Posts Tagged ‘abortion’

National Appreciation Day for Abortion Providers was last week but I didn’t want to miss a very important opportunity to say THANK YOU. Across the country abortion providers face stigma, demonization and even threats to their lives and personal safety just for showing up to work to make sure that women are able to exercise the most basic and private of their rights—the right to decide when and if to become a parent.

I couldn’t say it better than Julie Berkhart did on RH Reality Check last week so I won’t try to. The whole article is worth reading but our appreciation for our providers at Planned Parenthood can pretty much be summed up in two simple paragraphs.

“Truth be told, legislatures can pass all the laws they want, and they can try to take advantage of loopholes, ultimately taking advantage of the women whose lives are directly affected by these abuses of power. But there is one thing that is unequivocally true: abortion providers save women’s lives and women will always need their care — plain and simple.

From the women who have first trimester abortions because they’re not prepared to be a parent to the women who seek care for fetal abnormalities or maternal health problems, these providers are making a difference in the lives of women and their families – or their hopes for future motherhood and a family.”

We have written many times about the simple fact that outlawing abortion would not result in no abortions— just a lot more unsafe, unregulated ones with a high cost to women’s health and lives. Desperate people will take desperate measures.

That’s why we should thank providers of abortion care every single day of the year, not just one. Without access, there is no choice. Our rights are meaningless without the people courageous enough to provide that vital service to women even when it could cost them their lives.

Berkhart aptly quotes one such courageous soul, the late Dr. George Tiller who was murdered in his church by an anti-choice extremist in the summer of 2009, “Abortion is not a medical matter, nor is it a cerebral matter; abortion is a matter of the heart. Until you know the heart of a woman, nothing about abortion makes sense at all.”

So today and every day, here’s to all the providers of abortion care at home and around the world. Thanks for putting your trust in women.

Usually when something big happens in your life, who do you talk to first? A best friend, parent, or your boyfriend/girlfriend?  Maybe you make a rush to call, text, email, or see them as soon as possible.  But what would happen if the person you talked to about everything wouldn’t talk about this kind of news with you?

When I talk to women about their abortion procedures, a lot of things come up during the discussion. Many feel that abortion is the best option for their life right now and the right choice for the life of their family, or future family.  The majority of women do well during their procedures and have made peace with their decision to have an abortion.  And when they have someone to be at their side with open arms, they cope much better throughout the process.

But not everyone supports the women I see.  I talk to some women who feel comfortable with their choice to have an abortion, but sometimes the people these women usually count on for a support system refuse to listen or be with her. It might be a sister that tells her she’s disgusted with her decision to have an abortion.  It might be a mother who tells her she will live to regret it.  Sometimes it’s a husband who refuses to talk to her or acknowledge the abortion, leaving her alone at the clinic.  I’ve seen a best friend tell her she’s going to be damned in hell where God will punish her.

And then, of course, there are the people who will never know that she’s had an abortion.  The husband that will never be told, or the best friend who will never get to wipe away her tears.  This usually happens because these women fear the stigma that comes with having an abortion, even though it is one of the most common legal procedures that occur at least once in 33% of women’s lives. 

These decisions that I see women make everyday are some of the hardest decisions they will make in their lives. Everyone has their own story and circumstances. Every person has their own opinion about how they feel about abortion. But each day I am reminded that you can never fully understand or assume a person’s situation unless you are that person.  There are things that happen in women’s lives that they never talk about: sacrifices, secrets, responsibilities, insecurities, and worries. There are pressures they feel everyday to maintain their roles as daughters, girlfriends, co-workers, sisters, students, wives, mothers and/or grandmothers.  

So let her know that you’re there for her no matter what happens in life. And remember a time when a woman was there for you in your hardship and return the favor. She will never forget it.

Maybe the so-called “Right to Life” movement felt it was losing ground with its usual tactics of intimidation and images of distorted fetuses outside of health centers. Maybe they realized that women don’t appreciate being treated as if they are merely a uterus and one that is public property at that.

