The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #71296

Katrina Cantrell, Women's Health Specialists, National Women's Health Network board of directors, P.O. Box 491558, Redding, CA 96049, 530-221-0194, kcantrell@tellis.org

The threats today to women's reproductive rights -- and especially access to abortion -- are serious and growing. This presentation will describe the experience of providing abortion in a rural community in California where the dominant political perspective is conservative and where the anti-choice movement is active and strong. It will inform participants about abortion provision in a feminist health clinic that is committed to giving women real choices, ensuring real informed consent, and telling women the truth. It will also provide an overview of the national political climate, explaining how the judicial nominations, budget cuts for health and human services and legislative priorities of this conservative administration affect women at the community level. The effects of continued harassment of clinic workers and clients will also be described. In closing, it will describe some trends for the future -- such as the availability of medical abortion -- that offer some hope.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: (
• describe national and local threats to women's reproductive rights; (
• describe a feminist health clinic's approach to providing abortion in a rural, conservative community; (
• discuss the effect of conservative efforts to restrict reproductive rights on women at the community level; (
• discuss new trends in reproductive health care which offer promise for expanding access.

Keywords: Abortion, Politics

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.