks Out Against IM 11! (part 2)
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CDC ranks US 29th worldwide for infant mortality rates
by Anna
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
The 2006 figure for infant deaths came out to about 6.71 deaths per 1,000 lives births. As a point of comparison, the 2005 figure was 6.86-indicating slight improvement, but certainly not enough to boost the U.S. into a position alongside the 22 countries with rates of less than 3.5. The lowest rate was found in Singapore at 2.0, with nations like Hong Kong and Japan finishing just behind with rates of 2.5 and 2.8 respectively.
Back in 1960s, the U.S. had the 12th lowest infant mortality rate in the world with a rate of 26 deaths per 1,000 births. While we have certainly lowered our numbers since then, our plummeting worldwide rank indicates that other nations have done so far more quickly and effectively. Another disturbing aspect of our current infant mortality rate is the differential between rates for different groups. The 2005 rate for black Americans was 13.63 infant deaths per 1,000 births, while the rate for whites was 5.76, bringing to light major social issues like equality of health care.
One possible explanation for our infant mortality rate that pops up again and again is the problem of preterm or premature births. More than two-thirds of infant deaths are connected to this issue, and significantly, from 2000 to 2005 the U.S. premature birth rate increased from 11.6 to 12.7 percent of all births.
A preterm birth occurs when less than 37 weeks of gestation have been completed and can lead to a variety of infant health problems. These include respiratory distress syndrome, which causes breathing difficulties, apnea, in which an infant stops breathing for 20 seconds or more at a time, internal bleeding in the brain, heart conditions like patent ductus arteriosis, increased likelihood of infections, chronic lung disease, and anemia, among others. All of these conditions can mean higher risk for infant mortality.
And of course, when we are talking about pregnancies and premature births, we have to discuss what causes these early deliveries in the first place. The number of late preterm births, defined as births between 34 and 36 weeks of gestation, has seen the most dramatic increase in recent years. About 92 percent of these deliveries are by Caesarian section, raising new questions about the impact of this practice on infant health.
Other factors such as health problems during pregnancy play a very substantial role in encouraging preterm births: Late or no prenatal care, smoking, alcohol or drug use, domestic violence, extreme stress, and "long working hours with long periods of standing" can all lead to early delivery. The same goes for preexisting maternal health problems like high blood pressure, being underweight or obese, and clotting disorders. Another cause can be short turnaround between pregnancies, common in women with limited access to contraceptives like birth control pills.
Nobody claims to have completed the puzzle of why the United States suffers from relatively high infant mortality, but some of the pieces are becoming obvious-preterm birth, for one, as well as overarching social problems like poverty and inadequate health care. What does it come down to? Making sure that all mothers are healthy, ready to have children, and able to provide for those children. Not an easy task by anyone's standards, but who knows? Maybe the next step is getting over our pride and taking some pointers from the 2.0's and 2.5's of the world
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A Sign of the Times?
Kristine
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
About two weeks ago, the New York Times ran an editorial about the pro-life movement in America. Paradoxically, but perhaps predictably, the Bush administration is cutting off birth control supplies to women in Africa, resulting in an estimated 62,000 additional abortions and 660 women dying in childbirth. Dana Hovig, chief executive of Marie Stopes International, elaborates:
“The irony and hypocrisy of it is that this is a bone to the self-described ‘pro-life’ movement, but it will result in deaths to women who just want to space their births”.
John McCain and Barack Obama are divided in their positions. McCain is standing with President Bush in opposing certain crucial efforts to help women reduce unwanted pregnancies in Africa (A33). Obama has stated that he has been a “consistent champion of reproductive choice,” and that he will oppose any amendment to overturn Roe v. Wade.
This recent development in the battle for reproductive rights serves to highlight McCain’s woeful lack of experience, or even understanding of, family planning and women’s health. When asked whether American aid should finance contraceptives to fight AIDS in Africa, he initially said, “I haven’t thought about it,” and later added, “You’ve stumped me”.
Here’s hoping that change is on the way.
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Get Out the Vote Opportunities
Volunteers Needed to Help Get Out the Vote!
