Abortion – R&R – Reachout and Rebuild

Abortion vote in the Senate: Why?

David Posnett — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 15:11:24 +0000

First, let me reprint Perry Gershon’s post from his FB page (with permission):

Tomorrow the Senate will debate the so-called 20-week ban on abortion. Let’s be clear — this is nothing more than the first step towards making a woman’s right to choose illegal, altogether. Lee Zeldin was a co-sponsor of the bill in the House. Zeldin’s bill is just one more part of his dangerous agenda to outlaw a woman’s right to choose.

Here are the real facts — almost 99% of abortions occur in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, and the 1% that don’t are in very complicated situations, such as risks to the woman’s health. We must protect a woman’s right to choose. It starts with opposing this dangerous ban and replacing Congressman Zeldin with someone who isn’t afraid to say so, loud and clear.

It’s time for those seeking to replace Congressman Zeldin, to draw a line in the sand and oppose this dangerous attack on women’s health care and a woman’s right to choose.

It’s time for bold action, loud and proud.

Why are they doing this now? Three words: For The Base. Check this out:

https://thinkprogress.org/gop-abortion-shutdown-dfd173817d47/

And perhaps they wish to bait Dems seeking office?

It is already practically impossible to get an elective abortion nowadays after 20 weeks of gestation. Unless of course there is a danger to the mother’s life. The proposed legislation still contains some wording about exceptions (see below), but doctor’s and patient’s options are limited. Psychiatric reasons are now taken off the table! SO, a suicidal patient would be left to commit suicide (rather than have an abortion that might help)? Would that help save the life of the fetus? Generally suicide kills mother and fetus.

Here is the bill:

On House Bill HR 36

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/36/text

The bill provides exceptions for an abortion: (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements.

“(b) Requirements For Abortions.—

“(1) ASSESSMENT OF THE AGE OF THE UNBORN CHILD.—The physician performing or attempting the abortion shall first make a determination of the probable post-fertilization age of the unborn child or reasonably rely upon such a determination made by another physician. In making such a determination, the physician shall make such inquiries of the pregnant woman and perform or cause to be performed such medical examinations and tests as a reasonably prudent physician, knowledgeable about the case and the medical conditions involved, would consider necessary to make an accurate determination of post-fertilization age.

“(2) PROHIBITION ON PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN ABORTIONS.—

“(A) GENERALLY FOR UNBORN CHILDREN 20 WEEKS OR OLDER.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the abortion shall not be performed or attempted, if the probable post-fertilization age, as determined under paragraph (1), of the unborn child is 20 weeks or greater.

“(B) EXCEPTIONS.—Subparagraph (A) does not apply if—

“(i) in reasonable medical judgment, the abortion is necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, but not including psychological or emotional conditions;

“(ii) the pregnancy is the result of rape against an adult woman, and at least 48 hours prior to the abortion—

“(I) she has obtained counseling for the rape; or

“(II) she has obtained medical treatment for the rape or an injury related to the rape; or

“(iii) the pregnancy is a result of rape against a minor or incest against a minor, and the rape or incest has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to either—

“(I) a government agency legally authorized to act on reports of child abuse; or

“(II) a law enforcement agency.

And here is one of many scholarly papers on this issue: does abortion help avert psychiatric complications (including suicide)? As you can see it is complicated, and it is best left to the specialists (Obstetricians and Psychiatrists) and their patients, not to lawmakers, who have no clue! Every case is likely to be different.

Termination of Pregnancy and Psychiatric Morbidity

Anne C. Gilchrist ^(a1), Philip C. Hannaford ^(a2), Peter Frank ^(a2) and Clifford R. Kay ^(a2)
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.167.2.243
- Published online: 02 January 2018

Abstract

We investigated whether reported psychiatric morbidity was increased after termination of pregnancy compared with other outcomes of an unplanned pregnancy.

This was a prospective cohort study of 13 261 women with an unplanned pregnancy. Psychiatric morbidity reported by GPs after the conclusion of the pregnancy was compared in four groups: women who had a termination of pregnancy (6410), women who did not request a termination (6151), women who were refused a termination (379), and women who changed their minds before the termination was performed (321).

