Planned Parenthood Conference: 
A Critical Link: The Environment & Women’s Health
By Mary Beerworth

Planned Parenthood of Vermont hosted a conference on Thursday, September 10, 2009 at the Main Street Landing in Burlington entitled "A Critical Link: The Environment & Women’s Health." Guest speakers focused on the chemicals in the environment and their connection to the reproductive health of the women in the community.

Despite the appearance of concern for women’s reproductive health, Planned Parenthood continues to lie to women and young girls about the serious consequences of abortion on women’s reproductive health. In addition, new research reveals the negative consequences of hormonal contraception, medical abortions, and the so-called "emergency contraceptive" pills on women’s health and the environment. In the end, the only thing "green" about Planned Parenthood is the cash they’ll take for performing abortions.

Part One: Abortion and Reproductive Health

Part Two: Chemical Hormones Damage Women’s Health

Part Three: Chemical Hormones Damage the Environment

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Part One

Abortion and Reproductive Health

Planned Parenthood is the largest single provider of abortions in the State of Vermont, the United States of America and in the world. Yet they do not inform women about the negative consequences of abortion on their emotional and physical well-being, nor do they warn women of the studies linking pre-term and low birth weight babies to a prior abortion.

Here is a quote that can be found at Planned Parenthood’s web site:

• Are There Any Long-Term Risks of Abortion?

• The influence of previous pregnancy terminations

• This analysis of 49 studies on the subject of premature births was published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons in 2003: Induced abortions and risk of later premature births.

 
• A Time magazine article on other studies connecting abortion to preemies and low-birth-weight.

• Also, from the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons - 2008 - this study provides an explanation for why early preterm births are more prevalent among black women (e.g. because the abortion rate is higher among black women):

Chemical Hormones Damage Women’s Health

Ironically, participants in Planned Parenthood’s environmental conference were informed of the dangers of the chemicals contained in cosmetics and other products. But how many of Planned Parenthood’s clients are made aware that PP is in the business of selling massive doses of hormones that can potentially harm the health and reproductive systems of young girls and women? Recently Vermont enacted a law allowing the widespread distribution of the so-called Emergency Contraception, pills that purport to prevent pregnancy after sexual activity has taken place. (Vermont Right to Life did not take a position on the bill, but released a position paper.*) While many members of the legislature were concerned about pregnancies that may occur as a result of rape, it was a matter of mere months before Planned Parenthood of Vermont workers/volunteers danced in the streets wearing Emergency Contraception costumes handing out the hyper-dose of hormones for free and encouraging colleges students, male and female, to bring the pills with them on spring break.

The following is taken from Planned Parenthood’s web site.

EC Does It

PPNNE hosted a Free EC Day on March 24, at our Burlington, VT,health center. An EC mascot helped raise awareness about the event — and emergency contraception in general. We gave away nearly 300 packs of Plan B®,which means hundreds of women and couples are now informed and prepared, just in case.

Dangers of hormones in contraception to young girls/women

Chemical Hormones Damage the Environment

Dangers of hormones/contraception/chemicals to the environment:

Check out the following resources for recent studies on the effects of hormones in our waterways and on nature.

• (Brown, KH, IR Schultz, JG Cloud, and JJ Nagler. 2008. Aneuploid sperm formation in rainbow trout exposed to the environmental estrogen 17? –ethynylestradiol. Proceedings of the National Academies of Science
• Stein, Theo and Moffeit, Miles. October 3, 2004. Mutant fish prompt concern: Study focuses on sewage plants. The Denver Post.
• Templeton, Sarah-Kate. July 2005. Hormones in water blamed as more men seek breast reduction. The Sunday Times.
• Vajda, Alan M., Barber, Larry B., Gray, James L., Lopez, Elena M., Woodling, John D., and Norris, David O. 2008. Reproductive Disruption in Fish Downstream from an Estrogenic Wastewater Effluent. Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado and U.S. Geological Survey.

Each year, Planned Parenthood of Vermont receives the State’s entire allotment of Title X Family Planning funds and an additional $300,000.00 annually from the General Fund. Planned Parenthood needs to be held accountable for their practices.

The Planned Parenthood of Vermont: The Record:

• The taxpayer funded organization recently announced a new web site called "Have Consensual Text," where people of any age can sign up for "consensual text." The site promotes signing up "for weekly text messages that include sex facts, quizzes, and chances to win stuff." You can find the link on the home page for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England at www.ppnne.org and click on "Have Consensual Text With Us."
• The Man Phone web site created for the VT Department of Health by Planned Parenthood contained a link to pornography and was shut down in 2005
• Planned Parenthood of Northern New England sponsors training for Health Educators entitled: Sexual Attitude Reassessment or SAR. Planned Parenthood’s description of the SAR seminars, that they continue to run on a rotating basis, includes the use of "emotionally evocative and sexually explicit films and presentations to explore attitudes and values."
• Consumer Reports flunked two brands of condoms manufactured by Planned Parenthood in 2005
• 2001 testimony in the Vermont State House reveals that Planned Parenthood has no records of making any reports of sexual abuse as required by law.
• Planned Parenthood failed to report to the Vermont Department of Health the number of RU-486 induced abortions they performed in 1994 as required by law.
• Planned Parenthood organized "The Safety Dance" geared for junior high and high school students in 1989. Once the details of the explicit nature of the games and music became public, "The Safety Dance" was cancelled.