Media Center: Press Release

My name is Dr. Anne Davis. I work in a Title X family planning clinic in Washington Heights, here in New York City. I also serve as the Medical Director of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health.

As a physician who specializes in contraception, I am deeply troubled by the draft regulations proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services. I see women every day whose health could be harmed by these draft rules. For example, some women could be denied highly effective contraceptives like the IUD. Many of my patients rely on the IUD to prevent pregnancy, and for some it is the only birth control they can use. I have women in my practice with breast cancer, who have had their heart valves replaced, with kidney transplants; they use the IUD because it is so safe and so effective. They can’t rely on condoms, which often fail, and can’t use hormonal methods safely. For these women the IUD is a lifesaver because a pregnancy could be life-threatening.

Last month, I cared for a woman who has seven children. She was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Because of her cancer, hormonal birth control methods are not safe for her and neither is pregnancy. Together we decided on a copper IUD, which will provide her with 10 years of safe and effective birth control. If HHS enacts these proposed regulations, women like my patient could have their only way of preventing pregnancy taken away.

We all have our own ethical codes. In a healthcare setting, patients are our top priority, and the most important ethic is to provide good medical care. When a woman comes to me seeking contraception, we discuss all of her options and help her choose the best method of birth control for her life and her circumstances. If the proposed HHS rules are enacted, women’s health could be jeopardized by healthcare providers who are opposed to some kinds of contraception. Women could even be denied information about their options. If enacted, these rules will make birth control out of reach for some women. That’s a sure way to guarantee more unintended pregnancies and more abortions.

We can all agree that preventing unintended pregnancies makes women and families stronger. My clinic serves poor women who struggle just to make ends meet. I see many mothers who battle to care for the children they already have. They come to me for contraception so they can be better parents, so they can continue their education, and so they can work to support their families. Some are coping with chronic illnesses that would be worsened by pregnancy, even to the point of threatening their lives. These are not theoretical concerns; in my hospital, I have witnessed women with chronic illnesses die from complications related to unintended pregnancy.

Many legislators, like Senator Clinton and Representative Lowey, recognize the importance of protecting women’s reproductive healthcare. That’s why 27 states have passed laws guaranteeing that health insurance covers the cost of birth control. Another 16 states have laws requiring hospitals to offer emergency contraception to rape survivors. I’m grateful that New York has both of these protections for women’s health. We must not allow the current administration to overrule our state laws to appease extremists outside the medical mainstream.

I know firsthand how essential birth control is to women’s overall health and wellbeing. That’s why I’m here today, expressing my opposition to the draft regulations HHS is considering. I urge Michael Leavitt and the Department of Health and Human Services to reject these regulations and ensure that women in America continue to receive the best possible healthcare.

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