In recent years, we’ve heard a slight change of their tune to the message that “Abortion is Bad for Women”. I can’t imagine anything much worse for women than being denied the ability to make your own reproductive health decisions based on the personal opinions of these people but we’ll leave that aside for the moment.

The “Abortion is Bad for Women” argument partially rests on completely false claims that abortion is physically dangerous for women. Never mind that it is one of the safest and most commonly performed medical procedures and the only way to truly ensure that abortion is dangerous for women is to make it illegal and force women into the back alleys again. But we’ll leave that bit of “logic” for another day.

The crux of their argument is really that women who have abortions suffer from so-called “post-abortion syndrome” where she becomes depressed, anxious, filled with regret, perhaps even suicidal. But last Thursday, a major study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine debunking this idea by finding no link between mental health issues and abortion. This is just the most recent installment of evidence that the so-called “post-abortion syndrome” does not exist.

In fact, women in the study who went on to carry their pregnancies to term faced greater risk of developing mental health problems due to hormonal changes and stress among other factors. Women who chose to have abortions were more likely to seek mental health services while pregnant but were less likely to need them after making their decision. Researchers concluded that this is due to the fact that the decision to have an abortion is often not an easy one and that these women may have other aggravating factors in their lives leading them to choose abortion such as an abusive partner or financial problems.

The issue really boils down to what the pro-choice movement has said all along: Every woman is different. Yes, some women will feel sad after deciding to have an abortion. But many will also feel relieved and happy to have it behind them. The same range of emotions can be attributed to women who give birth or to women who never become pregnant or have any children at all.

The fact is that you can’t generalize what is ultimately an individual experience and the broad range of human emotion for an entire population. Especially not one as diverse as simply “women”. If anti-choicers were actually concerned about women, they would lay off the preaching and “we know best” attitude and try actually trusting women to make the best decision for their own set of personal circumstances… including their current state of mental health.

I wouldn’t hold my breath for that sudden change of tide but, for the sake of women all over the world, I hope that studies like the one released last week will at least reveal the anti-choicers for what they are. One thing is for sure, you can’t genuinely proclaim to care about women when you don’t even really trust their judgment.

Unfortunately, this seems to be common theme on both the National and State level.  Republicans ran on fiscal issues, but now that they’ve taken office, their focus is squarely on social issues. 
Check out this great video produced by Planned Parenthood:

And this excellent piece on the beginning of the NC Legislature by WRAL Capital Bureau Chief, Laura Leslie. 

“Despite all the talk leading up to the new session about how closing the projected $3.7 billion deficit would be the top priority for lawmakers this year, plenty of non-fiscal issues are being addressed by the initial bills being filed.”

As we said last week, Thom (Speaker Thom Tillis) should focus on the needs of the people, not denying people healthcare.  If you agree and want to help us, please consider contributing to our PAC.  We’ll be fighting to restore a pro-choice majority in 2012 and we’ll need your help.

NC Speaker-elect Thom Tillis has gotten a lot of media coverage lately talking about his plans to reduce abortion when he takes control of the NC House today.

Just to be clear, when he says, “reduce abortions”, he is not talking about reducing unintended pregnancies—the number one reason why women have abortions in the first place. He’s definitely not talking about greater access to birth control, comprehensive sex education or preventive healthcare in general—all proven ways of reducing unwanted pregnancies.

Instead, Speaker-elect Tillis says he’s going to reduce abortions through “informed consent,” which strikes me as odd.

Most health providers I know view “informed consent” as an ethical way of providing patients with unbiased, non-directive information so that the patient can make her own choice about a particular medical procedure.

If Speaker-elect Tillis and his new majority think they are going to reduce abortion through informed consent then perhaps they are talking about a different kind of “informed consent” than what most of us receive when we go to see our doctor.

Does their “informed consent” mandate what doctors say to their patients?

Does their “informed consent” suggest that doctors should ignore the individual in front of them—her history, her story, her concerns and her questions—to instead focus on delivering a litany of state-mandated information?

What happens if a woman doesn’t want to listen to what politicians want her to hear? Let’s face it, politicians would never ask a man to wait 24 hours before having a medical procedure or listen to state-scripted counseling when he goes to see a doctor.

