Women's Issues / Public News Service

Tamara Loertscher holds her son, Harmonious Ellner, weeks after his birth in 2015. Loertscher was detained and incarcerated in Taylor County, Wis., during her pregnancy after health officials alleged she was using drugs while pregnant, an allegation she denies. (Photo courtesy of Loertscher.)

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Policing Pregnancy: WI ‘Fetal Protection’ Law Forces Treatment or Jail

By Phoebe Petrovic for Wisconsin Watch.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for Wisconsin Watch-Public News Service …

The U.S. oil and gas industry emits 16 million metric tons of methane annually, which has the same near-term climate impact as 350 coal-fired power plants. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Federal Methane Waste Rules Welcomed to Improve Public Health

Public-health advocates are welcoming a new proposal to reduce harmful air pollution by limiting methane waste at oil and gas facilities. Sabrina …

According to a survey from Power to Decide, about seven in 10 young adults incorrectly believe emergency contraception can end a pregnancy in its early stages. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, December 5, 2022

Survey: Young Adults Concerned about Birth-Control Access

Results of a new survey show many young people are worried about losing access to birth control. The survey, by the nonprofit Power to Decide…

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 50-year ruling that guaranteed the right to abortion, emboldened conservative groups now want the courts to impose further restrictions. (Inna/AdobeStock)

Monday, December 5, 2022

Anti-Abortion Groups Ask Texas Judge to Ban Mailing Abortion Pills

By Carrie Baker for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

The gold dome on the Iowa Capitol has been gilded five times. The gold leaf covering the dome is 250,000th of an inch thick and is 23.75 karats. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa’s Governor Part of Historic Trend

2022 was a banner year for women elected as governor. Nearly one-third of America's governors will be women next year, which is a record. Iowa …

Research indicates the number of women who have experienced Traumatic Brain Injury secondary to domestic violence is 11 to 12 times greater than experienced by military personnel and athletes combined. (Adobe Stock)

Initiative Aims to Fill Health-Care Gap Among Domestic-Violence Survivors

A new statewide initiative aims to help connect domestic-violence survivors with medical providers, with a focus on treating traumatic brain injury…

According to the Guttmacher Institute, in 2017, some 95% of Georgia counties had no clinics that provided abortions, and 55% of Georgia women lived in those counties. (Longfin Media/Adobe Stock)

Georgia Supreme Court Reinstates 6-Week Abortion Ban

The Georgia Supreme Court granted an emergency stay of a lower court's ruling, once again allowing a six-week abortion ban to take effect in Georgia …

Wages for healthcare workers in the U.S., primarily women of color, are among the lowest in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. (DraganaGordic/Adobe Stock)

DOL Recovers Over $1 Million in Back Wages for TX, LA Healthcare Workers

Women of color working in health care are the most likely to lose out on wages they have earned because employers fail to pay what they owe, …

AARP Maine provides an online caregiver resource guide, which includes health and community resource listings, and a toll-free AARP Family Caregiving Resource Line at 877-333-5885. (Adobe Photo)

Maine Advocates: Paid Family Medical Leave Possible in 2023

Not everybody gets a holiday break, especially caregivers, but advocates of paid family medical leave in Maine say momentum is building for a plan to …

According to the American Heart Association, a little more than half, 51.9%, of hypertension deaths are women. Black women have a higher percentage of hypertension, 57.6%, than other races or ethnicities. (Adobe Stock)

AHA Red Chair Series Explores Women's Heart Health

The American Heart Association has developed a series of videos to educate women about heart disease. The Red Chair Series is a four-episode series …

Free Program Fosters Business Skills for AZ Native American Women

Native American women in Arizona are getting a chance to launch their own businesses, with expert advice. Project DreamCatcher is a unique, free …

More than 800 health-care providers across Montana signed a letter opposing LR-131. (fizkes/Adobe Stock0

Montanans Reject 'Born-Alive' Measure

A Montana measure that would have implemented harsh penalties for medical providers who did not give life-sustaining care to newborns was voted down l…

Lander-based Chelsea's Fund provides funding for Wyoming women who cannot afford to pay the full cost of an abortion, and help accessing care in neighboring states. (Adobe Stock)

WY Abortion-Rights Advocates Set Sights on Next Session

Last week's midterm elections saw conservative Republicans shore up their majorities in Wyoming's legislature, and Janna Farley - communications …

A poll conducted in March found that 55% of Nebraskans oppose banning abortions, compared with 40% who support a ban. (Adobe Stock)

Five of Six Nebraska Municipalities Vote in Favor of Banning Abortion

Voters in five Nebraska towns approved local ordinances banning abortion care in this week's midterm elections, but reproductive health care …

Kentucky is among around a dozen states with trigger laws that went into effect after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court earlier this summer, according to the Guttmacher Institute. (Adobe Stock)

After Voters Reject Amendment 2, KY Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments on Abortion Ban

Kentucky voters rejected a ballot measure that would have changed language in the state's constitution to permanently deny the right to an abortion…

