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Posts Tagged ‘Pro-choice’

Legal Abortion – A Blow for Women’s Health

Posted in Abortion Information, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 22, 2011| 15 Comments »

Roe v. Wade Anniversary

Well, today is the 38th anniversary of the Roe v Wade decision!

When I think about what life was like over 38 years ago – before abortion was legal in this country – I can’t help to think about this nut ball doctor up in Philadelphia who a few days ago was indicted on several counts of MURDER for basically performing “illegal” abortions.  Now, I have not had the time to look closely at the indictment and, frankly, I’ve never heard of this guy but the only thing I thought of when I heard the news was that what he was doing was just how it worked in the old days.  We had all these sleazy illegal abortionists with unqualified staff, using unsterilized instruments and offering no counseling.  As a result, women throughout the country were being harmed physically and, worse, dying.  This guy up in Philadelphia is just an old “abortionist.”   Unfortunately, it’s someone like that who makes the headline and that, of course, gives the legitimate doctors a bad rap by association.

In the grand scheme of things, I can see how certain anti-abortion folks are so totally fixated on “saving” that fetus.  It’s just their thing and I am not qualified to psychoanalyze their thinking.  But while these folks are seemingly mesmerized by the quest to “save babies” do they not see what might happen if abortion were made illegal again in this country?  Do they not see what happened up in Philadelphia recently?  Do they have absolutely no compassion for the real, live, breathing woman?   I mean, they’re not all totally myopic, are they?

I think I know the answer that the pro-lifers will give me, I’ve certainly heard enough of the rhetoric over the years.  But, at least at this time, 38 years later, I can breathe a sigh of relief that in 1973 the Supreme Court in 1973 was brave and smart enough to realize what they were doing.  They struck a blow for woman’s health and that’s what I choose to celebrate today.

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Time to Contact Your Ob-Gyn

Posted in Abortion, Abortion clinic, Abortion Clinics, Abortion Information, Pap Smear, Teenagers, Vaginal Birth, Vaginitis, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on November 22, 2010| 8 Comments »

Teenagers

Okay, girls, it’s time for some basic info.

Let’s start with you youngsters.  Are you between the ages of 13 and 15?  Ah, God bless ya if you are!   I remember those days well.  I can remember cute little Tommy Kosky who sat in front of me in Algebra class.  To this day, I can still smell that cheap cologne that probably cost him $2.00 a gallon.  I remember asking him dumb questions just to get him to notice me…uh, I’m sorry, I’m digressing here.

Okay, earth to Pat.

As I was saying, if you are between the ages of 13 and 15, it’s time you picked up the phone and made your first appointment with an Obstetrician-Gynecologist, otherwise known as an Ob-Gyn.  Don’t know who to call?  Well, ask around, talk to your friends.  Don’t rely on the Google-meister.

The important thing is that this first visit will help you establish a relationship with the doctor of your choice and you’ll be able to talk candidly about your medical and sexual history (even if you have not had sexual intercourse.) This is a good time to ask questions about sexually transmitted diseases and contraceptives.   In many cases, this can become a life-long relationship.

If you are 21 years or older and have not yet had a pelvic exam or a Pap test, what the frig are you waiting for?   Get on your cell phone right now!

Ob-Gyn First Visit

If you have had these tests, then the question is how long has it been since your last Pap smear and pelvic exam? According to the American College of Ob-Gyns, women 21 to 29 should get a Pap smear every year, then every other year (or as often as your doctor recommends) from ages 30 to 64.

Meanwhile you should always see your gynecologist if you experience any bleeding between periods, bleeding after sexual intercourse or an unusual or constant vaginal discharge.

If you are over 30 years old, it is not necessary to get an annual Pap smear but you still should get an annual pelvic exam to check for any other changes or infections. If you’ve had an HPV test that was negative that doesn’t mean you don’t need to have a yearly pelvic exam. And remember that with each new sexual partner your risk of getting HPV increases by 15 percent. According to the ACOG guidelines for Pap testing women diagnosed with HIV or other diseases or conditions that lower immunity should continue having annual Pap smears after age 30.  Indeed, the greatest single reason for the occurrence of cervical cancer is not having Pap smears according to recommended guidelines.

Get with the program.  Don’t be a silly girl.  After all, it’s only your life.

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Another “Abortion Pill”

Posted in Abortion Information, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 8, 2010| 16 Comments »

Abortion Pill

Almost 80 percent of all abortions take place in Third World, poverty stricken nations.  But as we know, those abortions, because of a lack of training and bad facilities, can be very dangerous.  According to the World Health Organization up to 70,000 women die each year from complications from these abortions.

Think about that – 70,000 women each year.

Think about that again.

But now there is some hope on the horizon.  There is now a pill called misoprostol that is cheap and safe that can be used to induce abortions or, as it is being called, “medical abortions.”  This pill was originally developed to prevent stomach ulcers.  But now, thousands and thousands of women are learning that it can be used to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

It is not a perfect solution.  It is about 80-85 percent effective.  But the pill is readily available across the world.  Indeed, the use of this pill overseas is exploding.  According to Marie Stopes International, nearly 70 percent of all abortions in Scotland are performed using misoprostol.  It is predicted that the use of this pill will spread rapidly.  Indeed, some women’s health groups are calling this a “revolution” in women’s health.

Let’s hope so….

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