This is the Pro-choice Ticket for the November Election!

Governor - Pat Quinn

Pat Quinn has a decades long record of supporting a woman's right to choose. He also supports access to reproductive health care including insurance coverage of birth control.

Quinn's opponent is a radically anti-choice. Bill Brady wants to make abortion illegal even in cases of rape and incest. He even thinks that health insurance doesn't need to cover birth control and that pharmacies should be able to refuse to fill your prescriptions!

For more information about Governor Quinn's campaign go to www.quinnforillinois.com.

Lt. Governor - Sheila Simon

Sheila Simon has pledged her support for the issues important to Planned Parenthood - choice, family planning, and sex education. She has a background in advocating for women. Simon helped start Southern Illinois University's law school domestic violence clinic, which continues to serve clients and train law students.

Jason Plummer, Simon's opponent has been endorsed by the Illinois Federation for Right to Life which wants to ban abortions in Illinois.

For information about Sheila Simon, go to http://www.quinnforillinois.com/sheilasimon

Attorney General - Lisa Madigan

Lisa Madigan's pro-choice record goes back to her career as an Illinois State Senator during which time she voted pro-choice at every opportunity. Madigan also supports access to family planning services and medically acurate, age-appropriate sex education.

To learn more about Lisa Madigan's campaign go to http://www.lisamadigan.org/splash

Secretary of State - Jesse White

Jesse White has a pro-choice record that was well established during his 16 years as a state representative. Over the years White has stood firm in his commitment to women’s issues. You may wonder why it is important to have a pro-choice leader in the position of Secretary of State, as it manages our state’s properties and libraries and runs our driver's license facilities. White’s position is important because he steadfastly stood against anti-choice license plates when they were first proposed in Illinois. He continued that opposition even when anti-choice activists filed a suit against him to try to force implementation of the plates. And, he won!

To learn more about Jesse White's campaign go to http://www.jessewhite2010.com/home

Comptroller - David Miller

Representative David Miller has been a pro-choice leader in the Illinois House. He co-sponsored the Reproductive Health and Access Act. He voted for important legislation like contraceptive coverage in health insurance and emergency contraception information for rape victims.

Miller’s opponent, Judy Barr Topinka, has an anti-choice record going back to when she was in the Illinois Senate. She has taken such extreme positions as supporting a ban on abortion coverage in state employee health insurance even in for cases of rape or medical necessity and allowing a husband to legally challenge his wife’s decision to have an abortion.

To learn more about David Miller's campaign go to http://www.davidmillerforillinois.com/

Treasurer - Robin Kelly

Robin Kelly had a 100% pro-choice voting record as a state representative in the Illinois House. She supported the Illinois contraceptive coverage in health insurance law and legislation designed to protect reproductive health centers from anti-choice violence. Her commitment to Planned Parenthood issues goes beyond her government service. She is also a former Planned Parenthood board member!

Dan Rutherford, Kelly's opponent, has an anti-choice record as both a state representative and a state senator. He is supported by extreme anti-choice groups that oppose access to reproductive health care in Illinois.

To find out more about Robin Kelly's campaign http://www.robinfortreasurer.com/

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, Pro-Choice

Governor Quinn Signs Law on Lethal Violence Against Medical Professionals

Planned Parenthood of Illinois applauds Governor Patrick Quinn for signing into law legislation that will send a strong message to those who perpetrate violence against health care professionals.

The law enhances the penalty for the first degree murder of a physician, physician assistant, psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice nurse to natural life imprisonment. Under the new law the defendant must know or should have known that the murdered individual was a physician, physician assistant, psychologist, nurse, or advanced practice nurse. Moreover, the victim must have been killed in the course of acting in his or her professional capacity, or to prevent him or her from acting in that capacity, or in retaliation for his or her acting in that capacity.

Representative Angelo “Skip” Saviano (R-River Grove) and Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) sponsored the legislation.

In May of 2009, Dr. George Tiller, an OB-GYN in Wichita, KS who provided abortions, was murdered in his church. His killer openly admitted that his motive was to stop the medical care provided by Dr. Tiller. Dr. Tiller was the fourth physician who provided abortion care to be murdered since 1993.

Since the assassination of Dr. Tiller, PPIL has seen a significant surge in the size and aggressiveness of protests in front of our health centers. PPIL has seen an increase in hostile threats via mail, packages, and phone. Because of these recent developments and the past murders of other physicians and medical staff who provided reproductive health care to women, PPIL fully supports the new law.

“We can’t wait for another terrible tragedy like the murder of Dr. Tiller to happen before strengthening our laws in Illinois,” said Carole Brite, President and CEO of PPIL. “We need to send a message now that the murder of a medical professional in order to prevent him or her from caring for patients is unacceptable and will be severely punished.”

