Some hospitals violate emergency contraception law, survey says

[Ian David]

Some hospitals violate emergency contraception law, survey says

By David Abel, Globe Staff | December 14, 2006

Some Massachusetts facilities violate the year-old state law requiring hospitals to offer emergency contraception to rape victims by imposing "serious restrictions" on the treatment, according to a survey by NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts .

The survey, which is due to be released today, indicated that officials at 7 percent of the hospitals with emergency rooms contend the provision for emergency contraception may be left to the doctor's discretion. Another 7 percent indicated that such provisions were contingent upon the woman undergoing a rape exam.

"These policies are problematic because they leave open the possibility that a rape survivor may not have access to {emergency contraception} at a particular hospital," said Melissa Kogut , executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, in a statement. "Women who have been raped should not have to worry about which hospital they go to."

NARAL conducted the survey of the state's 69 hospital emergency departments in February and March; a rape counselor made mock calls on behalf of a potential client to assess whether emergency contraception pills were available. The survey was designed to assess compliance with the law, which took effect in December 2005, NARAL officials said.

All nine Catholic "hospitals" surveyed said they offered emergency contraception "in some capacity" to rape victims, but 56 percent had serious limitations, according to the survey. The limitations include requiring a woman to undergo a rape examination and offering the contraception only at a doctor's discretion, Kogut said.

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/12/14/some_hospitals_violate_emergency_contraception_law_survey_says/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News

[HockeyMom]

1. Everything is Local

When the Catholic Diocesan took over our non sectarian hospital (Long Island), the local police station started driving rape victims to a state run hospital 10 miles away.

The people in the town fought this takeover for many years, for precisely this reason, to no avail. At least the local police precinct has heard the voices of the people and taken matters into their own hands. I personally know a few women in this community who have decided not to even give birth at this hospital because of their extreme anti choice stance. And guess what? These women are CATHOLIC to boot.

How many mothers or fathers would want their daughters to bear a rapist's baby? DAMN FEW. NONE that I have every known, including myself.

[RC]

2. Yeah, but..., but..., but...,

The preborn make good cannon fodder in the religious nuts god approved wars when they get to be in their late teens.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. I've heard too many horror stories about ....

Catholic hospitals to ever set foot in one. And with women in difficult child birth, they favor saving the baby and letting the mother die, so daddy can raise the other kids with no momma.

[HockeyMom]

4. Tell me abou it

I was the mother of a 3 year old. I had an ectopic pregnancy in a Catholic hospital. NO hope whatsoever for a 5 week old embryo in a fallopian tube, yet they put my life in danger so they wouldn't have to "kill the baby".