Unintended Pregnancy Linked to State Funding Cuts

[Rose Siding]

At a time when policymakers have made reducing unintended pregnancies a national priority, 33 states have made it more difficult or more expensive for poor women and teenagers to obtain contraceptives and related medical services, according to an analysis released yesterday by the nonpartisan Guttmacher Institute.

From 1994 to 2001, many states cut funds for family planning, enacted laws restricting access to birth control and placed tight controls on sex education, said the institute, a privately funded research group that focuses on sexual health and family issues.
....
"The most powerful and least divisive way to decrease abortion is to reduce unintended pregnancy," said Sarah Brown, director of the nonpartisan National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. "If we can make progress reducing unintended pregnancy, we can make enormous progress reducing abortion."

The report, the first to measure the impact of state actions on reproductive health care, is based on a comprehensive census by the institute using the most recent available data. Advocates involved in the intense political debate over abortion were reluctant to comment on the findings, but experts on women's health and family planning praised Guttmacher for offering an agenda both sides could support.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/28/AR2006022801450.html

[bettyellen]

1. k+r

[BattyDem]

2. Well .... DUH!

:eyes:

[rodeodance]

3. "First-of-Its-Kind Study Cites Impact On Teenage Girls and Poor Women"

I am so angry!!!1

[Erika]

4. Punishment for women, males skate free

Just like under the Taliban.

[Petrushka]

5. B-but . . . women cannot . . .

. . . skate with their legs crossed! :dilemma:

[salin]

6. putting the 'two to tango' responsibility

*completely* on women/girls.

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. What disasterous factors these stupid Republicans are creating

for their people.

(1) Poor access to contraception.
(2) No abortions available for unwanted pregancies.
(3) No federal assistance for those in need.

What can you say about Republicans? They certainly aren't very Christian.

[fasttense]

8. I guess sex is just a privilege of the rich. n/t

[RazzleDazzle]

12. Mostly for males, but yes, rich, white males (Patriarchy) is the

favored group -- AND the women who support them unswervingly.

[woodsprite]

9. Ya know, those female condoms with the teeth

that bite back are beginning to sound very interesting ;)

[area51]

10. Gotta keep the U.S. overpopulated...

... After all, it helps keep wages down. :mad:

[booksenkatz]

11. And it keeps UP the cannon fodder numbers, dontcha know. nt

[GetTheRightVote]

13. I am not surprised with so many states now passing anti-abortion bills

:kick:

[trixie]

14. let's get out the calculator....

Stop funding for contraceptives........= more unintended pregnancy - yes it adds up.

Drastic cuts in food, shelter etc for lower income families = increase in abortions for that group - yes that adds up.

Apparently GOP is not too strong in math. :nuke:

[FlaGranny]

15. More unwanted pregnancies.

More unwanted kids. More abused kids. More babies in trash cans. More kids in poverty. More women dying from coat-hanger abortions. Sounds like fundy heaven.