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The Quickie: Alaska Court Could Fulfill The Promise Of Abortion Rights

For Immediate Release: Nov. 20, 2023


Welcome to “The Quickie” — Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s daily tipsheet on the top health care & reproductive rights stories of the day. You can read “The Quickie'' online here.

In today’s Quickie: Alaska could fulfill the state’s constitutional promise to abortion rights and Planned Parenthood Great Plains expands contraceptive services to meet growing demand for vasectomies.

ALASKA COURT COULD FULFILL THE PROMISE OF ABORTION RIGHTS: Last Friday, attorneys completed a trial that could expand abortion access in Alaska. If the court decides to strike down the state’s ban on advanced practice clinician (APC) providing abortion, it would fulfill the state constitution’s promise for abortion rights. Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky CEO Rebecca Gibron explains in an op-ed for the Anchorage Daily News that the APC ban arbitrarily limits who can provide abortion, even though medical professionals can safely offer this care – and they do in 20 states and the District of Columbia.

Like most abortion restrictions, this law disproportionately harms Alaska’s rural and most underserved communities, including Alaska Native and American Indian people who have endured a history of state-controlled reproduction, coercion, and denial of bodily autonomy…

… We’ve seen these barriers stop patients from getting care at our Planned Parenthood health centers. Because only physicians can provide abortion, patients who learn they are pregnant when a physician is not at one of our health centers must return for a second visit to have an abortion. The unnecessary delay pushes them further along in their pregnancies, increasing their safety risks, and shrinking the window for receiving an abortion altogether.

Read the full op-ed at the Anchorage Daily News, and learn more about the case here. 

 

PLANNED PARENTHOOD GREAT PLAINS EXPANDS SERVICES TO INCLUDE VASECTOMIES TO MEET DEMAND POST-ROE: Planned Parenthood Great Plains (PPGP) is now offering access to vasectomies at free or reduced cost – a procedure they previously gave referrals for – in response to the increase in demand following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. These services will be offered at the Tulsa and Oklahoma City locations following successful two-day clinics the health center organized in July and October.  Since the service became available, appointments have filled up quickly — a sign that sexual and reproductive health remains at the forefront of people’s minds. PPGP is expected to perform 100 vasectomies by Thanksgiving. 

“Creating more access to this important family planning option in Oklahoma means we can help anyone who has testes choose this means of contraceptive without causing an unintended pregnancy,” said Dr. Joshua Yap, a physician and director of Vasectomy Care, Planned Parenthood Great Plains.

Since the overturning of Roe, reports have shown the demand for vasectomies has increased across the country, especially in states with abortion restrictions. 

“At a time when people are worried about the future of sexual and reproductive rights, it’s critical we offer our patients the complete range of contraceptive choices with the ability and peace of mind to plan for the long term,” Emily Wales, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains said “We’re thrilled to provide this care to the community while alleviating the cost burden for many.

Read more here

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