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☆ Abortion opponents push post-Roe agenda at annual Washington march
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Gabriella Borter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Women's March activists hold signs outside the White House in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade abortion decision in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 9, 2022. With that goal now accomplished after the U.S. Supreme Court threw out Roe's precedent and gutted federal abortion rights last June, the leaders of March For Life hope to galvanize support for state and federal legislation placing further limits on abortion. Michigan voters approved a state constitutional amendment last November to enshrine abortion rights. This year's national march will take place two days before Jan. 22, which would have been the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. Abortion rights advocates were marking the occasion by reflecting on the enormous disruption in reproductive healthcare that the United States has witnessed over the last year, and calling for more legislation to protect abortion rights at the state and national level.

Medication abortion has drawn increasing attention since the U.S. Supreme Court last June overturned its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that had legalized abortion nationwide. Nearly all abortions, including medication abortions, are now banned in 12 states, and 16 states that permit some abortions also had laws restricting medication abortion as of November, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. "The FDA, by approving chemical abortion drugs for home use, puts a woman or girl's life at risk." In its court filing, the FDA said there was no basis for second-guessing the FDA's judgment. The FDA said that pulling the drug would force patients seeking abortions in many cases to undergo unnecessary and more invasive surgical abortion.

☆ A Virginia bill would allow a pregnant driver to use the HOV lane by counting the fetus as a person, proving that despite recent failures the fight for fetal personhood is far from over
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Virginia bill would grant a fetus personhood to permit a pregnant driver to use the high-occupancy lane. It follows a similar case where a Texas woman fought a traffic ticket for driving while pregnant in the HOV. The fight over fetal personhood is far from overIn October, the US Supreme Court declined an appeal on the question of whether fetuses have constitutional rights, according to Reuters. The movement to establish fetal personhood began in 1973 following the Roe decision, and US lawmakers were trying as early as 1983 to establish fetal personhood at the national level, according to ProPublica. As of now, Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, and Missouri have some kind of fetal personhood laws on the books, PBS and NPR-affiliate GPB News reported.

☆ A former CVS nurse practitioner is suing the company after it fired her for refusing to prescribe birth control and Plan B for religious reasons
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A former CVS employee in Texas is suing the company after it fired her for refusing to give out birth control. The suit claims the company granted her "religious accommodation" until it reversed the policy in August 2021. The suit claims CVS previously granted Strader religious accommodation so that she was not required to give out birth control at the MinuteClinic where she worked in Keller, Texas. Currently, six states — Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, and South Dakota — allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense birth control pills or Plan B for religious reasons. Strader's suit follows similar legal action taken by CVS nurse practitioners in Virginia and Kansas, who also claim the company fired them for refusal to provide birth control to customers.

The former Jackson Women’s Health Organization will become a luxury consignment shop called Hunt, owner David Carpenter said this week. Carpenter purchased the pink-stucco building known as the Pink House shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The Las Cruces Women’s Health Organization has been nicknamed the Pink House West in a nod to the Jackson clinic. Carpenter said he bought the Jackson building in July from a local developer who had purchased the property from Derzis. The Jackson Women’s Health Organization opened in 1995.

A Virginia bill would deem a pregnant person's fetus a passenger in a car, thereby allowing the vehicle to use the car pool lane on highways. Under the bill, the certifications would then be "linked" to toll collection devices — typically E-Z Passes — in vehicles. High occupancy lanes require drivers to have at least one passenger in their vehicles when they use the lanes. And by considering a pregnant person as two people — in this case, allowing a pregnant person to use an HOV lane — you're ultimately making it harder to uphold abortion rights, because you have essentially imbued a fetus with personhood," Nash added. Doug Ducey, a Republican, that included a provision, carried over from a 2021 law, that reproductive rights advocates say granted personhood to fetuses.

☆ Alabama's attorney general threatened to prosecute people seeking abortion pills. A day later, he walked it back.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Yelena Dzhanova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said he'd prosecute people who take abortion pills. A day later, Marshall walked back his remarks and said only abortion providers would be prosecuted. Prosecuting people for taking abortion pills would not have been legal in the state of Alabama, civil-rights experts told Insider. The FDA authorized brick-and-mortar pharmacies across the country to pursue certification to carry abortion pills, a move that could expand abortion access nationwide. Kay Ivey in 2019, specifically says abortion providers can be held criminally liable, but people who get abortions cannot be.

☆ FDA finalizes rule expanding availability of abortion pills
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday finalized a rule change that broadens availability of abortion pills to many more pharmacies, including large chains and mail-order companies. Still, the rule change’s impact has been blunted by numerous state laws limiting abortion broadly and the pills specifically. Legal experts foresee years of court battles over access to the pills, as abortion-rights proponents bring test cases to challenge state restrictions. Two drugmakers that make brand-name and generic versions of abortion pills requested the latest FDA label update. The FDA in 2000 approved mifepristone to terminate pregnancies of up to 10 weeks, when used with a second drug, misoprostol.

