The Center strongly supports the ACLU’s lawsuit to challenge a medically unnecessary abortion restriction that burdens Maine women, especially young women, women of color, and women with low income. The current law singles out abortion as the only health care service advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are banned from providing, despite their rigorous post-graduate training and extensive clinical experience providing a broad range of comparable services. It prevents many qualified, trained APRNs from providing abortion, leading to a shortage of medical providers of abortion care in our communities.
As Maine’s first publicly available abortion provider, and only provider of the procedure north of Augusta, we know how challenging it can be for women in rural communities to access safe, quality abortion care. If this lawsuit is successful, Mabel Wadsworth Center will be able to greatly expand the availability of abortion care in northern and eastern Maine.
We also know that abortion can be provided safely and effectively by APRNs, including nurse practitioners. Numerous medical authorities ranging from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, to the American Public Health Association, to the World Health Organization have all concluded that laws prohibiting APRNs from providing first-trimester abortion services are medically unfounded.
Mabel’s was founded by and has always been led by and staffed by nurse practitioners. We firmly believe in nurse practitioners’ ability to provide quality, client-centered healthcare. Co-founder Terry Marley DeRosier, certified women’s health nurse practitioner, is celebrating her 20th year of service at Mabel’s this month, and has provided exceptional healthcare in Bangor for more than three decades! Our other provider Lindsey Piper, CWHNP, has more than 15 years of experience in women’s health. She practiced abortion care while working in other states and pursued a nursing career so she could provide abortion care. Both are qualified clinicians that always put the needs of their clients front and center. They are also passionate about ensuring our clients are able to receive abortion care, prenatal care, and other sexual and reproductive health services.
Please join us in celebrating the critical role of nurse practitioners and this proactive case to end a stigmatizing and unnecessary restriction on abortion access in Maine, and potentially open the door for other states to follow.
At Mabel Wadsworth Center, our interns are responsible for updating the bulletin board in our waiting room once a month. Past topics have included healthy relationships, safer sex, abortion stories and more. In case you don’t have the chance to visit us during the month of August, we’ve decided to put the bulletin board online this month as well. Enjoy this post by our summer intern, Olivia Pennington, a Sociology student at the University of Maine.
It’s Long Acting Reversible Contraception!
Cool! So what does that mean? Let’s break it down:
LA: LONG acting! You can get coverage from three months to 12 years!
R: Reversible! If you decide you want to try another method or want to try to get pregnant you can easily do so!
C: Contraception = Birth Control!
Overall, a LARC is a super easy way to prevent pregnancy that can last for a very long time and can easily be reversed if you decide it’s no longer the best fit! LARCs are some of the most effective forms of birth control available, with an effectiveness rate of over 99%! Let’s take a look at some of the options!
The IUD:
More acronyms! This one stands for Intrauterine Device. It’s a little piece of plastic that gets inserted into your uterus. They come in two forms: Hormonal and Copper. The hormonal ones work by releasing progestin, a hormone that thickens your cervical mucus to prevent sperm from even entering your uterus and stops your eggs from even leaving your ovaries! Copper and sperm really don’t get along, so the copper IUD works by allowing your fallopian tubes and uterus to create a fluid that is toxic to sperm (cool right?) and as a bonus, if inserted up to five days after having unprotected sex the copper IUD actually works as an emergency contraceptive! Hormonal IUDs, depending on the brand, can last between three and six years and the copper IUD can last for 12 years. That’s a long time to be worry free!
It’s also called Nexplanon, it’s just a little rod that gets inserted under the skin of your upper arm. It slowly releases hormones that do basically the same thing that a hormonal IUD does, thickens your cervical mucus to stop sperm from getting in your uterus and prevents your eggs from leaving your ovaries. No eggs, no sperm, no pregnancy for up to four years! In addition, it’s great for people who can’t take estrogen.
The Shot:
This one’s pretty self-explanatory, it’s an injection of something called Depo-Provera (or Depo for short) and it works, yep you guessed it, by thickening your cervical mucus and by preventing your eggs from leaving your ovaries. You go to your doctor every three months (four times a year) and you’re covered! The shot is also great for people who can’t take estrogen!
All LARCs:
So now that we’ve talked about all the different kinds of LARCs let’s talk about what they all do. They all keep you covered for a really long time which is awesome, but if you ever changed your mind and wanted to try for a pregnancy all of these methods are completely reversible. Just because an IUD can last for 12 years doesn’t mean it has to.
One of the most important things to remember about LARCs is that while they are incredibly effective at preventing pregnancies they do not prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs)! To protect against STIs make sure you combine your LARC with condoms.
