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NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin

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Choice Headlines

8/17/2008
Differences surface in McCain-Obama Christian forum

8/14/2008
Think You Know John McCain? His birth control dodge continues

8/14/2008
Cristina Page: Don't assume candidates support contraception

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Press Releases

8/13/2008
Leading Pro-Choice Organization Endorses Tara Johnson for State Senate in 32nd District

8/13/2008
Leading Pro-Choice Organization Endorses Jessica King for State Senate in 18th District

8/7/2008
McCain Leaves Contraception Question Still in Doubt for Wisconsin Women

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Following are answers to commonly asked questions about reproductive choice and NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin. If you do not find the answer you need here, please do not hesitate to contact us.
1.  Human life begins at conception. Isn't abortion therefore wrong?
2.  Is NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin only concerned about abortion rights?
3.  Could the government really outlaw abortion if the U.S. Supreme court overturns Roe v. Wade?
4.  Is abortion a dangerous procedure?
5.  Is the 'morning after pill' medical abortion?
6.  Have politicians recently succeeded in making abortion illegal in some cases?
7.  What is emergency contraception?

1. Human life begins at conception. Isn't abortion therefore wrong?
There is no single answer to the question of when life begins. That is why each woman must be free to make a decision about abortion based on her own moral, ethical, and religious beliefs, including her beliefs about when life begins. The critical question is who should decide. NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin believes women and not politicans or the government should.
2. Is NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin only concerned about abortion rights?
NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin believes every woman has a right to make autonomous choices about contraception, abortion, pregnancy and childbearing. We favor increased access to family planning services as well as responsible, comprehensive sexuality education. Unfortunately, the same groups that oppose abortion rights often also oppose these common sense, preventive measures that make abortion less necessary.
3. Could the government really outlaw abortion if the U.S. Supreme court overturns Roe v. Wade?

Yes.  Ever since the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, anti-choice forces have tried to take away a woman's right to choose.  Anti-choice lawmakers throughout the country have declared their support for making abortion illegal.  Some states already have enacted laws that ban abortion entirely, hoping to prompt the Supreme Court to overturn Roe.  Others, like Wisconsin have not repealed their pre-Roe abortion bans, which could become enforceable if Roe is overturned.

4. Is abortion a dangerous procedure?
No. Legal abortion is one of the safest surgical procedures available today, much safer even than childbirth. Anti-choice groups portray abortion as unsafe in an attempt to scare women and deter them from exercising their legal right to choose. Making abortion illegal would be a true menace to women's health.
5. Is the 'morning after pill' medical abortion?
No. Emergency contraception, commonly referred to as the morning after pill, prevents pregnancy. Emergency contraception does not terminate an established pregnancy.
6. Have politicians recently succeeded in making abortion illegal in some cases?

Yes.  Congress passed the Federal Abortion Ban, and in April 2007, the Supreme Court declared the ban constitutional, thereby banning a safe abortion method nationwide.  The Court's holding is contrary to its decision in 2000 that declared state bans on so-called "partial-birth" abortion unconstitutional.  Those broadly worded bans could have outlawed safe, medically appropriate abortion care as early as the 12th week of pregnancy, with no exception to protect a woman's health.  But in 2007, the Court upheld the Federal Abortion Ban, which it found was slightly narrower than previous bans, but which still does not have an exception to protect a woman's health.  The Court's decision gives the green light to states to enact further bans and other restrictions on abortion that disregard women's health.  All of these bans put politicians' medical judgment above a doctor's and would deny some women the medical care their doctors believe is safest for them.

7. What is emergency contraception?
Emergency contraception (EC), often referred to as the "morning-after" pill, contains the same active ingredients as ordinary birth control pills and can significantly reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant if taken soon after sex.  EC can prevent pregnancy; it has no effect on an existing pregnancy.  It may be used when other birth control methods fail or are not used, such as when women are sexually assaulted.  In August 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency contraceptive Plan B for over-the-counter sales for individuals aged 18 and over.  However, many women do not know about EC, and anti-choice groups and activists frequently resist efforts to improve access to the medication.

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©NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin

©NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin