PRCH Letter of Support for the Ryan-DeLauro Bill

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July 2009 Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health applauds the introduction of the Preventing Unintended Pregnancies, Reducing the Need for Abortion, and Supporting Parents Act by Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Tim Ryan. Legislators on both sides of the aisle should support this bill to improve the reproductive health of our nation. The medical community agrees: the most effective way to reduce the need for abortion is to lower the rate of unintended pregnancy by strengthening and expanding reproductive health services. This bill would help women and families prevent or space pregnancies as they see fit. It would also address a host of factors that contribute to the high rate of unintended pregnancy in the U.S. We commend the act’s commitment to Title X family planning funds. The bill would also give important support to pregnant women and new mothers so that they can keep themselves and their families healthy. The act would bolster vital programs that address our country’s high rate of teen pregnancy by helping adolescents make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. Abstinence-only policies have failed our teens; this bill would provide for medically accurate, comprehensive, and age-appropriate sexuality education that equips young people to make healthy choices. We urge Congress to pass the Ryan-DeLauro bill. Every day, we see how our patients’ reproductive health impacts their overall well-being. This bill would give families a chance to be healthy, strong, and prosperous.