Voter registration is at an all-time high in Minnesota this year, and we want to make sure that every person that registered to vote gets a reminder to vote on Election Day. Planned Parenthood is participating in a massive coalition Get Out the Vote (GOTV) drive during the weekend prior to the election, and we are in need of volunteers! We’ll be phone banking and knocking on doors on Saturday, November 1st and Sunday, November 2nd. If you’d like to help out, go to: www.govoteminnesota.org and sign up for a shift! Don’t forget to select “Planned Parenthood” from the Organization drop down menu, so we know you’re one of our volunteers! All volunteers will receive a FREE Planned Parenthood T-Shirt!
Women for Change: A Bridge to Somewhere Rally for Barack Obama
On Sunday, October 26th, Tim Stanley (Planned Parenthood MN, ND, SD Action Fund Executive Director) will be speaking at this peaceful rally in support of Barack Obama on the Capitol lawn in St. Paul. The rally is from 1pm-3pm and features (in addition to Tim Stanley) State Representative Erin Murphy and representatives from OutFront Minnesota and Minnesota National Organization for Women. There will also be live music from Ellis. Come out and show your support for reproductive freedom and the next pro-choice President!
Abortion Rights Demonstration and Rally
The University Pro-Choice Coalition is calling the campus to action to create last-minute visibility around the issue of reproductive rights. On Thursday, October 30th from 2 pm to 4 pm students and community members will show our strength and solidarity through holding signs and banners. Join us at 15th avenue and 4th street, in Dinkytown. For more information, contact the University Pro-Choice Coalition: , www.tc.umn.edu/~wsac, 612.625.1611
If you have any further questions, please email Sally at
16 days left!
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
All the excitement and discussion over this year’s election has overshadowed another extremely important debate going on in South Dakota right now. It’s a battle that will affect not only South Dakotans, but potentially the rest of the country as well.
As many of you know, there is another effort to ban abortion in South Dakota going on this year. You might hear that this year’s ban on abortion has exceptions--- don’t be misled. The so-called “exceptions” are so narrow and vague that this ban ends up being the same sweeping ban we saw in ‘06. It’s part of a national effort to directly challenge and overturn Roe v. Wade.
Watch the video below to learn more about what the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families is doing to reach out to South Dakota Voters.
Please consider making a donation to help the Campaign for Healthy Families spread the word about how terrible this ban is and to help them defeat it. Also, please help spread the word to others about what’s going on in SD. We are all in this together.
Donate here.
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Get the scoop on the candidates!
If you find this service useful, please help elect pro-choice candidates by making a donation to the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund.
After you learn who your federal and state pro-choice candidates are, pledge to vote for them Nov 4th!
Our voter guide has occassionally experienced some technical difficulties. If this happens to you, please come back soon and try again. Sorry for the inconvenience. You can also email us at
Center for Reproductive Rights sues Oklahoma over anti-choice legislation
by Anna
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
The Center for Reproductive Rights sued the state of Oklahoma over this legislation, arguing that “the Oklahoma law profoundly intrudes upon a patient's privacy, endangers her health, and assaults her dignity.”
Oklahoma would be the fourth state to require an ultrasound before abortion, following an example set by Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. But Oklahoma’s policy contains a few provisions that the others do not, such as requiring the doctor to turn the ultrasound screen towards the woman and describe what the fetus looks like. (Proponents of the legislation claim that it does not force information on the woman because the law specifies that she is permitted to “avert her eyes.” I’m not convinced.) Furthermore, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the law “prevents a woman from suing her doctor if he or she intentionally withholds other information about the fetus, such as a severe developmental defect.”
Oklahoma State Senator Todd Lamb, originator of the new law, says “I introduced the bill because I wanted to encourage life in society. In Oklahoma, society is on the side of life.” Lamb does not have much to say about whether this legislation is necessary from a medical perspective, probably because it isn’t. Trying to persuade a woman not to terminate her pregnancy, even if it means withholding important information about the fetus’s health, sits firmly in the realm of the ideological, not the medical or scientific. And it disrespects her ability to make intelligent decisions of her own accord.