On that note, LARCs are some of the most effective forms of birth control available to you. They are over 99% effective, that’s just about as good as it gets! Additionally, they’re great because they let you be a little spontaneous! LARCs are over 99% effective every day, which means there’s no need to worry if you forgot your pill this morning or forgot to buy condoms yesterday. You’re totally covered (from pregnancy remember, not STI’s, you might still need to buy condoms!) wherever or whenever!
They’re really easy to hide. If you’re someone who likes to keep your birth control method private these are the forms for you! These forms of birth control can be kept a secret between you and your health care provider.
Most health insurance plans will fully cover LARCs. If you have MaineCare, Medicare, or private insurance you will most likely be able to get a LARC at no cost to you! If you don’t have insurance let us know and we can help you find other ways to pay or get discounted LARCs.
So….
If you’re interested in a LARC the next question is how do you get one? If only there was a feminist, independent, local, sexual and reproductive health center in your area…..
Yep, you got it! If you’re considering a birth control that could last for years with over 99% effectiveness give us a call or set up an appointment! Our health care providers can talk to you about all the pros and cons of each form and then if you decide one of these methods is right for you, you can get it right here at the Mabel Wadsworth Center!
We know that transgender active service and veterans of the military are members of our community. We support you and we are so grateful for your service. Your bravery and strength to fight for our freedom abroad and for other nations, while also facing unimaginable hatred and bigotry from your own, is truly remarkable.
To all of our transgender friends, clients, supporters, and volunteers, you are not alone. We will continue to speak up and speak out to assure your safety, health, and dignity. We honor the diverse, unique perspectives and experiences you bring to our community. You make our health center a better and more inclusive place for all. You challenge us to consider our own privilege as we learn and strive to be strong allies.
It is hard to put into words how angry and heartsick this recent tweet has made us. But we will not stay silent. This administration and those who support it are putting our nation’s security at risk and unraveling decades of progress. This is unacceptable. Openly discriminating against the transgender community should not be used as a political ploy to distract from efforts to take healthcare away from millions of people. We must continue to resist. We will deepen our commitment to seeking justice for the transgender community and work harder.
For those who need a safe space and to feel supported during this time, we invite you to reach out to us. We are your allies and will continue to stand alongside you no matter what. We celebrate you and all you do to make our world a better, richer place.
At Mabel Wadsworth Center, our interns are responsible for updating the bulletin board in our waiting room once a month. Past topics have included healthy relationships, safer sex, abortion stories and more. In case you don’t have the chance to visit us during the month of July, we’ve decided to put the bulletin board online this month as well. Enjoy this post by our summer intern, Olivia Pennington, a Sociology student at the University of Maine.
We at Mabel Wadsworth are so excited for warmer weather, beach days, and enjoying the beautiful Maine outdoors. As the weather warms up and we start being able to unbundle from our winter layers, we want to remind you that summer means wearing whatever makes you most comfortable. There is no pressure to find a bathing suit or a sundress or a crop top that “suits your body type.” You are allowed to wear the clothing that makes you feel great. People of all genders and of all sizes should feel comfortable wearing the clothes that they wish.
You deserve to have an excellent summer, and that starts with feeling excellent! However, we understand that it isn’t always easy to stay positive and sometimes you need a little help. That’s why we have devised a list of summer do’s and don’ts to help you stay feeling your very best.
For starters, do make sure you enjoy all the treats that you want to! There’s no better way to cool down after a hot day in the sun than with an ice cream cone or a popsicle. Make sure you treat yourself! Summer is about indulging and being happy, so if that mint chocolate chip cone with sprinkles on top makes you happy then go for it!
Secondly, do choose to spend your time with people that make you feel good about yourself. Your friends should be your support group, they should lift you up not tear you down. Confide in your support group when you’re feeling a little down, sometimes it can be really helpful just to tell someone how you’re feeling, and they may know just the way to lift you back up!
Don’t listen to the people that make unnecessary comments about your body. If a friend or family member is telling you something that makes you feel less than superb remember that it is your body and you have the right to present it however you want. Remember that clothing has no gender and style has no size.
Don’t expect yourself to be perfect. We all feel a little self-critical at times and that’s okay. The important thing is what you do when you feel down. Maybe try to focus on something you love doing like painting, drawing, going for a walk, singing your favorite songs in the car, or eating an ice cream! Confide in your support group, let them know how you’re feeling, you don’t have to carry that burden alone. Make a list of things you love about yourself, both about your physical appearance and your personality.
Do spend a little time naked. Try to notice and appreciate every part of your body that makes you feel awesome. Try to thank your body for all the hard work it does! Notice the way your hips move, notice the strength in your legs, notice the little freckles, stretch marks, or scars. There is no pressure to all of a sudden love all of your parts or little marks, but the more you spend time with your own body the more you will be comfortable with it. Try talking to your body the way you would talk to your best friend.
