ISOOU Health Body

Healthcare Prof:

The Oakland Tribune on Sunday examined how abortion-rights advocates are beginning to show a “spiritual side” after years of appearing to be “far removed from religion,” while the antiabortion movement and religion seemed to be “inextricably linked.” The Planned Parenthood Federation of America last year for the first time appointed a national chaplain, and several chaplains serve locally inside the organization nationwide. “Planned Parenthood is deeply, firmly on the side of religion,” PPFA Interim President Karen Pearl stated, adding that religion fundamentally entails ethics and morality, which are essential towards the group’s function of supporting women’s well being (Tucker [1], Oakland Tribune, 7/24).

The Tribune on Sunday profiled Lisa Sargent, who serves as the chaplain for Planned Parenthood Golden Gate (Tucker [2], Oakland Tribune, 7/24).

Oakland Tribune

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Every day Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Day-to-day Well being Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a cost-free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Household Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family members Foundation. All rights reserved.

3.83 (6 votes)

Healthcare Prof:

4 (1 votes)

In 2004, for women resident in England and Wales:

* the total number of abortions was 185,400, compared with 181,600 in 2003, a rise of two.1%

* the age-standardised abortion rate was 17.8 per 1,000 resident girls aged 15-44 (17.five in 2003)

* the abortion rate was highest, at 31.9 per 1000, for ladies inside the 18-19 and 20-24 age groups

the under-16 abortion rate was 3.7 compared with three.9 in 2003.

The under-18 rate was 17.8 compared with 18.two in 2003

* 82% of abortions were funded by the NHS; of these, just more than half (51%) took place within the independent sector below NHS contract

* 88% of abortions had been carried out at under 13 weeks gestation; 60% were at under 10 weeks

* medical abortions accounted for 19% with the total compared with 17% in 2003

* 1,900 abortions (1%) were below ground E, risk that the child would be born handicapped

Non-residents:

* in 2004 there were 8,760 abortions for nonresidents carried out in hospitals and clinics in England and Wales (9,100 in 2003)

In using and releasing well being statistics there is a risk, normally with small numbers, of identifying individuals. To address this, the Department of Wellness asked the National Statistician to offer it with guidelines for interpreting the National Statistics Code of Practice and linked protocols inside the handling of well being statistics across the wellness community, in a way that balances information confidentiality risks with the public interest inside the use of the figures. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published a report on disclosure guidance for abortion statistics as well as a further report giving guidance for all wellness statistics will likely be published within the Autumn of 2005. The report for abortions statistics could be identified on the ONS site.

The 2004 Abortion Statistics bulletin applies the conclusions with the ONS disclosure review and guidance for abortion statistics. The guidance provides details on how you can identify cells inside tabulated statistics where the risks of a breach of confidentiality are unacceptable (“unsafe cells”). It then describes methods for reducing these risks.

For the bulletin, the risks identified have been reduced largely by redesigning tables. However, exactly where table redesign proved to be impossible then suppression was applied to cells with fewer than five situations at National level or fewer than 10 circumstances at sub-national level and for highly sensitive variables for example gestation weeks by medical grounds. The exact same principles were also applied to tables showing rates and percentages.

Abortion Statistics from the Office for National Statistics

1 (1 votes)

Healthcare Prof:

Commenting on the 2004 figures Anne Weyman, fpa (Loved ones Preparing Association) Chief Executive stated:

“These figures highlight the urgent have to improve NHS contraceptive services. Greater investment is needed to improve access to services and train a lot more health professionals as a way to avoid unintended pregnancy. It is also essential females and men know much more about the full range of 14 contraceptive methods as a way to protect their sexual well being.”

“It is encouraging to see that there have been improvements to abortion services. More than ever are now being funded by the NHS (82% compared to 80% in 2003), and an elevated number of females are having early abortions (56% of NHS funded abortions took location under 10 weeks compared to 52% in 2003) which also indicates much more ladies have the option of a medical rather than surgical abortion.”

“However, you will find still improvements that might be produced in terms of waiting times and service delivery and we would like to see these created an urgent priority at national level.”

For further info contact fpa’s press workplace 020 7923 5202/5201 or 07958 921060.

fpa (Household Preparing Association) could be the only registered charity working to improve the sexual wellness and reproductive rights of all people throughout the UK.

http://www.fpa.org.uk

Healthcare Prof:

Abortion figures for England and Wales, released today, show an increase of two.1% more than last year’s figures.

