Agenda - 04-03-1978 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

AGENDA ATTACHMENT I ` THE IMPACT The withdrawing of Medicaid funds for abortion discriminates against poor women. It will . .. sharply reduce the availability of safe legal abortion for women; . .: increase the number of deaths and injuries they will suffer due to botched, illicit and late procedures; _« . .. increase the incidence of unwanted and high risk childbearing :. among low income women; increase births among teem=agers; .'.. diminish their chances for lessening dependency; and .. . deepen their poverty. Specifically, if the (approximately) 4,000 North Carolina wofrien who.had fed- erally funded abortions last year had been denied legal abortion: An estimated 2-4 might have died from illegal abortion; approx- imately 168-332 might have 'regtilred hospitalization for resulting injuries or infections;l . .. maternal and infant deaths would have risen since many of these poor women, due to inadequate nutrition and health care, would have been at "high-health risk" when pregnant.:: They would have beenat" - even greater.risk if under 16, over 35, or had 4or more children:; Ra:d they been forced to carry their pregnancies to term they would have faced increased danger of toxemia, infection, and hemorrhage.' Their offspring would have been more apt to be born prematurely, of `low birth weight; with birth defects or mentally retarded; .- PROJECTIONS FOR TEEN-AGERS The -cutoff;will have disastrous effects on -teen-agers---many only children them- selves-will-prepared physically, emotionally and economically for motherhood.' Their babies -are moie apt to be placed in roster homey or institutions and/or - neglected "ox `abused:: a AJJj..Li.SY'A 'YES . r CARRYING THE LUNWAN'M6 PREGNANCY TO TERM: ' 7ationill.y',' if all the women who '�rauld have otained a legal federally-funded abortion carried their pregnancies-to term; ,44- additioxiai. deaths from complications related tc"childbirth would ` have occurred;:"according to the "F'ederal Center !for Disease Control. (CDC):, (15 amoiig whit.e� wan_ieci; 29, among'bl.ack and lather races)-. y.;��ti"�•� ,mot .,•:'.";.Cw if :i3:.`�y:+ 'al;� C'._ ''c �.t..�x': ..,._ ._.. ._ .,�' " . _ „h In addition to the personal hardship involved in being forcedo carry an ion-', wanted pregnancy to term, there is a significant economic cost to the taxpayer. DHEV estimates that for each pregnant woman already on public assistance, who-Is forced to carry the pregnancy to term, the combined government costs of maternity Dare, pediatric care and pudic assistance would be approximately $2;200.2' OHTAIwNING A. LEGAL ARORTIdN: In North 'Carolina if a womarf"on' AFDC undertakes to pay for the pr6bedure herself, it is likely to cast almost 3 to 5 "times more than her_'mon.thly welfare. payment needed for her entire family's food, clothing' and 'sheltdk. % -. rived by app yang national projegt:6ong .,,wM,� by Dr. *Louis"'Hellman, farrn?E Depit y Assistant Secretary for- opula.tion 1'ffairs DI MT, to Forth Carolina 2 MI estimates the ao fined costs of maternity, pediatric care and public _......—a.....-- L.. L..•. �"! 7 ..... a.l.,... Cw...,a.. �.. ..G .L'... �1,d'f s!.. 9�.e...