Above all else, do whatever it is that makes you feel good. Wear the clothes that you like, eat the food that you like, dance the way you want to, give yourself permission to feel comfortable in your own body. Remember that your body is a good body and you are allowed to show it off or cover it up however makes you feel best! Your health is important to us, and that starts with ensuring that you are feeling your very best and nourishing yourself with the self-love you deserve. Befriend your own body and give yourself the best summer yet. This summer let’s celebrate ourselves and those around us: all bodies are good bodies!
LD 327 “An Act To Allow a Wrongful Death Cause of Action for the Death of a Viable Fetus” – Ought Not to Pass
Statement of Andrea Irwin, JD, Executive Director at the Judiciary Committee
Senator Keim, Representative Moonen, and other members of the Judiciary Committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Andrea Irwin and I am the executive director of Mabel Wadsworth Center in Bangor. We are the only independent, not-for-profit feminist health center in Maine. We provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare, including prenatal care, abortion care, birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other wellness care. I am here today representing our organization in opposition to this bill which we believe would restrict abortion access and negatively impact providers serving prenatal patients in Maine.
Since 1997 we have provided prenatal care to our community and we offer full-service pregnancy care. When women come to our health center, they can access all their pregnancy options under one roof, including abortion and continuing and deciding to parent.
This bill would make providing prenatal care much more difficult for providers and potentially harm the women we care for. First and foremost, the bill would expose us to additional liability without clear evidence that it would further the safety and quality of care. This bill would also interfere in the provider-patient relationship and place an additional and unnecessary burden on providers. This bill would require that they prove that they legally obtained consent, had no knowledge or reason to have knowledge of the pregnancy, and otherwise acted within the applicable standard of care.
This bill would also harm the women we serve as an abortion provider. (And to be clear, these are often the same women who come to us seeking abortion and prenatal care or in reverse order over the course of their lifetime.) No matter how proponents seek to label this bill, or how they describe the intent behind it, this is a fetal personhood bill, plain and simple.
As others here have testified, current Maine law already has protections in place for families and loved ones who experience such tragedies. We, too, care deeply for the health and well-being of pregnant women and want to ensure that people who harm pregnant women, especially violent and abusive partners, are held accountable. We know all too well that the rate of abuse in intimate partner relationships increases during pregnancy and pregnant women are at increased risk of homicide. Unfortunately, this is not just a sobering statistic we’ve read about but a practice we see play out in women’s lives. However, this bill will neither prevent nor reduce such violent acts and instead is a clear attempt to undermine legal abortion in Maine.
As an abortion provider, we are already held to a different standard than other providers. As a facility that serves more rural and geographically isolated parts of the state, we already struggle to recruit and retain providers. In addition to the typical concerns about high malpractice rates of insurance faced by all OBGYNs, abortion providers face harassment and concerns for their own safety. While there is an exemption to allowing a cause of action against an abortion provider, there is no actual prohibition on lawsuits against us. Again, as written, the burden is on the provider to legally defend their actions that may otherwise be in line with good medical care and practice.
Women need access to pregnancy care, both abortion care and prenatal care, and if enacted, this bill would impact our ability to provide safe, quality healthcare in our community as we have more than 20 years. Now, more than ever, with cuts to the safety net and social services, the women of our community need to be able to get the healthcare they need without additional barriers.
Finally, I would ask that you consider the intent of this proposal. This proposal is clearly taken from anti-abortion advocates who seek to restrict women’s access to safe and legal abortion. The purpose of this bill is to grant new legal rights to a fetus and erode women’s access to safe and legal abortion. This bill further minimizes pregnant women’s role as autonomous beings with agency by attempting to provide legal equal standing to the fetus she is carrying. In addition to restricting abortion, this bill would pit a woman’s legal standing and rights against those of her fetus, further threatening the health and safety of women who become pregnant and creating an adversarial relationship between the two. Under this bill, a pregnant woman could be liable for any number of behaviors that could be deemed as harming her fetus.
Since Roe legalized abortion in the U.S. in 1973, Maine has largely opposed efforts to restrict access and supported women who seek abortion, understanding it to be an important part of personal decision making and autonomy, a tradition we should follow now. This bill is unnecessary, dangerous and would only create confusion in Maine law.
Mabel Wadsworth Center opposes any and all attempts at restricting reproductive freedom. We trust women to make the best decisions for themselves about their bodies and reproductive health. We know that a woman’s ability to make her own decisions about when and whether to become a parent has a lasting impact on her life, her education, and her financial security. Politicians should not be interfering with her ability to make such an important decision.
I strongly urge you to vote “ought not to pass”. Please contact me with any questions. Thank you.