Julie Millington, on behalf with the ProLife Alliance, comments:

‘Despite elevated access to contraception, relentless sex education programmes, and easy availability of the abortifacient morning-after-pill, the abortion figures in England and Wales are climbing towards 200,000 a year and most likely to continue to rise.

‘A colossal overall boost in numbers within the decades because abortion was decriminalised may be noted in one of many graphs inside the statistics (Figure 1), where it shows that around five girls per 1000 had abortions in the early years, compared to 17 per 1000 these days.

‘We note too that the private abortion providers (Marie Stopes, BPAS, et al) have elevated considerably their share of this grisly industry, particularly as agents for the NHS, a share which they have tripled inside the last ten years (see Figure 2). Their overall percentage when combined with private provision is now some 60% of the market. It really is hardly surprising, consequently, that we saw them lately banding together against any restrictive reform with the Abortion Act. Their livelihood depends upon abortion.

‘It is always unpleasant to scan chilling information on the suppression of pregnancy, and heartbreaking to see the totals as they climb year right after year, knowing that every single number represents a tiny human life that has been ended.

‘On this occasion, nonetheless, we are also concerned concerning the extremely worrying suppression of data in the existing statistics, which so obviously comes inside the wake of and as a response towards the cleft-palate legal challenge. Info which was previously offered has been withdrawn.

‘Why in an age when the Government continually preaches elevated transparency and public accountability, is less detail about abortion now accessible than it was 5 years ago? Illegal abortion remains a criminal act and no attempts of any kind should be produced to bury information relevant to assessment of correct practice in this region.’

Julia Millington
Political Director
ProLife Alliance
Tel: 020 7581 6939
Fax: 020 7581 3868
info@prolife.org.uk
http://www.prolife.org.uk

Healthcare Prof:

Thousands of documents Supreme Court nominee Judge John Roberts kept in his files from 1981 to 1982 that had been released on Tuesday by the… National Archives and Records Administration include several references to Roe v. Wade — the 1973 Supreme Court case that struck down state abortion bans — but don’t reveal his individual views on abortion rights, USA Today reports (Locy/Johnson, USA Today, 7/27). In one abortion-related reference, Roberts noted that most attendees at an October 1981 American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research conference “recognized a severe problem in the present exercise of judicial power” as demonstrated “by what is broadly perceived to be the unprincipled jurisprudence of Roe v. Wade” (Rosenbaum, New York Times, 7/27). Even so, the way the memo was written suggests he was attributing this perspective to a group of scholars at the conference, based on the Chicago Tribune (Zuckman et al., Chicago Tribune, 7/27). Some Senate Democrats have sought the release of the documents in an effort to figure out Roberts’ personal views on such concerns as abortion rights (USA Today, 7/27). Though little is recognized about Roberts’ views on abortion, some observers say he could tip the balance with the Supreme Court on the issue because retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the deciding vote in numerous circumstances that upheld abortion rights. Despite the fact that Roberts, who in 2003 was confirmed as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, has never written a legal opinion on the concern as a judge, he has argued as an lawyer in several abortion-related cases. During his 2003 confirmation hearings for the federal judgeship, Roberts stated the choice in Roe is “the settled law of the land” (Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Health Report, 7/26).

Gonzales Says Roberts Can Oppose Roe
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Tuesday clarified that if Roberts is confirmed to the Supreme Court, he would be allowed to vote to overturn Roe simply because the Supreme Court isn’t bound by precedent, the Washington Post reports (Eggen, Washington Post, 7/27). Gonzales stated that even though the legal appropriate to abortion is established and settled amongst lower courts, a Supreme Court justice doesn’t have to follow the court’s precedent on the issue if he or she believes the ruling was incorrect (Sherman, AP/Fox News, 7/27). Abortion-rights advocates criticized Gonzales’ remarks and stated they indicate that Roberts is a lot more conservative in his views than what has been portrayed by the Bush administration. Nevertheless, Department of Justice spokesperson Tasia Scolinos stated the remarks were intended to clarify how the courts perform and should not be interpreted to predict how Roberts would address prospective Supreme Court situations, including abortion-related cases (Washington Post, 7/27).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. It is possible to view the entire Kaiser Every day Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Every day Wellness Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a totally free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Household Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Loved ones Foundation. All rights reserved.

