Republicans have led a fight against any family clinic that is at all associated with abortion. Unfortunately, women with lower incomes are becoming the victims of these clinic closings. Women who have low incomes are reporting that they use birth control less often and also are having more children. Women with lower incomes are having kids at a more rapid rate since legislation passed by Texas in 2011 cut grants by 66% . Texas cut funding again in 2013. Prior to 2013 60% of low income women were served through the clinics that were targeted by Texas’ budget cuts.
Changes
After 2013 the study showed a sharp decrease in long lasting reversible contraception and hormone injections. Consequently, the birth rate was higher in those populations as well. The study estimates that the “increase in births was 27% for women who lost access to Planned Parenthood.”
What Happens When The Clinics Close
One argument that Republicans and enemies of Planned Parenthood like to make is that when Planned Parenthood clinics close other clinics the government doesn’t give money too will pop up. Unfortunately, this is not the case. When Planned Parenthood clinics close other clinics and providers are not popping up in their place. When Planned Parenthood closes down alternatives for low-income women are not available and these women are punished. When this happens women who cannot even afford birth control end up with a child to take care of. To give you an idea of how cost-ineffective this is The Huffington Post estimates the average cost of having a child to be $245,340 in 2013.
Implications For Abortion Rates
Conservatives argue that we need to do away with abortion, but are denying women birth control. What conservatives do not understand is that if you will not provide what these women need to avoid pregnancy you are contributing to an increase the number of abortions, injury from unprofessional abortions, and the fetuses you claim to care so much about.
While the results of the study were interesting and meaningful the researchers noted that “the study doesn’t prove that the change in Texas policy was directly responsible for the increase in births.” Either way we need to stop cutting spending for Planned Parenthood and related family planning clinics and women’s health clinics. If conservative states like Texas don’t provide birth control for women, conservatives should not be surprised when the birth rate and abortion rate go up. Possibly Texas can provide an example for what not to do in other states. Because Texas cut funding and Texans felt the consequences.
Feature Photo: Flickr by the Creative Commons