Real informed consent is not a one way street—a basic tenet of ethical informed consent is that the patient is given the information she needs or wants in order to make a personal medical decision. It’s her informed consent we seek after all.

Does the new majority’s “informed consent” assume that women make reproductive health decisions blithely without thinking seriously about the consequences?

I wonder if anyone in North Carolina’s new legislative majority has spent time in a medical setting that provides compassionate abortion care? I wonder if anyone in the new majority has thought about what it would feel like to see a doctor whose counseling has been scripted by the politicians.

Before jumping to conclusions and asking women and doctors to jump through governmental hoops, wouldn’t it be wise to first find out about the information doctors already provide women day in and day out.

Last weekend we commemorated the 38^th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. The Supreme Court determined on January 22, 1973 that women should be able to make their own decisions about their reproductive health including the option to have a legal abortion in the first trimester of a pregnancy. This decision was not the end of controversy but was, in many ways, brought renewed debate that has continued for years to follow.  

Even after 38 years, the debate of legalized abortions continues every day. Throughout 2010, there were several state decisions enacted that made accessing abortion a process of overcoming obstacles. In the wake of the 2010 Election, it appears that anti-choice lawmakers will soon seek to add North Carolina to this list. (http://plannedpcnc.org/blog/2010/12/ppcnc/reality-check/)

Ever since abortion was legalized in 1973 there have been obstacles women face even without the “help” of anti-choice legislation. Lack of coverage from insurance providers (and now removal of coverage from many plans) can put an undo financial burden on women but many with insurance may never choose to file a claim because of the stigma associated with choosing abortion.

One in three women will have an abortion in her lifetime so it is somewhat surprising that a safe and legal medical procedure would have such a heavy stigma attached. As a young woman, I see lessening the stigma of abortion as one of the biggest challenges of the pro-choice movement today.

Women who have an abortion do so because they know it is the right choice for them and for their families at a particular point in time. It is never an easy decision but sometime the right one. In spite of this fact, a woman may feel ashamed or have fears about sharing her experience because she  feels that she will be judged or even threatened. Jezebel.com recently published a great article discussing the realities (with no judgment or politics involved) of choosing abortion. The response from commenters was overwhelmingly positive and many women expressed gratitude to the bloggers for providing a honest discussion and giving them an outlet to share their experiences.

How remarkable is it that 38 years after the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that our society is still not able to talk about an extremely common medical procedure openly and honestly? Reducing the stigma associated with abortion will be essential in order to pass legislation that expands reproductive freedom rather than restricting it. As pro-choice advocates, we can and must be part of this process.

During  my time as a college student, I have learned that most social changes start from the ground up. Therefore, it has been my personal choice to speak up for women’s rights especially when it comes to abortion. There is no reason why women should not be able to make a decision regarding their own body, and health. There are few policies that limit the health decisions that people make everyday except for those surrounding reproductive health. Being able to make decisions with your own health as a priority is a right that every gender, race, and sexuality should have.

We can play a role in reducing the stigma associated with abortion simply by speaking up for women. The anniversary of Roe v. Wade is a great opportunity to  help open minds. In spite of the heated debate around choice, most Americans find themselves somewhat on the fence about the issue of abortion. It can take one small act to change a person’s opinion.  Openly share your views or experience with a friend over lunch. Repost a pro-choice blog on your blog or Facebook page.  Attend a pro-choice rally or volunteer for Planned Parenthood (and bring a friend!). Simple acts contribute to making a political difference. 

One very simple and quick way we can all contribute is to write or call our members of the NC House and Senate and tell them our concerns about bills that limit reproductive choice and rights. The NC Legislative session starts this Wednesday and the time has never been more critical to let your voice be heard.

You may know that last weekend, incoming Speaker of the House, Thom Tillis, spent time at a prayer breakfast with the NC Right to Life.  Thom was quoted in an N&O article as saying to the attendees, “There’s nothing more important than what you’re doing here.”  That would be the work to limit women’s reproductive choices.

