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Not everyone wants or is able to carry out a pregnancy to term; nor does everyone want or have the ability to care for a child. Nobody should be forced to carry out an unwanted pregnancy regardless of the reason. The foster care system is already extremely crowded and carrying out an unwanted pregnancy to term can negatively affect the mental and physical health of those involved.
Fortunately, abortions exist. While most of the focus in the media and sexual health education is on surgical abortions, there are also abortion pills that can be used to terminate a pregnancy up to 10 weeks. Unfortunately, Mifeprex (and Misoprostol, which sometimes accompanies it), is one of the most restricted drugs in the US. Unlike Viagra, which can be bought as a pharmacy and has been linked to heart attacks and other serious cardiovascular
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Biden’s memorandum reversed the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy, more colloquially referred to as the Mexico City Policy or the “global gag rule.” The policy was first created by the Regan administration in 1984 and has been reenacted by Republicans, like Trump, and repealed by Democrats, like President Biden, since.
The Mexico City Policy banned the use of US government funds for nonprofits that “perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning.” A report from the US Government Accountability Office stated that in 2017 alone, various NGOs lost out on around $150m due to this policy. Non-profits from around the world found the impact of the Mexico City policy devastating as it often also impacted efforts to treat tuberculosis as well as HIV and AIDs. It also meant the more individuals had to get illegal, unsafe abortions that threatened their lives and their health.