Stephanie Toti, the Center for Reproductive Rights attorney in the Oklahoma case, sums it up best: "Anti-choice activists will stop at nothing to prevent a woman from getting an abortion, but trying to manipulate a woman's decisions about her own life and health goes beyond the pale. Governments should stop playing doctor and leave medical determinations to physicians and health decisions to individuals.” With an argument like that, we can only hope that the Oklahoma District Court finds it difficult to justify the ultrasound law.
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Thank you !
Until then, there several other ways to take action and get informed:
1. Planned Parenthood is participating in a massive coalition Get Out the Vote (GOTV) drive during the weekend prior to the election, and we are in need of volunteers! We’ll be phone banking and knocking on doors on Saturday, November 1st and Sunday, November 2nd. If you’d like to help out, go to: www.govoteminnesota.org and sign up for a shift! Don’t forget to select “Planned Parenthood” from the Organization drop down menu, so we know you’re one of our volunteers! All volunteers will receive a FREE Planned Parenthood T-Shirt!
2. Embed our Pro-Choice Presidential Countdown application in your facebook or myspace profile. Just click the share button in the lower right hand corner---it’s easy and it’s a great way to spread the word.
3. Learn more about what’s going on with the abortion ban fight in South Dakota by watching a recent KARE 11 Extra video.
4. Donate to the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
5. Subscribe to our podcast in itunes and stay up-to-date on the latest issues affecting reproductive rights!
SD’s Abortion ban on KARE 11
Just wanted to give you all a heads up---last night KARE 11 did a story on the abortion ban fight going on again this year in SD.
This is an extremely critical issue—not just to South Dakota, but to the entire U.S. This year’s ban is once again a blatant attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade, so what happens in SD may very well impact the entire country. Unfortunately, the ban hasn’t gotten that much coverage because of all the other election news. Thanks to KARE 11 for traveling to SD and telling this important story.
Make sure to share the video with your friends and help spread the word on this crucial story that seems to be under most people’s radars.
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Sarah Palin’s Rape Kit Controversy
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
According to their website:
By taking a credible, authentic look at the real Wasilla, and the real Sarah Palin, in the first person voices of the people who really know her, we hope to counter the mythical “narrative” with something a lot more nuanced and valuable.
The purpose of the project is to produce a series of short (2-3 minute), video portraits of Sarah Palin and her hometown of Wasilla that can be a valuable addition to the prevailing impressions of her. As time and resources allow, we may do a longer edit as well, one which goes into depth on broader topics raised by Palin and her political career.
Their first video confronts news that the town of Wasilla charged women for their own evidence-gathering rape kits during Palin’s tenure as Mayor.
The video lays out a reasonably convincing argument that this issue must have been somewhere on Palin’s radar. The fact that the Police Chief, whom Palin appointed, was more concerned with “protecting the taxpayer” rather than victims of crimes (isn’t that one of the roles of the police?) is sickening. This occurred on her watch and she is ultimately responsible.
As feministing pointed out, Palin’s stance against abortion even in the case of rape and incest is just the icing on a ridiculously anti-woman cake. Learn more about Palin’s record here.
Until as recently as 2007, a similar situation existed in North Dakota; thankfully compassion and common-sense prevailed and the state now picks up the tab.
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Sioux Falls Resident discusses Initiated Measure 11
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The Politics of Safe Sex
by Kristine
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Action Fund
In recent years, our country has seen medical advances that have greatly augmented the realm of family planning. However, an important resource in prevention is still not being utilized—comprehensive sex education. Sex education is integral in providing health and safety information to young adults. But as of late it has taken a backseat to abstinence-only programs, leaving young adults uninformed and at risk. And when public schools lack the funding for such a curriculum, teenagers are left to their own devices to become responsible, conscientious adults. The consequences of this are too dire to ignore.
The upcoming election presents voters with an opportunity to make a change. Barack Obama favors teaching both abstinence and contraception to teens. He also voted yes on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education and contraceptives. John McCain voted yes on $75M for abstinence education. With already 3 million young women infected with an STI, information about safe sex and family planning could not be more relevant. Support your community by being informed; for more information about candidates and their stance on the issues go to http://www.issues2000.org/.