[1/3] Anti-abortion demonstrators celebrate outside the United States Supreme Court as the court rules in the Dobbs v Women's Health Organization abortion case, overturning the landmark Roe v Wade abortion decision in Washington, U.S., June 24, 2022. REUTERS/Evelyn HocksteinDec 20 (Reuters) - Six months after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, the state of abortion rights around the country remains unsettled, thanks to a patchwork of lawsuits in state courts and emergency court orders. About half of all states are ultimately expected to adopt new abortion restrictions in the wake of the Supreme Court's June ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health. The litigation has resulted in chaos for abortion providers and patients, according to people involved in the lawsuits and legal experts. In state after state, courts have issued emergency orders blocking the new bans while lawsuits unfold, only to be reversed weeks or even days later on appeal.

☆ States with more abortion restrictions have higher maternal and infant mortality, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Doha Madani | Doha Madani Is A Senior Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News. Pronouns | She Her. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

New research released Wednesday adds to a growing body of evidence showing a link between more restrictive abortion policies and higher rates of maternal and infant mortality. According to the report, states that heavily restricted abortion access in 2020 had maternal death rates that were 62% higher than they were in states where abortion was more easily accessible. "Then, on top of all that, you're adding this variation in abortion services, reproductive health services, by states," Zephyrin said. Their report isn't the only one that has documented a correlation between abortion restrictions and higher maternal and infant mortality. And then you have these further restrictions on reproductive health care," Zephyrin said.

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate race too close to call Wisconsin's Senate race between GOP Sen. Ron Johnson and Democrat Mandela Barnes is too close to call, NBC News says. Vance wins Ohio Senate race, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan, NBC News projects COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.D. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance is leading The Senate race in Ohio is too early to call, NBC News says, but Republican candidate J.D. Share this -Link copiedGeorgia Senate race too close to call Georgia's Senate race is too close to call about three hours after polls closed at 7 p.m.

The first election to put abortion rights to the test after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade appears unlikely to reshape the map of abortion access — at least not overnight. States that protect abortion access Mixed results New protections Existing protections Results pending States that restrict abortion access Results pending New restrictions likely Mixed results Existing restrictionsResults pending in races affecting abortion Arizona Montana Nebraska PennsylvaniaMany of the most competitive state-level races with consequences for abortion were too close to call on Wednesday. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel, both Democrats who pledged to protect abortion rights, won re-election. But two candidates for the State Supreme Court who were backed by anti-abortion groups did not win their races. Mr. Cooper, a Democrat, opposes abortion restrictions, and Republicans failed to secure a supermajority in the Legislature that would have allowed them to override his veto.

☆ Some in White House worry abortion message bungled before midterms
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Some White House officials believe they should have linked abortion to economic concerns more, rather than fundamental rights and privacy, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. The White House faced a similar situation when trying to expand the child tax credit earlier this year, both sources noted. White House spokesman Kevin Munoz dismissed "any notion of over focus" on reproductive rights and said Biden has addressed multiple issues. The White House has asked the DNC to gather data for an election postmortem to identify what messages worked and what didn't, party sources said. The White House signed executive orders on the issue and met with state legislators, grassroots activists and coalitions to finetune abortion messaging.

☆ Abortion rights are on the ballot in these states. Here's what you need to know for the midterms
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Michigan is poised to become a safe haven of constitutionally protected abortion rights in the Midwest, where access is shrinking. Democrats have made abortion rights central to their campaign to maintain control of Congress and expand their majorities in the midterms. This means reinstating abortion rights at the federal level is unlikely in the near term. Kansas, which is also a very conservative state, resoundingly rejected a ballot measure in August that would have stripped abortion rights from its state constitution. MichiganIn Michigan, voters will decide whether to amend the state constitution to protect not just abortion but reproductive rights broadly.

☆ Proposal 5: Vermont will vote to protect reproductive autonomy
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Vermont's Proposal 5, or Article 22, would make reproductive autonomy a state constitutional right. Proponents say that the measure will further protect abortion and contraception access. Currently, the state of Vermont has no restriction on abortion access and allows for abortions throughout a pregnancy, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Vermont Right to Life is leading the opposition, and argues that the amendment will make it harder to pass laws in the future that would ban or restrict abortion. What experts are sayingAs of October, 75% of Vermont voters would vote yes on Proposal 5, while 18% would vote no and 6% are unsure, a University of New Hampshire survey found.

☆ Proposal 3: Michigan voters will decide on a constitutional right to abortion
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Michigan's Proposal 3 would make pregnancy decisions a state constitutional right. Proponents say that the measure will protect abortion access and medical staff who perform abortions. Currently, Michigan's restrictions on abortion access include parental consent for minors and waiting periods for abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Supporters say the constitutional amendment is necessary to affirm the right to abortion and nullify a 1931 state law that completely bans abortions and threatens abortion providers with up to 15 years of imprisonment. They oppose the proposal because it would cancel out laws on the books that restrict abortions, including parental consent laws.

