7 Things Obama's Win Could Mean for Women's Health

Smarter than nothing's not much

I'm with Mike on this one, Diana.

The question for a parent is what information is appropriate. Having somebody teach my children -- and anybody else's -- the how-tos with condoms is inappropriate. If that doesn't stimulate sexual interest and experimentation, nothing will. I don't say kids won't be interested in sex and experiment without that kind of exposure, but I for one wouldn't want to be the teacher responsible for opening young and innocent eyes.

Freedom of Choice?

Only for women demanding birth control and abortions, apparently. Doctors and pharmacists who do not want to participate in this industry get NO CHOICE. Why is it that when you get your medical license people demand you give them what they want, when they want it, no matter what you think about the procedure? Do we do this to any other professionals?

And if these people are so concerned about access to healthcare, they should think about what will happen if FOCA is passed, all hospitals are required to perform abortions, and Catholic hospitals close. When nearly 1/3 of all US hospitals close their doors, when rural pharmacists close their doors because they refuse to stock birth control or chemical abortifacients, who will really losing out? The people who need these services for medically necessary treatment (ie, drugs to manage their diabetes and heart problems, cancer treatment, etc) or those who want contraceptives for their own convenience? Remember, folks, fertility is not a disease (certainly the women spending thousands on infertility can tell you that).

Not Just Planned Parenthood

Hooray for cQuilitzsch of MA! You are right that we need to be talking about it with our own families and friends. If we cannot have a conversation about it, we will never get unintended pregnancies under control. And, you may not think of Iowa when you think of conversations about sex, but that is exactly what we are trying to do with The Iowa Initiative...get the conversation going through outreach. check it out...www.iowainitiative.org.

Abstincence Only Does It Work?

Exhibit number 1: Bristol Palin. She was taught abstinence only. Did it work?

Providing teenagers with information about sex education does not mean that they will start having sex.

Advances

We are advanced when we promote a culture of death in the womb? I am for information being available in a full and balanced manner. How about federally funding 3D Ultrasounds to every woman who wants to have an abortion? Let's educate the mother who want to terminate (kill) the fetus (baby) within her. Let's expand adoption services to work toward eliminating abortion. There are many couples like my wife and I who adopt and love and raise children who were unplanned. They are human- both of them- and they began in the womb as embryos, really. This article acts as if there wouldn't be any doctor around who could fill in for a doctor who objects to prescribing a morning after pill or to perform a procedure. Seriously, I do not think a doctor with a moral objection to prescribing a pill or performing procedure should fear losing their job. Otherwise you are forcing people to perform against their conscience- that is un American to the core. Let's create a culture of life, a culture that cherishes pregnancy and children and not consider women to be "punished with a baby." (president elect- Obama)

It's all about abortion

Almost all of these items mean more abortions. That explains why the Democrats dropped the word "rare" from their platform. Not only are we going to do more of them in the US at taxpayer expense, we're apparently going to pay for the rest of the world's abortions too. By the way, aren't about 500,000 females killed every year in the US by abortion? Apparently their health is unimportant and nothing more than an inconvenience.

This makes me sick

Every thing listed on this list has to do with freedom of sex or freedom of abortion. It is nauseating to me that this is considered the "best" of what Obama will do for the women of this nation. Women's rights. Whatever happened to "human life" rights? When does the baby get rights? What if it's a GIRL? This is not a victory for women. This shows the degradation of our country's moral character. I pray that someday justice will be served for all the innocents that cannot plead for themselves!

Why Breast Cancer Survivors Find Hope in Obama

Also worth checking out is PJ Hamel's blog "President-Elect Obama: 10 Reasons to Find Hope" on MyBreastCancerNetwork.com. PJ is a breast cancer survivor and power-blogger who offers context on this historic moment with a "pink" filter.

If this doesn't automatically turn to a hyperlink, please cut and paste to read:

http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/47557/president-elect

Obama Health Insurance and Healthcare, reply

To M. Manor of Fl:

Have you lived in a country with universal healthcare (AKA the fairly loaded term, 'socialized medicine')? I'm guessing 'no'. I have lived in the US and Europe, and European universal healthcare is wonderful--simple, clear, straightforward, and worry-free. You get taken care of, no questions asked, no bills to pay--taxes that are *significantly* lower than insurance premiums pay for everyone's healthcare. For life-threatening diseases, there is no wait. I repeat--there is no wait. This is just big business scare-mongering because the US health insurance makes a lot of money for a lot of people (health providers not included). Now, you probably won't get a nose job on the NHS, so you're right in that there are *some* sacrifices.

The way it works in the US, you're seen immediately because everyone reserves the right to charge you the unpaid balance in full later. If and when the insurance company decides to reject part (or all) of your health provider's claim, then you are billed huge sums of money later. People lose their homes so insurance companies can turn a healthy profit. In Europe, people don't have to swap their homes for their survival. Most Europeans think that the commodification of healthcare is immoral...I wish we'd adopt that view on this side of the atlantic.

I'm glad you were covered and are here today, but thank god you didn't have a 'pre-existing' condition before you got sick--yet another atrocity committed by insurance companies that we all blithely accept.

Food for thought.

ps-I typically have to wait a month to get an appointment with my doctor here in NY--a lot longer than I ever had to wait in London.

a time for "civil disobedience" in health care

It is one thing to disagree on moral issues, and another to force someone to commit an overt act aginst their basic beliefs. This nurse will not commit or be an accessory to murder.......and good people will opt out of the healthcare profession.