Click here to read today's press release from PPIL.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, Patrick Quinn, HB5745

Planned Parenthood of Illinois Introduces President and CEO Carole Brite

The Board of Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) is pleased to present Carole Brite as our new President and Chief Executive Officer. Carole has a long commitment to PPIL, having served on the board and as Treasurer for more than 10 years. She previously was Interim CEO.

Carole brings 25 years of experience in non-profit and for-profit finance to her new role. She is a CPA and was a Partner and Managing Director of the accounting firm RSM McGladrey before joining the PPIL staff.

Carole has a tremendous history of public service to women and families. In addition to her board service for PPIL, she has served as board member and Treasurer for the Women's Issues Network, Friends of Battered Women and their Children, and Rape Victims Advocates.

"Carole has the management savvy, experience and deep commitment to our organization and mission that we need to lead Planned Parenthood of Illinois" said PPIL Board Chairman Randall Doubet-King. "She has the vision and the know-how to achieve our goals."

Carole has set ambitious goals for PPIL: to expand access to reproductive health care services across the state; provide comprehensive sexual education in more communities; and empower diverse voices for reproductive justice across Illinois.

"I come to the position of CEO with the conviction that the financial health of our organization is a top priority. The foundation of our organization is strong and maintaining our financial health is critical to everything we want to accomplish in health care, education and advocacy," said Brite.

Carole's experience growing up in a small Indiana town without a Planned Parenthood, and little access to reproductive counseling, influences her to this day.

"Young women didn't have options, and there was no one there to help them. As a mother, and as an advocate, I will fight every day to fulfill a promise to every woman in Illinois - you can count on Planned Parenthood." said Brite.

Click here to read a letter from Carole Brite.

Click here to read today's press release from PPIL.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood, Carole Brite

Exciting New Development of 5-Day Emergency Contraceptive Pill!

This past Friday the FDA approved a new emergency contraceptive pill, ella, that prevents pregnancy up until five days after sex. Proponents of contraceptive services are excited about the new development that greatly trumps the only other emergency contraceptive on the market, Plan B, when it comes to duration of effectiveness. Studies show that ella has about a 60% prevention rate for up to five full days, compared to Plan B which is less and less effective as time passes and has no effect after 72 hours.

Opponents claim that this new "emergency contraceptive" is really just a veiled abortion pill. Pro-life supporters are concerned that the pill will be eligible for purchase through government subsidies as well as included in the new health care reforms. RU-486, the abortion pill, is banned from both of these policies. The FDA holds that ella is tested and approved as a safe form of emergency contraception, not as an abortion pill. Ella delays ovulation and therefore fertilization; it does not cause abortion. The study showed that the pill is safe when used in its intended capacity and may result in only minor side effects such as headache, nausea, abdominal pain or dizziness, all common in other contraceptive pills.

Supporters and opponents alike view the FDA approval as a demonstration of political ideology and acknowledge that this development will lead to heated debate between and among the parties. Even with the controversy, Vanessa Cullins of PPFA believes, "Ella will become an important option for women." Ella will provide women with a safe alternative to prevent unwanted pregnancy after unprotected sex. PPIA is excited about ella and its implications for the reproductive and sexual health of American women. You can access Planned Parenthood Federal America's entire press release here.

Ella is on the market in 22 countries and pharmaceutical distributors hope to offer the new product by the end of the year. The pill will be available by prescription in 30mg tablets and upon prescription women will be able to keep a supply at home. There is no solid information on pricing just yet.

It is Planned Parenthood's strong belief that every woman deserves the chance to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

To read more please visit the Washington Post article. Please let us know what you think about ella! We would love to hear from you :)

Technorati tags: emergency contraception, ella

HHS will Fund both Comprehensive Sex Ed and Abstinence-Only Education

At the end of July, the Department of Health and Human Services announced their funding agendas for the comprehensive sex education program PREP (Personal Responsibility Education Program) and Title V (an abstinence-only education program). HHS will provide states with $55 million of funding for PREP and $50 million for Title V each year for five years. States can apply for either of the funding plans, both of which originated from the new health care reform initiatives.

Although organizations like PP are thrilled with the revolutionary and comprehensive PREP programming, we are also disappointed that the current administration will continue to appease staunch conservatives with abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that have been proven ineffective time and time again. Without the necessary information, youth are left without resources or answers and are more subject to risky sexual behaviors that can lead to unwanted pregnancy and harmful or even life-threatening diseases.

Comprehensive education programs that are age-appropriate and medically accurate make sense. PREP will arm young people with holistic information so that they can make personal decisions, which for many will be abstinence. These programs are supported by more than 100 scientific and medical groups because of their effectiveness. By funding useless and dangerous abstinence only-plans like Title V, we are literally throwing away funds instead of using them to support and educate our youth on healthy, safe sexual decisions.