Michigan is one of three states with abortion-rights referendums on the ballot for Tuesday's midterm elections. (Longfin Media/Adobe Stock)

MI Study: Banning Abortion Affects Women's Economic Well-Being

The debate surrounding abortion often turns on emotional and moral issues, but a Michigan-based policy institute says the economic impact of …

The Guttmacher Institute, a health-policy think tank, says as October began, 66 clinics across 15 states had been forced to stop offering abortions. (rocketimages/Adobe Stock)

Doctors Tell of Patients' Hardships after Roe is Overturned

By Belle Taylor-McGhee for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Mark Richardson for Michigan News Connection reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News …

Media reports suggest women are registering to vote in higher numbers in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the federal right to an abortion. (Adobe Stock)

Abortion Rights: 'Lighting a Fire Under Women Voters'

By Roxy Szal for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Mary Schuermann for Ohio News Connection reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

New statistics on breast cancer show continued racial disparities in mortality rates between Black women and white women, according to the American Cancer Society. (Waldryano/Pixabay)<br /><br />

Doctors Encourage Post-Pandemic Breast Cancer Screenings

Like many other annual screenings, mammography tests for breast cancer were delayed during the pandemic, and this month doctors are calling attention …

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks on July 15, 2022, ahead of the House passage of the Women's Health Protection Act. If the bill could overcome the Senate filibuster, it would protect abortion rights nationwide. (Alex Wong / Getty Images)

NV Supporters of Abortion Rights Call for Filibuster Reform

By Malliga Och for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for Nevada News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States was started in 1985. (Siam/Adobe Stock)

Breast-Cancer Awareness: Screenings Down Compared to Pre-Pandemic

October is breast cancer awareness month and health professionals are urging people to get screened for the disease. Screenings have gone down …

Susie Martinez of the Nevada AFL-CIO speaks at a news conference organized by the Cortez Masto campaign on Wednesday. (Tony Hernandez)

Cortez Masto, Laxalt Campaigns Trade Abortion Accusations

U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and her Republican challenger, former state attorney general Adam Laxalt, are accusing each other of …

Food banks help the one in five New Mexico children estimated to be at risk for hunger, and one in eight overall, according to Roadrunner Food Bank. (dosomething.org)

Making 'HELP' Available to New Mexico's Hungry, Food Insecure

Inflation has caused some New Mexico families, who were breaking even six months ago, to once again struggle, and groups working to alleviate hunger …

A new report looks at the influence of Crisis Pregnancy Centers, which aim to deter people who are pregnant from considering abortion. (Fokussiert/Adobestock)

Report Finds Crisis Pregnancy Centers, Affiliates Get Billions in Funding

CLARIFICATION: Information was added to this story from the California Alliance of Pregnancy Care. (7:30 p.m. PDT, Nov. 1, 2022) In the wake of the …

Survey Ranks Utah Last Among States for Women's Equality

In the 1960s, women were told in ad campaigns, "You've come a long way, baby." But in Utah, that may not be the case. Women's Equality Day is this …

The states of Texas, Florida and Missouri stand to lose the most money following implementation of extreme abortion laws, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. (erikawittlieb/Pixabay)

Will Anti-abortion Red States Face Professional 'Brain Drain?'

By Linda Burstyn for Ms. Magazine Broadcast version by Roz Brown for New Mexico News Connection/Public News Service Bad Business: Anti-abortion …

Nearly half of Hispanic or Latina women of reproductive age in Georgia are uninsured. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Georgia Needs to Step Up for Women, Babies

While abortion care is in the headlines, a new report says accessing other health-care services is a challenge for many women in Georgia. Data from …

“Unshakeable” Nevada Nonprofit Wins AARP Purpose Prize

A Las Vegas nonprofit helping women recover from substance addiction, domestic violence, human trafficking and homelessness has received AARP's …

In the decade preceding the pandemic, Colorado's child poverty rate fell by nearly 30%, one of the largest declines in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Ranks High in Child Well-Being as Kids Face Mental-Health Crisis

Colorado ranks 16th in the nation for promoting children's overall well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation's latest report on child …

Abortions are still legal in Pennsylvania through the 23rd week of pregnancy. (TRAC1/Adobe Stock)

PA Groups' Call to Action for Reproductive Rights

The battle rages on after last month's last-minute move in the Pennsylvania Senate to include anti-abortion language in a budget bill, as well as …

Minnesota's Safe at Home program began operating in 2007. (Adobe Stock)

New MN Law Enhances Confidentiality Program for Abuse Victims

A new Minnesota law has gone into effect this week involving a program that keeps address information confidential for victims of domestic abuse…

About two-thirds of women age 50 and older say they will not make their decisions until weeks or just days before election day. (Adobe Stock)

Older Women Voters Projected to Decide Balance of Power

Women voters age 50 and older have not decided which candidates to support in November's midterm elections, and the direction they choose could …

The national infant formula shortage has been an ongoing issue since the pandemic began in 2020, when formula was among the products stockpiled by consumers.(Dirk[Beeki]Schumacher/Pixabay)<br />