☆ FDA expresses concern about providers who offer abortion medications before pregnancy, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Medication abortion, also known as medical abortion, is a method by which someone ends their pregnancy by taking two pills, rather than having a surgical procedure. Medication abortion now accounts for more than half of all US abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization focused on sexual and reproductive health. “We’re also proud to offer ongoing, supportive abortion care from our providers as part of our advance provision service to support patients throughout the process,” she said. “Providers are fully able to prescribe medications off-label, and in fact, some prescribe mifepristone up to 12 weeks” into a pregnancy, Upadhyay said. To prescribe the abortion medication, providers have to be certified, and the patient must sign paperwork that says they understand that there is a risk of complications.

☆ Following the fall of Roe v. Wade, telemedicine startup Hey Jane just raised $6.1 million to increase access to abortion pills
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Samantha Stokes | Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Abortion telemedicine startup Hey Jane raised $6.1 million in funding. Reproductive health startups are receiving more attention from VCs following the fall of Roe v. Wade. The fall of Roe v. Wade earlier this year has caused some states to restrict access to abortions and has thrown reproductive rights into the spotlight. Hey Jane raised $6.1 million in Series A funding from female-led Ulu Ventures, The Helm, Amboy Street, Portfolia, and G9. Moving forward, a key area of focus for Hey Jane will be increasing awareness of medication abortion to the general public, as well as access.

☆ Opinion | Abortion Is Legal in Ethiopia. But Half of These Clinics Won’t Provide Them.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Anu Kumar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

When Congress passed the Helms Amendment, only six of those countries allowed abortion in circumstances beyond saving a woman’s life. And every year, more than 16,000 of the women and girls who have received these unsafe abortions die from more serious complications. President Biden also has the power to mitigate some of the harms of the Helms Amendment. His administration could also ensure that clinics in countries where abortion is legal understand that U.S. rules allow them to offer abortion information and counseling. The Helms Amendment is an act of international interference and overreach, and it has to end.

The motion was filed in a 2020 lawsuit challenging several abortion restrictions in North Carolina. Three states limit procedural abortions to physicians but allow other non-physician clinicians to provide medication abortions. Medication abortion consists of a two-pill regimen that is federally approved to be taken up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. Relief from the restrictions on advanced practice clinicians would let clinics provide abortions to more patients in a timely manner, she said. Bass said she already provides medication abortions in Virginia, where it is legal.

☆ At least 66 clinics in 15 states have stopped providing abortions since Dobbs, analysis finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-09 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

At least 66 clinics in 15 states have stopped providing abortions since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, according to a new analysis from the Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights research organization. The analysis notes that those states had 79 total clinics that provided abortions before the Dobbs decision, compared with 13 today. All of the remaining open clinics are in Georgia, where a law prohibits abortions once a "detectable human heartbeat is present." The most closings were in Texas, where at least a dozen clinics shuttered, the Guttmacher analysis says. Planned Parenthood also provides STD testing, pregnancy testing, transgender hormone therapy and primary care services, according to its website.

☆ Abortion: Clinics in 14 of 15 states have stopped providing services, survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-06 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The survey found that among 15 states that were enforcing either total abortion bans or near-total abortion bans between the decision and October 2, nearly two-thirds of clinics that once provided abortion care – 66 of 79 – had been forced to stop offering abortion services. That means there are no providers offering abortions in 14 of the 15 states, says Rachel Jones, principal research scientist at Guttmacher. The 15 states included in the survey are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The impacts of these closures are being felt far beyond these 15 states. States where abortions are still legal have seen large influxes of people who are traveling to get the procedure.

☆ After abortion restrictions, Texas recasts sex education
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-17 | by ( Emmarie Huetteman | Kaiser Health News | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +9 min

Her school did not teach sexual health education, and preventing pregnancy was a foreign concept. Previously, a 2017 report showed 58% of Texas school districts offered “abstinence-only” sexual health education, while only 17% offered curriculums that expanded beyond that. These changes in sex education come as the state ratchets down abortion access following the Supreme Court decision in June overturning Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion. In 2019, the Texas Board of Education began rewriting the health education standards that had been in place since the 1990s. Now, information about contraceptives, as well as more about STIs, is taught in middle school health classes, which are required.

☆ The hidden side effect of overturning Roe v. Wade
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-12 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Which means that, to a large extent, we won't know how the court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is actually the health and wellbeing of women and children. We could maybe look at all pregnancy-related emergency department visits, or look at changes in miscarriage and abortion numbers before and after. But even in the days of Roe, some states — including California — refused to provide abortion data to the CDC. Abortion data, like abortions themselves, have largely been subjected to a political debate over rights, at the expense of actual knowledge. They need numbers, they need facts, they need stories."

☆ Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, undoing nearly 50 years of legalized abortion nationwide
▼ + stars: | 2022-06-24 | by ( Oma Seddiq | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that legalized abortion across the US. "For millions of women, Roe and Casey have been critical in giving them control of their bodies and their lives. President Joe Biden and Democratic leaders across the nation swiftly condemned the Supreme Court's ruling on Friday, while Republicans celebrated it. An increased police presence has gathered in Washington, DC, in response to protests outside the Supreme Court. However, legal experts say those are likely to fail, given the Supreme Court has handed off abortion decision-making to the states.

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