Bill To Increase Access To Birth Control

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

BLACK WOMEN FOR WELLNESS SUPPORTS BILL TO INCREASE ACCESS TO BIRTH CONTROL FOR WOMEN

Los Angeles- May 29, 2012

Black Women for Wellness urges our elected officials to stand with the community and stand up for women with their support for AB2348, a bill to increase birth control access to women.

 

Increased access to birth control and family planning via AB 2348 is crucial to the reproductive health and safety of women in our communities. Black Women for Wellness supports this bill as it preserves a woman’s right to reproduce at a time she feels prepared, if at all she chooses. This bill will help prevent unintended pregnancies by offering women the appropriate contraceptive care in a timely manner.

 

"Black Women in our community suffer from unacceptably high health disparities," says Janette Robinson Flint - Executive Director of Black Women for Wellness, "including the highest rates of infant and maternal mortatility out of all women in Los Angeles County. One of every 1000 live birth of African American children will not make it to his or her first birthday. Black Women have almost three time the rates of low birth weight newborns than white women;* all while experiencing high rates of poverty and food insecurity - these inequities are intolerable." 

 

Unintended pregnancies – not necessarily unwanted but unplanned, pose great risks which include stress and difficulty during and after birth to both mother and infant with effects that could carry on though out both mother and the child’s life. Proper family planning services are imperative in the efforts to reduce health disparities relating to unattended pregnancies in California. By increasing the availability and timeliness of contraception, a woman is encouraged and empowered to make her own decisions regarding her pregnancy. The increase availability of birth control and family planning services reduces the chances of an unintended pregnancy which fosters the decrease of a stressful pregnancy and maternal and infant mortality. 

 

In a time of a vicious war waged against women, we are delighted that we have strong supporters of women's health and rights in Sacramento, like Assemblymember Holly Mitchell. Black Women for Wellness is happy to support AB2348, that will expand women's access to timely, effective and safe birth control from a trusted and qualified provider. 

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Black women for wellness is a multigenerational grassroots non-profit dedicated to all things health and wellness as it relates to Black women and girls.

 

*Los Angeles Department of Public Health Indicators for Women in Los Angeles County report 2010.

Please call your legislator and ask him or her to support AB2348...

 Assemblymember Steven Bradford 51st
(916) 319-2051

Assemblymember Isadore Hall 52nd
(916) 319-2052

Assemblymember Mike Davis 42nd
(916) 319-2048