Family Planning Concerns on the Rise with Economic Downturn

A story via the National Partnership for Women and Families reveals how the economic downturn is affecting women’s decisions about sex and family planning. Reports show that women and men are feeling great pressure and doubt when faced with decisions regarding pregnancy, resulting in women choosing abortion and men requesting vasectomies. The National Network of Abortion Funds reports that their national helpline has experienced a quadrupling of phone calls compared to one year ago from women in desperate situations. Planned Parenthood reports an increase in the number of women needing assistance in paying for birth control because of the economy’s effect on their financial situation. The only bright light in this situation comes from some experts’ predictions that the government may consider increasing public funding for contraception as a result of the economic downturn.