Contact: Ana Sandoval, PPAC Communications 916.4465247

'Women's health too important to be used as a bargaining chip'

Women’s health is, once again, being used as a bargaining chip by conservatives who want to deny affordable and comprehensive preventive health care to millions of women and their families. Despite the fact that family planning programs like Title X represent sensible health and fiscal policy, some lawmakers in Washington still seek to eliminate funding for essential services like cancer screenings, breast health care and access to contraception.

"Tens of thousands of new patients who are struggling to make ends meet or who have recently lost their jobs or insurance in the economic downturn now rely on California Planned Parenthood services for their essential health care needs," said Kathy Kneer, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. "Using women's health care as a reason to shut down the government is absurd and insulting and claims that federal funds are used to pay for abortions simply aren't true. Family planning programs prevent unintended pregnancies and the need for abortions."

One in five women in her lifetime has received care at a Planned Parenthood. In California alone, Planned Parenthood health centers provided preventive health care services to close to 700,000 women.

"Women's health is too important to be used as a bargaining chip," Kneer said.

BACKGROUND: More than 90 percent of the health care Planned Parenthood provides is preventive. Every year, Planned Parenthood doctors and nurses in California provide:

• Almost 177,000 Pap test, detecting and preventing possible cancers
• More than 160,000 breast exams
• Affordable birth control to more than 600,000 patients
• More than 1 million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV testing
• Education programs to 253,000 people 

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Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California (PPAC) is the state public policy office representing California’s eight separately incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates. Through advocacy and electoral action, PPAC promotes sound public policy in areas of reproductive health care, family planning and comprehensive sex education.