Given the state of our economy, unemployment, education, and the budget crisis, it is unbelievable that Rep. Tillis will make this issue a top priority.  I sent him an email to say so. ( You can too by clicking here)

Here’s an excerpt from my email, subject line FOCUS!:

I find your new social agenda to be HYPOCRITICAL. The day
after the election you were quoted as saying,
“We’re a centrist state. We’re a small government; we’re a
limited-government, free-market, stay-out of my-personal-life
electorate.”

I think reproductive health decisions qualify as a part of
one’s “personal life” and I would like you to “stay out” of mine.

Here’s part of his reply:

The measure we have suggested be taken up by the Legislature is to
better inform expectant mothers of the full range of choices beyond an
abortion and consequences/risks. 

If you disagree with the idea of fully informed consent then we may have
to agree to disagree but I wanted to be sure you at least understood the
context and intent of my remarks.

[Thom even let's me know that he "told the audience he would have to be brief because of another "important" commitment" as if this somehow lessened the fact that he is making restricting access a priority.]

My response:  surely you jest, Thom!

Legislators who based on ideology alone, develop scripts to “inform” women of the risks and consequences as anti-choice legislators see them are intruding into the doctor/patient relationship, plain and simple.  Your intention here is to create hoops for women to jump through who are already in unfortunate circumstances and you call that “saving lives.”  I will fight you all the way on this and NO, I will not agree to disagree here.

Join me and let’s fight this together.

Sometimes when I need inspiration or to feel a deeper connection with our mission, I will look through our patient comment books we keep in our patient lounge.  Women write in these books after their abortion and the stories are diverse and moving.   I’ll share excerpts from four stories.

“Making this decision was very hard. I went back and forth about it, but now I know it was the right one because I have 2 wonderful babies already, but it’s really hard having to take care of them on my own.  Even though I’m married my husband is always in and out of the house because he’s in the army, but we both decided this was the right thing to do.”

“I’ve never believed in any kind of abortion, until my husband decided he didn’t want his family anymore and I tried to move on. I’ve been on birth control for three months and started dating someone new.  I didn’t expect to be one of that small % of women who get pregnant on the pill, but when I did, the man who told me he would love my two children and I forever just disappeared. This was and probably will always be the biggest and hardest choice I’ve ever made.”

“I am a 21 year old mother of one.  I was so scared to bring another life into this world unprepared… I know I was vulnerable to getting pregnant and thought I was being safe enough..but I wasn’t…I called in and it was very confidential.  Smiles from the entry door until my exit. I drove 3 hours (to get here) and every minute was worth it.  Thank you PPCNC!”

I am 21 yrs old with 2 wonderful boys.  I’m working and still struggle to take care of my children, my bills, and myself.  I decided to have an abortion because the sperm donor was married and failed to tell me after being together 5 months.  I had my breakdowns and flipped-flop about it(my decision), but here I am. 

Last Tuesday, MTV aired a special episode of its wildly popular TV show, “16 and Pregnant”.  The show typically follows a young woman (usually between 15 and 17) and her family and/or partner from about five months into an unplanned pregnancy to a few months after the baby’s birth. Two seasons in and almost every teenager on the show ends up has chosen to parent with just a handful of teens giving their babies up for adoption.

Up until now, the option of having an abortion had been completely missing from the show’s dialogue other than a few off-hand references here and there as to why that particular teen didn’t have an abortion. (Unfortunately the reasons often seem to be pressure from her family or partner.)

The fact is that at least one in four teen pregnancies end in abortion although exact numbers are hard to come by due to patient confidentiality and the social stigma attached to abortion. Some research puts the number closer to one-third. This being the case, an honest dialogue about choosing abortion is one that the show desperately needed to open after 25 episodes.

The full episode of “16 and Pregnant: No Easy Decision” special is available for viewing on-line and is well worth a half hour.

The episode follows Markai and her boyfriend, James, who were on this season of “16 and Pregnant”. On their original episode that aired last month, the decision was made to carry the pregnancy to term and become parents. Unfortunately, like 28% of North Carolina teens who experience repeat teen pregnancies, Markai became pregnant a second time when her daughter was just eight months old.

