Florida Governor Signs Bill Banning Abortions After 15 Weeks
Until this law was enacted, Florida allowed abortion until the third trimester, which is 24 weeks of pregnancy. The Supreme Court is considering a similar Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks. A decision is expected later this year.
Miami Herald:
DeSantis Signs Florida Bill Banning Abortion After 15 Weeks
In a historic moment for the anti-abortion movement, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a measure banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The measure, House Bill 5, contains the strictest prohibition passed in Florida during the Roe v. Wade era. It does not come with exceptions for pregnancies that are the result of rape, incest or human trafficking. Under the law, women can still obtain an abortion if their health is threatened or if their baby has a “fatal fetal abnormality.” Although DeSantis’ signature came more than a month after the Legislature passed the bill in early March, there was never any doubt he would approve the measure. (Wilson, 4/14)
Politico:
DeSantis Approves 15-Week Abortion Ban
DeSantis signed the bill on the last day of Lent, which ends 40 days of prayer and fasting that Christians go through ahead of Easter. One Planned Parenthood official said the fight over preserving access to abortion is not over. Stephanie Fraim, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, wrote a statement that stopped short of threatening all-out legal action.“If these politicians think the fight against this abortion ban is over they are sadly mistaken,” Fraim wrote. (Sarkissian, 4/14)
In abortion news from Oregon, Idaho, Texas, California, and elsewhere —
OPB:
Planned Parenthood Moving Into Town On Oregon-Idaho Border
Planned Parenthood is renting medical office space in the town of Ontario, on the Oregon-Idaho border. It’s the latest strategic move by pro-abortion rights groups in Oregon. Earlier this year, in a quiet campaign, they successfully lobbied the legislature to set aside $15 million in an unrestricted fund for reproductive health equity. (Templeton, 4/14)
KQED:
An Unlikely Form Of Abortion Rights Protest: Crossword Puzzles
"I have been angry and anxious about reproductive rights for a long time," says Kate Chin Park, a custom furniture maker from Oakland. "And unfortunately, because abortion services have been made so scarce in many places, donations from private individuals are a really important way to try and get people access to the care they need." Chin Park is one of four Bay Area creatives who constructed crossword designs for These Puzzles Fund Abortion Too, a pack of 16 puzzles created to raise money for reproductive rights, which launched on March 1. Chin Park describes her fellow puzzle-builders on the project as "the most interesting, envelope-pushing, brilliant, and funny people writing crosswords today." (Alexandra, 4/13)
The Washington Post:
Tracking Major Abortion Restrictions And Protections Across The U.S.
As Republican-led states move to restrict abortion, The Post is tracking legislation across the country on 15-week bans, Texas-style bans, trigger laws and abortion pill bans, as well as Democratic-dominated states that are moving to protect abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade. (Kitchener, Schaul and Santamarina, 4/14)
KXXV:
Texas Abortion Groups Express Praise, Disappointment For New Oklahoma Abortion Ban
As many Texas women are turning to neighboring states to receive abortion services, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a near-total ban on performing abortions this week. The Oklahoma law, which is set to take effect later this year, would make performing an abortion a felony punishable by up to $100,000 and ten years in prison. It does not penalize a woman receiving an abortion. The move is drawing strong reactions from both pro-life and pro-choice advocates in Central Texas. (Lamparski, 4/14)
KHN:
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: News You Might Have Missed
It’s been extra busy on the health policy beat lately, so a congressional recess provides a chance to explore some of the important stories that people might have missed, like Medicare’s decision to dramatically limit coverage of Aduhelm, the controversial new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease. And even with Congress out, states are rushing to either restrict or expand access to abortion, ahead of a key Supreme Court ruling expected later this spring or summer. (4/14)
In other reproductive health news —
The Washington Post:
When Will Male Birth Control Be Available?
Adrian Gallo’s interest in better birth control methods for men began about 10 years ago, when he was an undergraduate student with a female roommate. “She told me about the many trials and tribulations of being a woman,” including taking birth control pills, Gallo recalled. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, hormonal pills sound awful, like, truly awful,’” which made him wonder why contraceptive responsibilities weren’t distributed more equitably and why there weren’t broader choices for men other than condoms or vasectomies. (Chiu, 4/14)
USA Today:
Black Maternal Health Week: 'We Have To Do Better,' Experts Say
As the nation recognizes Black Maternal Health Week this week, experts want to keep the stories of women and birthing people at the forefront. They want them to feel supported, their child bearing experiences celebrated and protected, and systems to be improved and held accountable. The first year of the pandemic saw a surge of maternal deaths, particularly among women of color, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with the mortality rate of Black moms in 2020 increasing from 44 deaths to 55 deaths per 100,000. (Hassanein, 4/15)
Evening Standard:
Best FemTech Products For Menstrual And Female Reproductive Health
In the age of rapid advancements in healthcare and treatments for all manner of ailments, women’s health has been relatively overlooked as we’re routinely told to “just deal with it”. However, the rise in FemTech is, thankfully, radically changing how we respond and view female reproductive health. ... Included under the term FemTech are the likes of savvy period products which offer tailored solutions to make pain more manageable in a natural way. There are also a whole host of digital FemTech products such as hormone tracking apps. (Rufo, 4/15)
The Washington Post:
Japanese Femtech Firms Like Fermata Revolutionize Women’s Sexual Health
The cosmetics section of the luxury department store Isetan offered a retail experience last month that no doubt prompted a double take from Tokyo shoppers: a pop-up store with a sprawling display of colorful menstrual cups, vibrators, kegel balls and period underwear. It was a jarring sight in the storied institution, which for decades has offered a sanitized version of what it means to be a woman. A shopper-friendly chart of each menstrual cup’s capacity, down to the milliliter, and a diagram illustrating pelvic-floor muscle training showcased women’s health issues in a rare, in-your-face way in male-dominated Japan. (Lee and Inuma, 4/9)
