The Number of Women Getting IUDs at Planned Parenthood Has Soared Since the Election
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11 January 2017
Since Donald Trump was elected two months ago (dear god, it feels like it’s been two years), many women have become increasingly worried about their reproductive rights and access to adequate health care. Trump and his partner in crime, VP-elect Mike Pence (who’s dedicated much of his career to fighting reproductive rights), have made it very clear they intend to nominate Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade and will stop at nothing to defund Planned Parenthood. Because of this, demand for IUDs has skyrocketed since the election.
Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards went on CNN Monday to talk about the upcoming Women’s March on Washington and, naturally, contraception came up. “We’ve had a 900 percent increase in women trying to get into Planned Parenthood to get an IUD,” Richards told Christiane Amanpour. “Because they’re desperately concerned that they might lose their access to healthcare and they know that Planned Parenthood is the place that can provide it.”
The Republican-led Congress has already made it clear it plans to defund the health organization in the same measure through which it’s scheming to eradicate Obamacare. At a news conference last week, Ryan was asked how and when the House will attempt to defund the organization, and he replied, “Planned Parenthood legislation would be in our reconciliation bill.” To pass the reconciliation bill, only a simple majority is needed, which probably won’t be too difficult to obtain now. Hence all the IUDs.
On top of Trump, Pence and the majority of Congress, Trump’s pick for health secretary — Tom Price — is deeply opposed to abortion and has a zero rating from Planned Parenthood. He has actively voted against legislation aimed at protecting women from employment discrimination for using birth control or having an abortion and co-sponsored legislation saying life begins at conception.
It’s also worth noting (and I will say this every day until people understand) that defunding Planned Parenthood is entirely redundant. Of course, women should be able to choose how and when they become parents, but the Hyde Amendment already prohibits any federal dollars from paying for abortions, so the money currently going to Planned Parenthood is in the form of Medicaid reimbursements for preventative services, like birth control and cancer screenings. So, defunding the organization is purely about politics — not stopping abortion.