James Wagoner, the President of Advocates for Youth (an organization that supports comprehensive sex ed) responded, "Unless the ideological abstinence-only-until-marriage program is finally jettisoned by Congress, these short term fixes will be nothing more than rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic," a.k.a. fruitless! It is critical that Congress stops throwing away funds to programs that are clearly not working so that the money can best serve young people when they really need it.

What do you think about HHS funding for PREP and Title V? Please share your opinion with us. Be a part of the conversation!

Technorati tags: sex education, Title V, PREP

D.C. Launches a Female Condom Campaign

The Washington AIDS Partnership launched their "DC Doin' It!" campaign last week to promote female condoms as a way to combat the spread of HIV. D.C. has one of the highest rates of the AIDS virus in the United States; approximately 3% of all D.C. citizens over the age of 12 are diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. The MAC AIDS fund gave the WAP and District Department of Health $500,000 to distribute the new condoms for free.

So far the community has taken positively to the new contraception. The female condom is designed to make sex more pleasurable for both men and women. Those organizing the movement hope that by trying the new condom, couples will initiate more intimate discussions on sex and their relationships.

The condom is made of a synthetic material called nitrile that many women claim is more comfortable than the latex of other condoms. The product is easy to insert and FDA approved. The current product is actually an updated version and is vastly improved from the original. It is cheaper and not noisy like the prototype, making it more appealing to audiences. Now the trick is just getting people to try them!

Organizers will be giving demonstrations on how to properly use the female condom in local venues across D.C. The Washington AIDS Partnership hopes to assuage some of the public's concerns about the new product by providing access to and education about the condom. The female version is equally as effective as the male condom at preventing pregnancy and more effective at preventing the spread of STDs due to its increased surface coverage.

CVS has promised to sell the condoms at an affordable, accessible price once the free distribution campaign is finished. Customers will be able to buy packs of 3 for $6.49 at all CVS locations in the city.

So what do you think? Chicago is promoting its own Female Condom Campaign and we encourage you to try the new product! Please let us know your thoughts about this innovative contraceptive.

To get involved locally visit ringonit.org--We're participating in Chicago's Female Condom Campaign and now you can too!

Technorati tags: female condom, HIV/AIDS

A Woman's Right to Vaginal Birth

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recently announced the reevaluation of VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean section) policies. ACOG stated that this change would allow women who have had C-sections in the past to choose vaginal birth for new pregnancies, an option often denied to women.

Although the original policy prohibiting most cases of VBAC was not intended to deny a woman's right to choose her labor plan, in many instances this has been the case. The new, looser guidelines will empower women to make informed, individual pregnancy decisions. Makes sense right?

However, this recent reversal does raise some concerns within ACOG. Although 60-80% of VBACs lead to successful vaginal births, emergency C-sections in the other 20-40% of cases are more dangerous than scheduled C-sections. Some hospitals do not even have emergency surgery capabilities. In order to ensure the safety of the mother and child, ACOG believes that doctors must educate their patients early on in the pregnancy in order to prepare for bumps along the way, for example planning to use a hospital with the resources for emergency C-sections.

All in all, education is always a good thing. The more information women have, the easier it is to make healthy, individual decisions.

If you would like to learn more, click here to view the entire article. We would love to know your thoughts on VBACs and individualized birth plans! Comment and let us know your thoughts!

Technorati tags: pregnancy, C-section, VBAC

Are Girls Starting Puberty Too Soon?

A new study featured in Pediatrics journal concludes that young girls are reaching the onset of puberty at younger ages than before. This research is only the newest in the multitude of studies relating to female puberty in the past decade.

During the study, researchers studied the breast growth of around 1,200 girls aged 6-8 in three separate locations: Manhattan, San Francisco and Cincinnati. White, black and Hispanic girls were equally represented at 30% and 5% of the patients were Asian. Results showed that more 7 and 8 year-olds are developing breast tissue than before. 10.4% of white, 18.3% of black and 14.9% of Hispanic 7 year-old girls showed breast growth compared to 18.3%, 42.9% and 30.9% respectively of 8-year old girls. These levels demonstrated remarkable increases from previous studies. Researchers were also surprised by the differing rates according to race, and don't yet know why these variations exist.

Physicians are unsure as to what factors may be directly causing this shift. Some doctors believe that increased levels of body fat account for most of the changes. They believe that girls who are overweight will consequently develop more quickly because fat can lead to the development of sex hormones. Others however, are not as convinced. Many doctors are concerned that chemicals in our environment that imitate estrogen are causing girls to mature physically before their bodies are truly ready.

