Laws concerning reproductive rights have been a popular and complicated topic within American politics recently. This is true now more than ever with the impending presidential election. With an inundation of information on the presidential candidates, it can be challenging to decide which candidate agrees with your values. Key issues within reproductive rights legislation are access to hormonal contraceptives, assisted reproduction, abortion, sex education, and maternal health (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2022).
Hormonal contraception includes ‘the pill’ but also implants like IUDs and Nexplanon (implant in a patient’s arm) and emergency contraceptives. Why are contraceptives important? Reproductive autonomy allows women to actively participate in society and the workforce (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2022). Family planning is crucial in the ongoing fight for gender equality. It is financially responsible and critical to ending the cycle of poverty globally, not just in the United States.
Assisted reproduction is in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF gives opportunities for couples facing disability and infertility to give birth to children. Additionally, IVF makes it possible for LGBT individuals to have biological children. Unfortunately, IVF is only available to a select few and is costly.
Abortion is a complicated subject that encompasses several different occurrences. The term abortion simply means to end a pregnancy. When we think of abortion, we typically think of a surgical or procedural abortion (MedlinePlus 2022). However, miscarriages are technically spontaneous abortions. Medical abortions are the result of medications. This is the most common way a pregnancy is terminated. Medical and procedural abortions can be sought for a variety of social, economic, or medical reasons (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2022).
Sex and reproductive health care education encompasses education on anatomy, safe sexual practices, and a presentation of contraceptive options. 160 million women worldwide have an unmet contraceptive need; many of these women are adolescents, some of whom are married. Comprehensive sex education can help prevent or end epidemics like teenage pregnancy and child sexual abuse. 13.5 out of 1000 women giving birth in 2022 were between 15 and 19. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that only 50% of teen mothers receive their high school diploma (or GED equivalent) by 22 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). In contrast, of the teenage girls who are not mothers, 90% will graduate high school. Abstinence-only programs have far poorer results in comparison to comprehensive sex/reproductive education. According to a study by the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, populations with abstinence-only education have higher rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and diseases (Columbia University, 2017).
Maternal health is an increasingly important topic in the United States as maternal health resources fall behind other leading nations. The CDC most recently reported the current maternal mortality rate (MMR) to be 32.9 deaths per 100,000 births (U.S. Pregnancy-Related Deaths on the Rise | NHLBI, NIH, 2023). However, there is a lack of transparency in information regarding maternal health care. The United States includes deaths of pregnant women that can be attributed to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in maternal death statistics, which significantly increases the number. Some organizations, NPR for example, argue that maternal death data should only include patients who die of causes specifically attributed to pregnancy and childbirth (Simmons-Duffin, 2024). Regardless, black patients are still three times more likely to die of maternal health complications than patients of other races. The perpetual lack of comprehensive maternal healthcare data and resources is a crisis waiting to be addressed legislatively.
As of March 13th, 2024, six candidates are still vying for presidency of the United States. Below, we will contrast the views of former president Donald Trump (R), President Joe Biden (D), and independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.). RFK Jr. is currently the Independent candidate with the most traction.
Donald Trump, at times, refers to himself as ‘pro-choice’ and at other times says women should be punished for undergoing abortions. During his administration, it became legal for employers to deny employees birth control based on the employer’s religious beliefs (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2022). The Trump administration cut over $200 million in federal grants for 81 teen pregnancy prevention clinics nationwide (Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, 2018). Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing states to defund Planned Parenthood, which provides affordable comprehensive healthcare, not just abortions. The Trump administration made additional budget cuts that proved detrimental to reproductive aid for women globally, such as the Global Gag Rule, which restricted $8.8 billion in foreign aid. As a result, women in developing nations underwent unsafe abortions. Lisa Shannon, an international reproductive rights activist, said of women impacted by the Gag Rule, “Girls aren’t able to get contraception, and they’re starting to come back pregnant, suicidal, bereft.” Most recently, Donald Trump responded to the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that frozen embryos are classified as children; a ruling that would make it incredibly difficult for citizens of Alabama to undergo IVF. Trump called for the Alabama legislature to find a solution and preserve IVF, saying, “We want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder” (Breuninger, 2024).
Incumbent presidential candidate Joe Biden has an unequivocal stance on reproductive rights. Biden wants all Americans to have access to FDA-approved medical abortions and affordable contraceptives (House, 2024). After Roe v. Wade was overturned, Biden issued a Presidential Memorandum directing support to patients and medical professionals who are seeking or providing medical abortions. Biden also wants to make surgical abortions more accessible or at least ensure pregnant Americans can travel safely to procure surgical abortions. President Biden believes IVF should be protected and accessible.
Independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr. and his campaign staff often contradict one another on the candidate's views on reproductive rights. He announced at the Iowa State Fair in August 2023 that he would sign federal legislation banning abortion after the first trimester of pregnancy (Astor, 2023). However, his staff later released a statement that RFK Jr. believes it is a 'woman's right to choose throughout the pregnancy.' RFK Jr. responded to the Alabama IVF ban in late February and 'wholeheartedly' rejected the ban (Kornfield, 2024). However, RFK Jr. admittedly did not read the document or comment on when he believes life begins. Additionally, he will not say if he will protect abortion rights if he wins the presidency. RFK Jr. said that he supports a woman's right to choose, but 'there are limitations to what the constitution can do.'
Access to and restrictions on reproductive health care are perpetually changing, and resources like Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights have excellent summaries of additional information. Many countries have differing legislation on reproductive rights than the United States. I suggest delving into the subject to garner a better perspective on reproductive rights globally, as well as the general international ethical consensus on hot topics like abortion and IVF.
References
Astor, M. (2023, August 14). Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Backtracks on Support for Federal Abortion Ban. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/us/politics/rfk-jr-abortion-ban.html
Breuninger, K. (2024, February 23). Trump urges IVF protection in Alabama after embryo ruling stokes panic. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/23/trump-urges-ivf-protection-in-alabama-after-embryo-ruling-stokes-panic.html
Center for Reproductive Rights. (2022). Our Issues. Center for Reproductive Rights. https://reproductiverights.org/our-issues/abortion/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, November 15). About Teen Pregnancy. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/about/index.htm
Columbia University. (2017, August 22). Abstinence-Only Education Is a Failure. Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/abstinence-only-education-failure
House, T. W. (2024, March 7). FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Continues the Fight for Reproductive Freedom. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/03/07/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-continues-the-fight-for-reproductive-freedom/
Kornfield, M. (2024, February 26). RFK Jr. says he didn’t read Alabama IVF ruling, won’t say when life begins. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/25/robert-kennedy-jr-libertarian-ivf-abortion/
MedlinePlus. (2022, August 5). Abortion. Medlineplus.gov; National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/abortion.html
NBC News. (2024, March 11). The 2024 presidential candidates: Who’s running from both sides. Www.nbcnews.com. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/presidential-candidates-tracker
Simmons-Duffin, S. (2024, March 13). How bad is maternal mortality in the U.S.? A new study says it’s been overestimated. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/03/13/1238269753/maternal-mortality-overestimate-deaths-births-health-disparities#:~:text=The%20CDC%27s%20National%20Center%20for
U.S. pregnancy-related deaths on the rise | NHLBI, NIH. (2023, July 25). Www.nhlbi.nih.gov. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2023/us-pregnancy-related-deaths-rise
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. (2018, January 29). In One Year, Trump Dismantled Reproductive Rights Around The World. PeaceWomen. http://peacewomen.org/resource/one-year-trump-dismantled-reproductive-rights-around-world