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CBS interview, Palin and Biden on Roe
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
I blogged about it Wednesday when it was revealed that CBS had an additional unaired clip that featured Palin discussing the Roe decision. When Couric inquired about whether or not there were any specific cases other than Roe v. Wade with which Palin disagreed, Palin could not name a specific case, but rather stalled by talking about states rights issues.
Well, guess what? That clip is now available online! (Don't you love the internet?) Check out the video to see Palin's response to Couric's questioning. The video also features Joe Biden's thoughts on Roe and other Supreme Court cases. Palin's segment starts about 2 minutes into the video.
Via huffpo
Watch CBS Videos Online
I have to say-this makes no sense to me. A women's right to choose, as granted to her through the Constitutional right to privacy, is a fundamental, Constitutional right. We don't let the states decide on whether or not women should be able to vote, so why should we be doling out a woman's right to choose out to the states? And if you were "unapologetically pro-life" then why would you want to make it a state's rights issue? I don't know about you, but it seems like she's trying to downplay how extreme her views are on this issue. Palin oppose abortion even in the case of rape, incest, and health of the mother!
I know a lot of politicians have talked about overturning Roe v. Wade in the past but it's never seems to be their primary goal. Honestly, the lack of her ability to discuss other issues that she disagrees with, suggests that outlawing abortion and overturning Roe v. Wade is one of her main issues. And that scares me.
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Our Whole Lives: A sex education program that is actually comprehensive
by Anna
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
I was talking with a Macalester friend about sex education just the other day. I detailed how my public school education in Wisconsin failed to offer all the comprehensive information that my peers and I required, and she said she had been pretty satisfied with her sex ed program. Dumbfounded, since she also went to a Midwestern public school, I solicited an explanation. Turns out that she attended a comprehensive sex education class through White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church in Mahtomedi, Minnesota.
After a little more probing, I discovered that the classes at White Bear are part of a national program: Our Whole Lives, founded by the Unitarian Universalist and United Church of Christ denominations. This comprehensive sex education curriculum is available to six age groups, from kindergarteners to adults, in communities across the country. It emphasizes values of self worth, sexual health, responsibility, and justice and inclusivity, providing discussion about anatomical and contraceptive facts in addition to larger issues about understanding sexuality. Religious affiliation is not what matters here. Our Whole Lives is about getting people the information they need to be healthy, happy, and safe.
I contacted Janet Hansen, the Director of Religious Education at White Bear, and she sent me some details about the curriculum, values, and overall goals of OWL. “Our faith is proud to support comprehensive sexuality education…we feel that this is a very important program,” she told me. White Bear offers age-appropriate instruction for Grades 5 and 6 and Grades 9-12, as well as Parent Involvement orientations that parents must attend before their child begins a session. The idea here is that the program “affirms parents as the primary sexuality educators of their children,” according to a White Bear OWL brochure, and encourages them to build on OWL by talking with their kids about what they learn.
The fifth and sixth grade program focuses mostly on puberty and body changes and uses this as a basis for discussions about sexuality, emphasizing communication and decision-making skills as contributors to healthy relationships. The high school curriculum “Presents a comprehensive approach to human sexuality…based firmly on the values of respect, responsibility, justice and inclusivity,” including in-depth discussions about contraception, safe sex, and sexual relationships, including and affirming sexualities besides the social norm of a man and a woman.
The friend who participated in this program in high school had only good things to say about it. “It was a very supportive community and setting, and the adults didn’t try to be intimidating but tried to make it a trusting space,” she explained. She remembers with particular vividness the time when she and her other 13-year-old classmates had to go to the store and buy condoms and bring them to class, a strategy to help them get over the embarrassment of those sorts of situations. She still hasn’t forgotten how nervous she was when her parents dropped her off in the pharmacy parking lot, but she knows now that it was a good way to introduce students to the real-world logistics of sexual health.
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Palin has Roe on her mind
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
I’ve blogged many times about the candidates and their stances on reproductive rights, and recently blogged about the VP nominees' views, including Sarah Palin’s views, on choice. I knew Palin had some extreme views about choice, but even this surprised me…
Via Politico
Of concern to McCain's campaign, however, is a remaining and still-undisclosed clip from Palin's interview with Couric last week that has the political world buzzing.