States Can Make Baby Formula Easier to Get for WIC Participants

Shopping for baby formula online could soon be a reality for those enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and …

St. Louis city government is among localities in abortion-restrictive states seeking to help their residents access reproductive care. (Ted/Adobe Stock)

Missouri AG Sues St. Louis Over Reproductive Equity Fund

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is suing the City of St. Louis for its Reproductive Equity Fund, which Mayor Tishaura Jones signed into law …

The government is allowing all federal loan repayments to count toward PSLF requirements, regardless of the payment plan, for those who have applied to the program before Oct. 31, 2022. (Yurii Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

AR Group Touts Benefits of Federal Student-Loan Forgiveness

A report from the Center for Responsible Lending says women with student loans to repay were hit hard by the pandemic. An Arkansas nonprofit wants …

Texas' House Bill 1280, soon to take effect, makes it a second-degree felony

Texas Abortion Poll: Lawmakers Out of Step With Constituents

Texas soon will enact one of the strictest abortion bans in the country - and a majority of voters don't like it. Three out of four - 77% of the …

The economic gains made through 2021 were not shared equally across racial groups. Women of color continue to have trouble paying for such necessities as food and housing, and many say they'll have trouble repaying student loans. (Black Queen Design/Adobe Stock)

Report: Black Women Face Higher Student-Debt Burden in Pandemic

COVID-19 has touched just about every facet of life, and a new report from the Center for Responsible Lending says women repaying student loans have …

Domestic violence experts say it can take seven attempts for a victim to permanently leave their situation. (Adobe Stock)

ND Groups Navigate Challenges to Expand Crime Victim Aid

Non-profits assisting North Dakota crime victims are trying to maintain services they've been building in recent years. As demand reaches pre-…

The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that 18 other states and Washington, D.C., have implemented similar Medicaid expansions, which require the approval of the federal government. (Adobe Stock)

Medicaid Expansion Aims to Help Virginia Mothers, Newborns

CORRECTION: The website where Virginians can register for Medicaid has been corrected. (8:45 p.m. MST, July 11, 2022) New Virginia mothers now are …

There's a wide range of religious beliefs about abortion in the U.S., but many in the Jewish faith have expressed support for reproductive rights. (Adobe Stock)

Post Roe: MN Jewish Groups Voice Support for Reproductive Rights

In mid-July, several groups will hold an abortion access rally in Minnesota. They include Jewish-led organizations, who say much of their community …

U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., is among the chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls, founded in 2016. (Wikimedia Commons)

Report: 'Center' Black Women to Build Economic Justice

As states ban abortion with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, women's advocates in New York and beyond are raising awareness of the outsized impact …

Before the pandemic, CDC statistics showed about 700 women died each year of pregnancy-related complications, with Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women about three times more likely to die compared to white women. (parentingupstream/Pixabay)

Study: Maternal Deaths Would Skyrocket with Nationwide Abortion Ban

Texas is home to one in 10 Americans of reproductive age, and mandated births due to the state's abortion ban will increase the number of maternal …

In calling Florida's new 15-week abortion ban unconstitutional, Florida Circuit Judge John Cooper said,

FL Judge to Temporarily Block 15-Week Abortion Ban

A Florida judge plans to put a hold on the state's new, 15-week abortion ban, set to take effect today. He said it is unconstitutional and will issue …

Wisconsin's first abortion ban was passed in 1849, the year after it was granted statehood. (Adobe Stock)

WI Governor, AG Launch Lawsuit Against 1849 Abortion Ban

Wisconsin's 173-year-old abortion ban faces a legal test, as the state's Democratic leaders announced Tuesday they are suing to overturn it. The …

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, about 9,700 abortions were provided for out-of-state residents in 2020, the most recent year such data is publicly available. (Adobe Stock)

With Roe Gone, Illinois Abortion Clinics Face Surge in Patients

With Roe v. Wade gone, Illinois is one of the few Midwestern states where abortions are still legal. Now the state's abortion clinics are bracing for …

Pregnant women in Texas are more likely to be uninsured and less likely to seek early prenatal care than the rest of the country. (SzilardSzabo/Pixabay)

High Court's Abortion Ruling Sets Up Texas Ban, Criminalization

The ruling on abortion by the U.S. Supreme Court has returned the issue to the states, fulfilling long-held goals of Republican lawmakers in Texas to …

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization sends abortion rights back to states. (lucky-photo/Adobe Stock)

Resources for Idahoans After SCOTUS Overturns Abortion Access

Abortion is set to be prohibited in Idaho at the end of July after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last week. The …

In 2017, more than 3,000 abortions were provided in Kentucky, <a href=

according to data from the Guttmacher Institute. (Adobe Stock)">

Travel to IL, VA for Abortions Expected to Rise Among KY Women

Low-income, rural, and women of color will be most impacted by the state's trigger ban that has outlawed abortion in the Commonwealth. They'll now …

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