Healthcare Prof:

Abortion-rights advocates on Tuesday expressed their anger and disappointment that Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) vetoed legislation… (SB 2073/HB 1643) that would expand access to emergency contraception and declared his antiabortion stance and disapproval of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that struck down state abortion bans, the Boston Globe reports. Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey (R) also sought to distinguish herself from Romney, affirming that she supports abortion rights and expanded access to EC (Lewis, Boston Globe, 7/27). Healey earlier this month said she would encourage Romney to sign a measure that would broaden access to EC, but she did not explicitly endorse any legislation (Kaiser Day-to-day Reproductive Wellness Report, 7/25). Even so, Romney on Monday vetoed the measure, which would need hospital emergency departments to provide EC to rape survivors and enable pharmacists to dispense EC to females with out a doctor’s prescription. Romney said signing the measure would have broken his 2002 campaign promise not to alter state abortion law since he believes that EC causes abortions by stopping a fertilized egg from implanting within the uterine wall. Throughout his 2002 campaign, Romney had suggested he would support wider access to EC, which can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse (Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Wellness Report, 7/26). Healey stated she supports Roe and urged Romney to sign the EC measure, but she added that she knew Romney may “come out differently” on the EC legislation, adding, “I gave him my advice and counsel, and he chose to go in a various direction.” Nancy Luther — a Republican state committee member and member of Republican Majority for Choice, which endorsed Romney in 2002 — said, “I’m quite disappointed,” adding, “He’s put his political future above the promises he created to Massachusetts.” Romney’s “new stance on abortion” convinced some Republicans that he may be pursuing a 2008 presidential nomination, in accordance with the Globe (Boston Globe, 7/27).

Romney’s Views Appealing to Conservatives
Romney on Monday outlined “an emphatically antiabortion position,” criticizing Roe and saying states ought to be allowed to decide the legality of abortion, which analysts say places him philosophically in the center of antiabortion advocates. Though some conservatives advocate for a constitutional amendment to outlaw abortion, others seek the issue’s return to state legislatures since they think the majority of U.S. residents are not ready for an absolute ban. “It seems to me that Romney’s position … would appeal to most pro-life voters and most pragmatic pro-life activists,” David Boaz, executive vice president with the Cato Institute, said. Antiabortion advocate Hadley Arkes, a political science professor at Amherst College in Massachusetts, stated, “The individuals lengthy seasoned inside the [antiabortion] movement will find quite refined points where they’d desire to either quibble with him or offer instruction to him as a newfound friend,” adding, “But I believe individuals would see here the clear signs of somebody who desires to say he shares their perspective and desires to move in their direction” (Greenberger, Boston Globe, 7/27).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. It is possible to view the whole Kaiser Everyday Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Every day Well being Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a cost-free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Healthcare Prof:

Seven female, Democratic senators on Thursday for the duration of a press conference said they’ll insist Supreme Court nominee Judge John Roberts state his opinion on privacy rights — which includes his views on… Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that struck down state abortion bans — prior to he is confirmed, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Lochhead, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/29). Some observers say Roberts could tip the balance with the Supreme Court on the issue simply because retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the deciding vote in numerous situations that upheld abortion rights. Roberts, who in 2003 was confirmed as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, has in no way written a legal opinion on the issue as a judge (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Wellness Report, 7/28). At the press conference, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) stated the lack of documents on Roberts leaves “some confusion where he stands” on privacy rights, which includes abortion, adding, “There could be no confusion” (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/29). Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said, “I desire to hear a nominee say that the [right to privacy] may be the basis for their philosophy,” adding, “If an individual says that, then I will likely be convinced that they truly think inside the right to privacy and will not be a member of the Supreme Court which will unsettle Roe v. Wade.” Cantwell acknowledged that the request amounts to a “litmus test,” the Washington Times reports. When the group of senators had been asked if they would support Roberts’ confirmation if he were to say Roe was wrongly decided, Boxer said she would locate it “impossible” to approve his nomination, although Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) said she would not speculate on her vote prior to the hearings. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) didn’t say regardless of whether she would support Roberts in that circumstance, but said that senators are interested in a lot more than just abortion rights (Hurt, Washington Times, 7/29).

Internet Web site, Other Involved Senators
The group of senators on Thursday also announced the creation of a Web site — democrats.senate.gov/askroberts — dedicated to searching for public input on what questions really should be asked for the duration of Roberts’ confirmation hearings, the Oakland Tribune reports. Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) also participated inside the press conference (Richman, Oakland Tribune, 7/29). Despite the fact that Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) was not in the press conference to announce the Net web site, Mikulski said it has her support (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/29).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You are able to view the entire Kaiser Everyday Wellness Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Wellness Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Household Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Business and Kaiser Family members Foundation. All rights reserved.