Alan – Page 6 – REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ALERTS

06 Jun

U.S. Senate GOP prevents contraception access bill from moving ahead

AlanLatest NewsContraception, Filibuster, GOP Senate, United States

An attempt to reinforce Americans’ access to contraception failed Wednesday when U.S. Senate Republicans blocked a bill from advancing toward final passage. The 51-39 procedural vote required at least 60 senators to move forward, but fell short after GOP lawmakers said the measure was too broad as well as unnecessary. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Maine Sen. Susan Collins, both Republicans, broke with their party and voted to advance the legislation.

05 Jun

Senate to vote on bill to guarantee access to contraception

AlanLatest NewsContraception, legislation, Senate, United States

The Senate is expected to vote Wednesday on a bill that would guarantee access to contraception nationwide, as Democrats seek to draw a contrast with Republicans in the run up to November’s elections.

24 May

Commentary: Anti-abortion advocates are manipulating our courts

AlanLatest NewsAbortion Care, Abortion Rights, Courts, Healthcare, Opinion

In late June of this year, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is expected to issue decisions on “Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v the Food and Drug Administration” (AHM v FDA) and “Idaho v the United States.” Opponents of sexual and reproductive health care rights seek to undermine trusted medical systems, and give states’ total abortion bans the authority to override not only federal law, but doctors’ judgment as well.

23 May

Four things you should know about Maryland’s Maternal Health Act of 2024

AlanLatest News2024 Election, Healthcare, Maryland, Maternal & Child Health, United States

For Del. Jennifer White Holland (D-10) addressing maternal and child health has been a passion for “quite some time.” The public health professional said that her lived experience led her to sponsor a key piece of legislation that looks to improve outcomes for expectant mothers.

19 May

Abortion ballot measures could lift Dems in U.S. House races, campaign chief says

AlanLatest NewsAbortion Care, Abortion Rights, legislation, United States

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene told reporters Friday that ballot questions on abortion access, which will go before voters in several states this November, can help vulnerable Democratic candidates in swing districts — potentially increasing the odds the U.S. House flips from red to blue.

14 May

Medical residents are increasingly avoiding states with abortion restrictions

AlanLatest NewsAAMC, Abortion Care, Association of American Medical Colleges, Healthcare, Medical Deserts, United States

The AAMC analysis found the number of applicants to OB-GYN residency programs in abortion ban states dropped by 6.7%, compared with a 0.4% increase in states where abortion remains legal. For internal medicine, the drop observed in abortion ban states was over five times as much as in states where abortion is legal. In its analysis, the AAMC said an ongoing decline in interest in ban states among new doctors ultimately “may negatively affect access to care in those states.”

14 May

Telehealth abortions now account for nearly 1 in 5 in US, with thousands accessed under shield laws each month, report says

AlanLatest NewsAbortion Care, Healthcare, mifepristone, Telehealth, United States

Most abortions in the United States are medication abortions, and telehealth has become an increasingly common way to access abortion pills — especially since the US Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision revoked the federal right to an abortion. In the last few months of 2023, nearly 1 in 5 abortions nationwide — about 17,000 each month — were medication abortions in which the pills were mailed to a patient after a remote consultation with a clinician, according to a new report from #WeCount, a research project led by the Society of Family Planning. When #WeCount started collecting data from abortion providers in April…

08 May

Arizona Abortion Ban: Warning for US Reproductive Health Care

AlanLatest NewsAbortion Ban, Abortion Rights, Arizona, Healthcare, legislation, States, United States

When the Arizona Supreme Court ruled on April 9, 2024, that the state's Civil War-era law banning nearly all abortions was enforceable, it brought into stark reality the potential impacts of leaving reproductive rights up to the states to regulate, and the related consequences for women's health. The ruling, set to go into effect in late June 2024, will only remain active for a few months because Arizona lawmakers repealed the law on April 30. Starting in the fall, a previous state law banning abortion after 15 weeks will be reinstated.

05 May

Why is the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on Cinco de Mayo?

AlanLatest News:atomX, Cinco de Mayo, Healthcare, Latina

Today is Cinco de Mayo. It is not, contrary to popular belief, Mexican Independence Day. It’s actually a celebration of the Mexican victory over the French in a battle in 1862. Many also point out that the holiday is more celebrated in the US than in Mexico. But either way, it’s a day that is associated with Latinos, and often celebrated through cultural appropriation and eating things like guacamole and drinking tequila. But that’s another post. This year, Cinco de Mayo is also the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

05 May

Commentary: In the fight for reproductive rights, no one can save us but ourselves

AlanLatest NewsAbortion Rights, Florida, Opinion, United States

Mayday! Mayday! As of midnight on May 1, Florida’s dangerous new six-week abortion ban is the law — effectively banning all abortion care in our state and causing doctors, patients and freedom-loving Floridians everywhere to elevate our calls for the passage of Amendment 4 so that we may enshrine abortion rights in the Florida Constitution.

30 Apr

“Abortionist”: The Label That Turns Healthcare Workers Into Criminals

AlanLatest NewsAbortion, Abortionist, Healthcare, History of Abortion Politics, United States

The moniker has branded those who help terminate pregnancies as illegitimate, dangerous, and, in turn, allowable targets of violence.

29 Apr

HHS Amends HIPAA To Further Protect Privacy of Reproductive Health Care Informatio

AlanLatest NewsHealthcare, HHS, HIPAA, Privacy, Reproductive Health, United States

Changes to the privacy rule are likely to put regulated entities at odds with courts and law enforcement The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week released final amendments to the HIPAA Privacy Rule to further protect the privacy of protected health information (PHI) related to reproductive health care. The amendments will provide patients, health care providers, and others with greater protections from PHI being used and disclosed to conduct investigations or impose liability on those seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating reproductive health care.

25 Apr

Can 14 strangers from Wisconsin help America find common ground on abortion?

AlanLatest NewsAbortion Care, Healthcare, United States, Wisconsin

Abortion opponents and supporters seek consensus solutions on reproductive health policy as part of a new citizen-led initiative guided by national nonprofit Starts With Us

24 Apr

Supreme Court to hear oral arguments on abortion access in emergency rooms

AlanLatest NewsAbortion, Abortion Ban, Emergency Departments, Healthcare, Idaho v. United States, Supreme Court, United States

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments today in a case about whether patients have access to emergency room abortions in states banning the procedure.