The Palin aide, after first noting how "infuriating" it was for CBS to purportedly leak word about the gaffe, revealed that it came in response to a question about Supreme Court decisions.
After noting Roe vs. Wade, Palin was apparently unable to discuss any major court cases.
There was no verbal fumbling with this particular question as there was with some others, the aide said, but rather silence.
Ummmmm. Yikes? She can only think of Roe? This does not bode well, people.
If you’re as freaked out as I am and feel like turning that raw freaked-out emotion into something positive, consider signing our open letter to Sarah Palin. Let her know that she does not speak for you!
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McCain Video Gallery
Get the scoop on McCain's anti-choice record by checking out these videos!
Bust the myth that McCain is a moderate
McCain on Birth Control Access
McCain on Sex Ed
What Women's Health Clinics would be like if McCain had his way
McCain is Not a Moderate
McCain on Birth Control Access
McCain on Sex Ed
McCain's Women's Clinic
S. Dakota Readies Again for Abortion Fight
S. Dakota Readies Again for Abortion Fight, Washington Post 9/21/08
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Public comment period ends September 25 for proposed HHS rule
by Anna
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Unfortunately, what always seemed to me like a logical duty of the medical world might not remain intact much longer. I am, of course, talking about the “conscience clause” proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services back in August. This proposed rule would require all health care centers that receive federal funding to provide written documentation ensuring that employees are not required to partake in medical services they find personally objectionable.
This regulation would stretch into many aspects of medical care, but one of the most worrisome—an issue that has been debated on state and federal levels for years—is its implications for contraceptive services. Under the HHS rule, medical providers could, for example, refuse to refill a birth control prescription due to moral or religious beliefs. They could withhold emergency contraception from a rape victim or refuse to perform a vasectomy.
It goes without saying that those of us who are strong advocates of reproductive rights are appalled by this potential legislation. Since when is it the doctor’s decision whether a woman should be using birth control for family planning purposes? This step would drastically undermine women’s ability to control their own reproductive lives.
Politicians and activists are not keeping quiet about this frightening ploy against women’s rights. Senator Hillary Clinton and Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards collaborated in an editorial that ran in the New York Times on September 18, stating, “The Bush administration argues that the rule is designed to protect a provider’s conscience. But where are the protections for patients?” Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich wrote directly to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt to express his concern “that at a time when elected leaders across the country are working to increase access to healthcare for all Americans, the proposed rule will promote a culture of refusal and denial of service.”
It is not too late to send the Department of Health and Human Services a personal statement explaining your thoughts on the provider conscience rule, but you have to act fast. The 30-day period for public comment, a crucial time when citizens can put in their two cents and hopefully prevent the rule from progressing any further, ends on September 25 (yes, that’s this Thursday). Fill out an HHS Public Comment and Submission Form at this link, specifying that you are writing about the proposed provider conscience rule:
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=SubmitComment&o=09000064806da3bc
Or contact your federal senators (Senate.gov) or representatives (House.gov) to pass on your thoughts. It’s a small gesture, but it could make all the difference. The more public resistance we demonstrate, and the more we emphasize how harmful this rule could be to women’s health, the more likely we are to force recognition of the legislation as unprofessional and dangerous.
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SD Campaign for Healthy Families Launches First TV Ad
This 30 second spot contains the story of one incredible family who had to face one of life's most gut-wrenching decisions.
Their story is a true example of why Families MUST Decide. Not the Government.
Visit the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families to find ways to help fight the Ban!
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VIDEO: Medical Student Speaks out against IM 11
By Ashley B
South Dakota Public Affairs Intern Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
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SD’s Abortion Ban featured in the Washinton Post
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
The Washington Post had a good summary of South Dakota’s abortion ban and the debate that has ensued thus far.
Here are some particularly notable quotes:
• Voters rejected a more restrictive measure in 2006, but polls suggested that South Dakotans would have voted yes if it had included exceptions. A group called Vote Yes for Life soon pushed the new version, which they hope will prevent more than 700 abortions a year and produce the case that will overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion nationwide.
• "If there's a risk of a Class 4 felony if I don't meet the ambiguous standard of 'serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily organ or system,' there's no way I would consider doing an abortion for health reasons," Buehner said. "This represents incredible government interference in the practice of medicine."