“No Easy Decision” follows Markai and James through their very emotional and difficult decision to have an abortion in order to give their daughter the life they want her to have. A panel discussion facilitated by Dr. Drew Pinsky (an MTV regular) introduces us to Katie and Natalia who both chose abortion for their own personal reasons that they share on the show. With them, we learn about the reasons for their decisions, the emotions they experienced afterward and why they felt the need to come forward.

Going in, I wasn’t sure what to expect but just hoped that the show would live up to its title and MTV would do a good job of dispelling the myth that abortion is a decision that women take lightly and with a cavalier attitude. I have to say that my expectations were exceeded.

The take home message was really one of personal choice, autonomy, love, and non-judgment. Each young woman made what she felt was the right decision for herself and her family. Some of the conversations felt a bit scripted at times but the deeply felt emotions on display were always honest.

I’ve not always been the biggest fan of MTV but I have to give them credit for addressing the issue of abortion in a real and honest way when no other network seems brave enough to do so. It is gratifying to see a messenger like MTV actively working to reduce the stigma and shame that surrounds abortion. In a country where one in three women will have an abortion in her lifetime, it’s high time that we were able to talk openly about it as a society.

Not surprisingly, anti-choice bloggers took issue with the episode’s very existence before it even aired claiming “false and dangerous contraceptive propaganda” on the show’s website among other things…. Ummm, what? Judge for yourself here http://www.itsyoursexlife.com/

This also means that these young women who bravely came forward may become targets for people who would prefer that women who choose abortion stay hidden and ashamed. The good news is that a website called “16 and Loved” has been set up for viewers to express their support and encouragement of these courageous women. Show your love at http://16andloved.com/ and be sure to watch the full episode!

If you believe Fox News, Europe is a haven for elitist liberals who love socialized medicine and definitely DON’T love America. My gym keeps at least three televisions turned to Fox News at all times so I’m unhappily very aware of their messaging on all issues.

But when it comes down to specific countries and their policies on access to abortion, this argument really falls apart. Health care for all? Maybe. Reproductive freedom? Not necessarily.

Consider the recent case involving long-standing Irish abortion law. Last Thursday, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Ireland’s constitutional ban on abortion violates the rights of pregnant women whose lives are at risk.
  

Ireland has had an all out ban on abortion for the more than 100 years the only exception being when a woman’s life (not health but her life) is at risk.

Like a lot of laws on the books, what the law says in theory and how it works in practice are two different things. In reality, it is nearly impossible for an Irish woman to find a doctor to approve her request for an abortion. And it’s no wonder. Under Irish law both doctor and patient can be prosecuted for murder after the fact if the abortion is later deemed “unnecessary”.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Ireland’s inaction on the issue had violated at least one woman’s rights in 2005 when she was forced to travel to England to obtain an abortion after being refused access to abortion in Ireland in spite of the fact that she was fighting a rare form of cancer.

The Court’s ruling may force Ireland to come up with a workable health exception to its current law. But while the ruling is legally binding, it’s difficult to enforce. Ireland has been asked to do so before, in the 1992 case of a 14-year-old raped by a neighbor who was suicidal.
  

Maybe you’ve been paying closer attention to European abortion law but I found this shocking. Granted, of the 47 member nations of the Council of Europe, the majority allows for broad access to abortion. Most recently, Spain legalized first-trimester abortion in July.

We’ve written before about the dangers and unintended consequences of outlawing or severely restricting access to abortion. And we don’t have to look as far as Africa or the Middle East to see what those would be. Cases like the one in Australia  and this one in Ireland demonstrate that women in desperate situations will find their way to obtain an abortion if they are determined that that is the best choice for them at a given point in their lives.

Restrictive laws like the ones in Ireland or potential restrictions that North Carolina may be facing deny women the right to self-determination and send us a clear message: Your lives, your values and your needs don’t matter. Our beliefs trump yours. I may be a liberal but no matter what Fox news says, I love America and I have no desire to see us go down the same road as Ireland or nations like it.

The time is now and the need has never been greater to tell our elected officials loud and clear: Women’s Lives Matter. Early next year PPCNC will kick off our “Women’s Lives Matters” campaign in North Carolina. Will you join us?