The consequences of these changes are not yet known. Earlier onset of puberty could lead to increased levels of breast and other types of cancer, as these diseases have been linked to hormone levels, such as progesterone and estrogen, that can feed tumors. Doctors are also worried that if puberty at 7-8 becomes the projected norm, physicians will begin to overlook potentially dangerous tumorous growths or endocrine diseases; however, if we do not make note of these new changes, parents may become concerned about perfectly normal physical changes among their young children. Also, researchers and doctors alike, are worried about the emotional affect these physical changes will have on young girls. It is not easy for young girls with young minds to live in women's bodies.

It is clear that this topic requires further research but this study definitely brings new discussions to light. Please tell us what you think! We would love to hear your thoughts on this issue :) If you would like to read more, please visit this NY Times article.

Technorati tags: puberty, youth health

Overweight Teens Participating in Riskier Sexual Activities

A recent study shows results that overweight and obese teen girls are more likely to participate in risky sexual practices than other young women. In conducting the study, researchers evaluated Youth Risk Behavior surveys for the years 2003-2007 to analyze trends in teen sex activities. These surveys were completed by over 20,000 high school girls. Researchers used standard definitions of weight: overweight is defined as the 85-95th weight percentile for a given age group, whereas obese is the 95th percentile and above.

Results showed that overweight teen girls were 60% more likely than girls with a "normal" weight to report having sex before the age of 13. The girls in the study were much less likely to use condoms and other forms of contraception; they also reported more sexual partners throughout their lifetime. Researchers suspect that increased weight is attributed to lower self-esteem which could lead to riskier sex practices. Another potential contributing factor is that overweight teens often mature physically at younger ages and begin attracting sexual male attention before other young girls.

Doctors believe that parents and communities must foster healthy sexual self-esteem so that girls understand their self-worth and learn to love and respect their bodies. Dr. Wyatt, a UCLA psychology professor, says that in order to achieve this goal we need to seek a multi-faceted approach in which churches, schools and parents alike teach healthy sexuality and refrain from abstinence-only education. It is important that young women are given comprehensive sex education so that they have the necessary information to make healthy, individual decisions.

To learn more about teen sexuality access this article :) Thoughts?...Let us know what you think about this study!

Technorati tags: teen health, sexuality

Campaign for Better Health Care Needs Our Help!

One of our coalition organizations, Campaign for Better Health Care, needs our help! The CBHC is participating in Pepsi Refresh's Grant Competition. With a little extra support the CBHC can win much needed funding for their hotline that provides help and information to Illinois' uninsured and underinsured populations.

The CBHC is a wonderful organization dedicated to ensuring everyone in Illinois and the U.S. has access to affordable, comprehensive health care services. One of their supportive programs is the Helpline that provides current, up to date information on prescriptions, clinics and public aid. The Pepsi Refresh grant would allow the Campaign to expand their hotline services.

These expansions would include...

(1) individualized family support
(2) improved online services
(3) education on health care reform
(4) better services to share the CBHC message and mission

So let's help them out! Here is what we have to do...Just vote for the Campaign for Better Health Care at this link once a day to support better health care coverage for Illinois citizens. Isn't that easy?!

Technorati tags: Campaign for Better Health Care, PPIA coalition

War on the Homefront: "12th and Delaware"

We encourage you to watch HBO's screening of the intimate documentary, 12th and Delaware, airing tonight at 7pm central. First shown at the Sundance Film Festival, this film is a powerful, gripping telling of the real-life war waging on a street corner in Florida. On one side of the street an abortion clinic strives to provide women with choices and information, and on the other side a pro-life organization, or "Crisis Pregnancy Center," (CPC) aims to prohibit a woman's right to choose. This revolutionary film offers the audience an insider's view of both organizations. It documents the CPC misinformation campaign and the abortion clinic's fight to survive.

The clinic staff have concerns about their own safety, but also worry about the women who mistakenly end up at the CPC. CPCs market themselves as healthcare providers but they are actually veiled pro-life organizations nortorious for providing their clients with inaccurate or partial information in order to prevent them from seeking abortion services.

This film is directed by renowned Oscar nominees Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, best known for their explosive work, Jesus Camp. In this new film, Ewing and Grady give us an unbiased, accurate image of CPCs and a detailed account of two individual organizations. We hope that this documentary begins a dialogue and educates people on the harsh realities of "Crisis Pregnancy Centers," as well as the skewed information they disseminate.

At Planned Parenthood, we believe that honest, accurate communication is essential to the doctor-patient relationship.

12th and Delaware will air on HBO several times and is available On Demand throughout August.

Technorati tags: Crisis Pregnancy Centers, abortion clinics, documentary