Rates of total reported psychiatric disorder were no higher after termination of pregnancy than after childbirth. Women with a previous history of psychiatric illness were most at risk of disorder after the end of their pregnancy, whatever its outcome. Women without a previous history of psychosis had an apparently lower risk of psychosis after termination than postpartum (relative risk RR = 0.4, 95% confidence interval CI = 0.3–0.7), but rates of psychosis leading to hospital admission were similar. In women with no previous history of psychiatric illness, deliberate self-harm (DSH) was more common in those who had a termination (RR 1.7, 95%CI 1.1–2.6), or who were refused a termination (RR 2.9, 95%CI 1.3–6.3).

The findings on DSH are probably explicable by confounding variables, such as adverse social factors, associated both with the request for termination and with subsequent self-harm. No overall increase in reported psychiatric morbidity was found.

What I’m Doing to Keep Birth Control Free in the Face of Trump’s and the GOP’s Health Care Rollback

David Posnett — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 19:37:56 +0000

Op-Ed in Teen Vogue

By Eric Schneiderman

The summer after I graduated high school, I worked in an abortion clinic in Washington, D.C.

This was a year before Roe v. Wade, and abortion was still outlawed in states throughout the country. Many women still had to travel far from home for safe, legal reproductive health care.

I used to drive our patients from the airport to the clinic and back again. I still remember the fear in the eyes of many women as they tried to leave the recovery room too early because they wanted to get home as quickly as possible. Their parents or husbands or bosses had no idea they were there. Abortion was still something that was whispered about — and anti-women laws made it far more dangerous than it should have been.

After Roe v. Wade, I remember thinking, Well, at least we’ll never see that kind of inhumane treatment of women in America ever again.

But unless Americans — especially young Americans — rise up to stop President Trump and his allies in Congress, I’m afraid we could be heading back to those bad old days.

We’re already seeing the Trump administration take some big steps to limit the rights of women to control their own bodies.

The new House health care bill, which passed this spring, aims to defund Planned Parenthood and the vital health care it provides. I’ve made clear that if Trump signs the bill into law, I will challenge it in court.

And right now, Trump’s team is considering a new rule that would allow any company to drop coverage for birth control — a cruel and unnecessary rollback of common sense policy. I don’t need to tell you that access to affordable birth control is not a trivial issue. The pill can cost up to around $1,200 per year. If you’re earning minimum wage in New York, that’s about the equivalent of a full month’s pay.

So it’s no surprise that before the Affordable Care Act’s free contraception mandate, more than half of women under age 34 had been through times when they couldn’t afford birth control. Before the Affordable Care Act’s contraception rules went into effect, about 20% of women paid out of pocket for oral contraceptives. Now less than 4% do, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate, the National Women’s Law Center reported that American women now save roughly $1.4 billion per year on oral contraceptives — and more women now have the financial freedom to choose the birth control that’s right for them, like an IUD.

If you care about women’s autonomy, if you care about preventing unplanned pregnancies, protecting cost-free access to birth control is a no-brainer.

I won’t sugarcoat it — these rights are under attack. But we can fight back.

In my state of New York, I’ve introduced a bill that would require all health plans to provide cost-free contraceptive coverage — no matter what Washington does. It would also mandate that health plans cover emergency contraception and male contraception.

States have the power to make a real difference, and New York isn’t alone. A number of states have taken similar action.

So get on the phone. Call your state senator. Call your governor. Call your state attorney general. Tell them to ensure anti-choice leaders in Washington can never take away your access to affordable contraception. States have the power to protect you, even if the federal government won’t. Demand that they stand with you and fight for your rights.

There are many people in Washington who want to take us back to the pre-Roe days. But there are allies in every state ready and eager to fight. Find them. Join them. And together, we can protect the rights of all women to the reproductive health care they need.

Thank you for taking the time to read my op-ed. Together we will ensure that all New Yorkers have access to cost-free contraception.

All my best,

Eric Schneiderman