For Immediate Release:

April 10, 2007

Media Contact: Andrea Gage
414-213-3717 (cell)

Record Low Abortion Rate Underscores Impact of Birth Control Access
Enhanced access to birth control under Family Planning Waiver example Legislature should follow

Madison, WI- Wisconsin’s abortion rates have fallen to their lowest level since the legalization of abortion, once again highlighting the impact of improved access to contraceptives and related health care programs. In light of these newly released statistics, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin (PPAWI) called on legislative leaders to advance public policy initiatives that will improve access to affordable prevention-based health care programs.

For the third year in a row, Wisconsin’s abortion rate has remained below 10,000. Not coincidentally, in 2003, Wisconsin’s Medicaid Family Planning Waiver Program went into effect, which was the last year the abortion rate topped 10,000. Since the implementation of the Family Planning Waiver Program, more than 63,000 women have gained affordable access to birth control and related health care to prevent unintended pregnancy and the incidence of abortion. The recent introductions of new long-term contraceptive choices like Implanon and the Ring, and improved awareness and use of emergency contraception (EC) have all worked to help reduce unintended pregnancy rates and the incidence of abortion.

“When you have a measurable increase in women accessing contraceptive services and a decrease in births and abortions, there is no denying the impact of improved access to birth control,” said PPAWI Vice President of Public Affairs Lisa Boyce. “This is one of the many reasons we continue to advocate for commonsense public policies like the Healthy Woman Program and Compassionate Care for Rape Victims (SB 129) that work to enhance women’s awareness of and access to birth control to prevent unintended pregnancy and the incidence of abortion.”

“The clear correlation between enhanced access to health care and improved health outcomes should serve as a wake up call to our policy makers. Our public officials need to work with us and other health care providers to advance sensible public policy that will improve women’s access to basic health care, rather than to continue to pass legislation that erects further barriers greatly limiting a woman’s ability to take of herself and her family.”

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Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin is the advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI). The mission of PPWI is to empower all individuals to manage their sexual and reproductive health through direct services, education, and advocacy.  www.ppawi.org