Pro-Choice North Carolinians Issue Challenge to Legislators
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2007 Pro-Choice North Carolinians Issue Challenge to Legislators
New legislative session creates opportunity for focus on commonsense prevention measures, instead of divisive agenda of pastRaleigh, NC – Today as the General Assembly session opens, Melissa Reed, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina challenged legislators to use this opportunity to unite North Carolinians behind commonsense prevention measures that will prevent unintended pregnancy and reduce the need for abortion, instead of the divisive attacks of the past. "For far too long our lawmakers have focused on divisive measures that make abortion more difficult and dangerous, while ignoring commonsense proposals that would prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion," Reed said. "This session comes on the heels of an election where voters across the country rebuked divisive attacks on a woman's right to choose. North Carolinians are looking to this new legislature to change the tone of the debate on the issue of abortion care and refocus their efforts on commonsense prevention measures." Reed continued, “NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina will encourage our legislative leaders to sponsor and support these proposals, which have broad public support. Among other things, these bills will improve access to family-planning services, require hospitals to provide emergency contraception for victims of sexual assault, and make sure teens are taught honest, realistic sex education that protects them against disease and unintended pregnancy.“
Contact: Amy Woodell 919.829.9779 Why Prevention First? · North Carolina has the ninth highest teen pregnancy rate for 15-19-year-olds in the United States. In 2004 more than 18,000 girls ages 10-19 became pregnant – representing 51 teen pregnancies per day. Students deserve honest, medically- accurate sex education so that the have the life skills to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. · Nearly 50% of all pregnancies in the United States each year are unintended, one of the highest unintended pregnancy rates among Industrialized nations. We need common sense solutions to this problem. · Reducing the unintended pregnancy rate will reduce the number of abortions. Half of all unintended pregnancies end in abortion, by reducing the number of unintended pregnancies we can safely reduce the number of abortions · Increased access to emergency contraception (EC) is an effective way to reduce unintended pregnancy and the number of abortions. A 2002 study revealed that EC use was likely responsible for up to 43% of the decline in the number of abortions in the United States between 1994 and 2000.
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