• "What we see is that women undergo a great deal of hardship to get here. Every time we have a clinic, we see women who have come five or six hours," said Ball, who cited the case of a woman in western South Dakota last year who tried to perform an abortion on herself. The implement the woman used broke off.
• In an open letter on Sept. 4, Lampstand ministers wrote that "abortion is unnecessary in part because the church is a significant part of God's provision to women and children in crisis." Hickey says he believes South Dakota has been chosen by God to challenge Roe v. Wade.
Check out the full article in the Washington Post— Also, the article refers to a web video distributed by the Campaign for Healthy Families—watch that video here.
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Shedding new light on STI transmission
by Anna
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
A newly published article by Reuters, which appeared in almost every major newspaper a few weeks ago, kindled fresh conversation in an area that tends to be largely overlooked; the risk of transmitting sexually transmitted infections through sexual activities besides vaginal intercourse. As explained in the Reuters article, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, ACOG, states that non-coital activities, most notably oral sex and anal intercourse, carry STI risks that all men and women need to be aware of. According to the San Francisco City Clinic, oral sex may transmit many STIs, a few of which are chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis A, herpes, HPV, and syphilis. In rare cases, a woman can receive HIV by performing oral sex on a male. Anal sex carries the same risks and is a leading transmitter of HIV.
These facts are particularly alarming when you consider the number of teenagers who partake in activities like oral sex because they think it is “safe” in comparison with vaginal intercourse. It is quite possible that these tendencies contribute to the sharp increase the nation has seen in STIs over the past few years. Back in November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the annual STI report for 2006, showing that about 19 million Americans, half of whom were between the ages of 15 and 24, contracted an STD in 2006. The Minnesota Department of Health indicates that one in two Americans will contract an STI during their life, usually before the age of 25, and that only half of adults age 18 to 44 have received an STI screening besides an HIV test.
The fact that so many Americans have never been screened and therefore don’t know they are carrying an infection accounts for some of the confusion surrounding non-coital transmission. Another problem is that they are never told this is even possible. Abstinence-only education often spouts the idea of abstinence as a way to prevent disease. Setting aside the fact that many students do not adhere to their “abstinence vows” in the first place, what about students who engage in oral or anal sex and still believe that they are protected because they are abstaining from vaginal intercourse?
In 2000, Lisa Remez of the Guttmacher Institute wrote that “The tendency to equate ‘sex’ with intercourse alone represents long-standing cultural norms of acceptable sexual behavior and certainly applies to adults as well as to adolescents. It also reflects a deeply rooted ambivalence about talking about sex.” She was right on target. Too many people think that if they are not having vaginal intercourse, they are not having “real sex” and are not at risk for STIs. If we are really going to commit ourselves to comprehensive sex ed, we need to work to dispel this cultural myth.
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New Video from the SD Campaign for Healthy Families!
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
Share this video with everyone you know, and help spread the word about how flawed this ban is and how inappropriate it is to have the government intruding on personal, family decisions.
Visit South Dakota Healthy Campaign for Healthy Families to donate to the campaign and stop measure 11.
Vote No on 11!!!
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The VP nominees on abortion
by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
So we’ve done a pretty good job on this blog fleshing out where Barack Obama and McCain stand on abortion and other issues. But how about their VP picks, Senator Joe Biden, and Governor Sarah Palin? CNN has a good little video summary:
It’s weird how Biden (Pro-choice) and Palin’s (Anti-choice, even in the case of rape and incest) views can be completely opposite of one another, yet at the same, be almost the same. Biden and Palin both believe that life begins at conception. The difference is that Biden wouldn’t push his very personal views onto others. Palin would.
It’s likely that the VP’s views on abortion won't matter much in their role as VP. But what does matter is that Barack Obama has picked a VP that is consistent with Obama’s pro-choice platform. And it’s hard to imagine McCain managing to pick a candidate who’s views on abortion were more extreme than his own, but by God he managed to do just that with Sarah Palin.
The upshot? Obama and Biden trust women and families to make their own personal decisions. McCain and Palin think they know what’s best for everyone.
