Reproductive Rights Blog

Sex Selection, Contraception and Birth Rates

Really, just another hodgepodge of links. I don't know why there are so many related articles these days!

First, an Indian doctor was sentenced to two years in prison for using an ultrasound to determine the sex of a fetus. The law was passed years ago in order to combat sex selective abortions, which were common in India.

The BBC is continuing its series on birth rates in Europe, today, focusing on Poland. Poland is a highly Catholic and somewhat traditional country (see previous post on Polish abortion law) which makes it surprising that the birth rate isn't higher there. The article again cites the high education levels women are achieveing in Poland as well as the shift to a market economy, as reasons for this low birth rate.

Also, I found this contraception page on MSNBC. Most of the story centers around pills, but really, if you read through the whole thing, it touches on everything except sterilization.

More Miscellaneous

Double fetus in fetu!!!

Cool old videos from Disney: VD & Menstruation

Hoarding fetuses:"Boxes containing the remains of 19 babies and more than 300 fetuses were found in plastic containers in the garage at his former home last August..."

EC in the ER is raising Catholic's ire.
Later: To answer Andrew's question: there are states that require EC to be offered to rape victims; I don't know of any states that require only that EC be offered, but do not require that it be dispensed if requested. Further, there was a to-do over the DoJ's rape protocol, which did NOT set as the standard of care that rape victims be offered EC.

More Miscellaneous Links

According to iWon news, from Ghana, the Hindustan Times warned pregnant women not to go outside during the eclipse, as it will cause birth defects.

That article about Italy's baby crisis? Apparently it's part of a series the beeb is working on. Next: Germany. Attitudes towards women in the workplace, working mothers, and financial incentives/help from the government are explored.

Also, the World Health Organization reports that less than 10% of HIV+ pregnant women are getting the drugs necessary to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies.

Lastly, for now, there are calls for international (if not just national) regulation of the fertility industry.

Today's News

Leading cause of maternal mortality in the developing world: hypertension.

More on Italy's continuing baby crisis. Increasing maternal education, high cost of living, and lack of childcare are all contributing factors.

Christian Science Monitor has an opinion piece on "How abortion bans might help the debate".

South Dakota Cartoon

On the wall at my clinic was this cartoon (although link is courtesy of feministing, I think, which you should be reading regardless)

South Dakota Ban to be put on hold

It looks like a group in South Dakota has gotten enough signatures to put the abortion ban on hold, and put it to a vote. At least that's what the Beeb is reporting. The American Life League is pissed!

Brit-Brit?

In my spare time I read a few celebrity fashion type blogs. One of them, which I will spare the indignity of being linked to from my political type blog, linked to this.

Okay, I do not even know what to make of it: Britney Spears, giving birth, on a bearskin rug.

The exhibition is co-sponsored by the Manhattan Right to Life Committee. Good thing I was already going for beers...

Stuff I Haven't Posted

Bookmarked a few stories, haven't posted them yet. Here goes:

- Some women are not trying to date anymore, and looking into sperm banks (I can see that). The NYT investigates this "phenomenon" of choice mothers, which I suppose is tearing through rich, upper-class, highly educated urban areas.

- The NYT also covers fathers rights for their biological children, which the "Wanted" article touched on. Known biological parents, it seems, have full parental rights. But according to the Fathers article, these rights are highly restricted. There are even father registries, required by some states in order to assert parental rights.

- Also via the NYT, Missouri is considering a bill to promote embryonic stem cell research. Of course, it's a political mess.

- Only 27% of new AIDS cases were in women, although this is a rise. Women are more vulnerable than men to HIV through vaginal intercourse.

Native Americans to the Rescue

The Oglala Sioux are apparently offering to set up an abortion clinic on tribal land. Donate here. (via mefi)

MI Ultrasound Bill

The Governor of Michigan has announced that she will sign a bill requiring abortion providers to OFFER pregnant women the option of seeing the ultrasound. The bill has been amended from the original wherein the woman was REQUIRED to see the ultrasound. The bill can be found on the Michigan legislature website, and the actual text is under HB 4446 (pdf).

Relevant portion:

If at any time prior to the performance of an abortion, a patient undergoes an ultrasound examination, or a physician determines that ultrasound imaging will be used during the course of a patient’s abortion, the physician or qualified person assisting the physician shall provide the patient with the opportunity to view or decline to view an active ultrasound image of the fetus, and offer to provide the patient with a physical picture of the ultrasound image of the fetus prior to the performance of the abortion.

Thanks Erin!