Republican politicians talk a lot about abortion and wanting to ban it. I have yet to see a single proposal to help women worried by coronavirus and the economy about carrying their babies to term if they are pregnant -- not from politicians, not from members here.
I think it is hypocritical to complain about abortion and then do nothing except pass laws to ban it. It is a crisis no one seems willing to talk about. I think Democrats need to speak up too. If they are really pro-choice, then they should want to help the women who choose to have their babies even in the midst of a pandemic. I've heard nothing from the politicians -- did I miss something?
April 13, 2020 Abortion clinics see high demand, more phone calls amid coronavirus
It's not a solution for Texas, that's for sure, not when misoprotstol can be bought easily in Mexico. The "deregulation" of how drugs can be bought is a factor too. Regulations on what drugs can be bought by mail have been relaxed so women in Texas can buy such drugs by mail. Now Texas is trying to clamp down.
Ken Paxton asks court to stay decision allowing women to get an abortion pill by mail during COVID-19 pandemic | kvue.com
Back to the USA article now:
The stimulus package doubtlessly helped many people; but were the concerns of pregnant women overlooked? I don't think so. It is tragic enough when women opt for abortions when times are good. It is even worse when women who might want to have their babies are afraid to carry to term.
Surely both sides in the abortion debate should be able to agree that helping women who choose to have their babies is a good thing.
I think it is hypocritical to complain about abortion and then do nothing except pass laws to ban it. It is a crisis no one seems willing to talk about. I think Democrats need to speak up too. If they are really pro-choice, then they should want to help the women who choose to have their babies even in the midst of a pandemic. I've heard nothing from the politicians -- did I miss something?
April 13, 2020 Abortion clinics see high demand, more phone calls amid coronavirus
The coronavirus outbreak has fueled attempts to ban abortions in some states, but providers where the procedure remains available report increased demand, often from women distraught over economic stress and health concerns linked to the pandemic.
“The calls we’ve been getting are frantic,” said Julie Burkhart, who manages clinics in Wichita, Kansas, and Oklahoma City. “We’ve seen more women coming sooner than they would have because they’re scared they won’t be able to access the services later.”
Some clinics are seeing patients who traveled hundreds of miles from states such as Texas, which has banned abortions during much of the pandemic on grounds they are nonessential.
Some women are able to travel to places where they can get abortions. Some will resort to unsafe home methods to abort. Using the pandemic to label abortions as "nonessential" may reduce the number of legal abortions in states that did that; but it's not going to reduce the number overall. Republican lawmakers like to pass such meaningless laws because then they can claim to be doing their best to ban abortion. They can also raise campaign money by claiming to be against abortion while doing nothing -- zilch, zero -- to reduce the demand for abortion. “The calls we’ve been getting are frantic,” said Julie Burkhart, who manages clinics in Wichita, Kansas, and Oklahoma City. “We’ve seen more women coming sooner than they would have because they’re scared they won’t be able to access the services later.”
Some clinics are seeing patients who traveled hundreds of miles from states such as Texas, which has banned abortions during much of the pandemic on grounds they are nonessential.
Dr. Allison Cowett of Family Planning Associates in Chicago said one recent patient was a teen who drove from Texas with her mother. In Atlanta, Dr. Marissa Lapedis said her clinic accommodated a woman who received her initial abortion consultation in Texas but flew to Georgia when the Texas ban postponed a second visit to receive the abortion pill.
An influx of women from Texas contributed to the upsurge of abortions at Burkhart’s clinic in Wichita. She said it performed 252 abortions in March, up from 90 in March 2019.
An influx of women from Texas contributed to the upsurge of abortions at Burkhart’s clinic in Wichita. She said it performed 252 abortions in March, up from 90 in March 2019.
It's not a solution for Texas, that's for sure, not when misoprotstol can be bought easily in Mexico. The "deregulation" of how drugs can be bought is a factor too. Regulations on what drugs can be bought by mail have been relaxed so women in Texas can buy such drugs by mail. Now Texas is trying to clamp down.
Ken Paxton asks court to stay decision allowing women to get an abortion pill by mail during COVID-19 pandemic | kvue.com
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton requested the U.S. Court of Appeals to stay a nationwide injunction suspending a rule that requires women to visit a hospital, clinic or medical office to obtain an abortion pill. . . .
The states of Indiana, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma had asked to intervene in the lawsuit. The 10 states argued that the case could impact how they enforce their own state laws that relate to or reference the FDA’s regulation of mifepristone. Their request was rejected, with the judge saying the federal case would not eliminate any state’s ability to continue to regulate abortion medication “above and beyond” the FDA’s requirements.
The states of Indiana, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma had asked to intervene in the lawsuit. The 10 states argued that the case could impact how they enforce their own state laws that relate to or reference the FDA’s regulation of mifepristone. Their request was rejected, with the judge saying the federal case would not eliminate any state’s ability to continue to regulate abortion medication “above and beyond” the FDA’s requirements.
Back to the USA article now:
Dr. Jen Villavicencio, an abortion provider in Michigan, predicts that demand for abortions will continue to increase during the pandemic.
“I hear it in my patient’s voices and questions daily,” she said by email. “They’re worried about how they will make their rent, feed their family, access a ventilator if the need arises.”
The pandemic has prompted Planned Parenthood, the national’s largest abortion provider, to make adjustments.
In New York City, the epicenter of the outbreak in the U.S., Planned Parenthood has modified medication abortion procedures to minimize travel and potential COVID-19 exposure for patients and staff.
Dr. Meera Shah is chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, which serves New York’s northern suburbs. She says her staff is expanding telemedicine as they see an uptick in patients seeking abortions, often convinced that “having a child right now isn’t best for them.”
“I hear it in my patient’s voices and questions daily,” she said by email. “They’re worried about how they will make their rent, feed their family, access a ventilator if the need arises.”
The pandemic has prompted Planned Parenthood, the national’s largest abortion provider, to make adjustments.
In New York City, the epicenter of the outbreak in the U.S., Planned Parenthood has modified medication abortion procedures to minimize travel and potential COVID-19 exposure for patients and staff.
Dr. Meera Shah is chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, which serves New York’s northern suburbs. She says her staff is expanding telemedicine as they see an uptick in patients seeking abortions, often convinced that “having a child right now isn’t best for them.”
The stimulus package doubtlessly helped many people; but were the concerns of pregnant women overlooked? I don't think so. It is tragic enough when women opt for abortions when times are good. It is even worse when women who might want to have their babies are afraid to carry to term.
Surely both sides in the abortion debate should be able to agree that helping women who choose to have their babies is a good thing.