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Supreme Court upholds legalized abortion in Mexico City
by Anna
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
On April 24, 2007, legislators in Mexico City voted to legalize abortion for all women in their first trimester of pregnancy, making the procedure available at 14 Mexico City hospitals. The Attorney General’s Office and the Mexican National Human Rights Commission acted together to appeal the decision, leaving the rule change in a state of limbo for over a year. The final word came just a few weeks ago on August 28, when the Mexican Supreme Court upheld the policy change, stating that abortions within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy do not violate the country’s Constitution.
This is a very progressive move in a region that largely frowns upon abortion. Most other Latin American countries allow abortion only in cases of rape or incest or instances where the mother’s life is in danger, with a few exceptions like Cuba, which has legalized first-trimester abortion, and Nicaragua, where abortion is illegal in all situations. Although the rest of Mexico still holds that abortion is illegal outside of rape, incest, and maternal health emergencies, the Mexico City ruling sets a new example and opens a substantial doorway for Mexican women.
More than 12,000 legal abortions have been provided in Mexico City since the new law took effect. Mexico, and many other Latin American countries, witness staggering annual numbers of illegal abortions; before the law change, Mexican women were reported to obtain between half a million and a million illegal abortions per year. For the sake of comparison, only 17 legal abortions were granted in Mexico City in 2003, mostly for rape victims.
Illegal abortions, often unsafe and unsanitary, lead to frequent adverse health effects like sterility and can even be fatal. Specific research on Latin America found that 95 percent of abortions in six Latin American countries were illegal and that between five and ten of any 1,000 women of childbearing age were hospitalized each year in these nations due to illegal abortions. These facts paint a sobering backdrop and indicate the importance of legal abortion, not only as a matter of a woman’s right to choose, but even as a matter of life and death. The expectation is that, as the years progress, illegal abortions will decrease in Mexico City as legal procedures become more readily available.
This noteworthy step by the Mexico City government makes me all the more cognizant of the need for my own country to move forward. Legalized abortion in the United States is under constant attack, and I would hate to see us falling behind when other countries are making such remarkable progress.
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News Links 9.10.08
Palin's Nomination Adds Fuel to Abortion Debate, Associated Press 9/10/08
The Other Young Mothers, Star Tribune 9/8/08
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Anti-Choice Ideology Finds a Foothold in McCain Campaign
by Anna
Web Correspondent
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
As a student at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, the home of this year’s Republican National Convention, I’ve heard my fair share about Sen. John McCain these past few days — the good, the bad, and the ugly. From college-sponsored RNC roundtable discussions to casual chatter about RNC visitors staying at students’ houses, the world of John McCain (and now Sarah Palin) is everywhere.
It’s interesting to find myself in the midst of all of this at the time of year when I’m just returning to school and getting back to everything I do when I’m here, like online blogging for Planned Parenthood. Interesting because anyone even remotely supportive of women’s reproductive rights has a mouthful to say about the RNC, and I’m no exception.
McCain supports overturning Roe v. Wade and in February 2007, the Associated Press quoted McCain as saying, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."
McCain also supports abstinence-only education that refuses sexually active young people medically-accurate sex education. He has voted against comprehensive sex education bills and funding allocations for preventive health care to reduce unwanted pregnancies.
On top of all this, John McCain holds fast to another of George Bush’s old favorites, the global gag rule, which states that no U.S. family planning assistance funding can be given to organizations that provide abortion services, offer counseling and referral for abortion care, or advocate legal abortion access in their own countries — even if they do so with their own funds.. This policy has prevented countless women’s and reproductive health organizations from helping local populations to their full potential.
Let’s just say that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, McCain’s vice presidential choice, is no champion for reproductive rights either. She is supportive of abstinence-only sex ed and is opposed to abortion — even in cases of rape and incest. Palin is, if anything, less “progressive” than McCain in this realm.
The excitement of finding myself at the epicenter of the 2008 RNC becomes a lot more like bitterness when I reflect on the ideology towards reproductive rights that this year’s Republican presidential candidates hold. Not only do I disagree with the McCain platform, but I think many of his concepts are downright illogical. Abstinence-only education never has worked and never will; many STDs are on the rise among teen