FRANKFORT, Ky. — A new report demonstrates the divide between states that prioritize reproductive health and those that do not - and Kentucky is among of the latter.
The Population Institute's annual report card on reproductive health and rights gave 19 states, including the Commonwealth, a failing grade. The findings are not a surprise to Marcie Crim, executive director at the Kentucky Health Justice Network.
"Kentucky is a birth-control desert, meaning that our publicly funded clinics are not offering all forms of contraception. That's a problem,” Crim said. “And 76 out of our 120 counties don't even have an OB-Gyn. So we're just a mess in Kentucky in terms of reproductive health."
Kentucky scored poorly for mandating abstinence as part of the sexual education in public schools, while not requiring contraception or HIV education. The state also has no laws affirming a woman's right to emergency contraception in an emergency room.
Overall, the country received a "D-minus," with the research noting declining overall reproductive health and rights, and increasing disparity between states. Twenty-two states received a "B-minus" or higher, while the other 27 received a "D" or lower.
Kentucky fared well in the report for its teen pregnancy rate, the number of unintended pregnancies, and for allowing minors to consent to contraceptive services. However, Crim pointed out that just because it's permitted, that doesn't mean it's accessible.
"This person was 19, 20 years old, went to go see their family doctor to get on birth control and the family doctor refused to give them a prescription because the doctor said, 'You're not married, and it's against my beliefs to give you birth control,’” Crim said. “And so that's obviously a huge problem."
Abortion access is another problem area, with the report showing that about 3-in-4 women live in a county without an abortion clinic. Kentucky also has several laws that make it unnecessarily difficult to obtain an abortion, and Crim said lawmakers are trying to pass more.
"It feels like there's an overall wish to dominate Kentuckians' bodies without actually doing the research into how you would bring down numbers of abortions through access to sex education and contraception,” she said. “It is to just stop abortions and damn the consequences."
The report added a "minus" to Kentucky's failing grade because the state's "Choose Life" license plates fund anti-choice organizations.
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Vending machines commonly found in workplace break rooms generally contain soft drinks or snacks but one machine in Indianapolis dispenses unconventional items at the turn of a knob.
The Plan B morning-after pill, pregnancy tests and condoms are displayed in a clear glass case inside a colorful blue and orange dispenser. The items provide easy access to protection against an unwanted pregnancy and are free of charge.
Melissa Gruver, organizing director of the feminist organization Indiana Task FORCE, said it operates like a traditional vending machine.
"You just push whenever you want and it falls down, and you reach your hand through the little door and you pull it out, take it with you," Gruver explained.
A 2022 Indiana Department of Health Termination Report indicated 9,600 pregnancies were aborted, with Marion County recording the highest number of unwanted pregnancies. The report also noted the average age of a woman in Indiana who sought an abortion was 27, and 67% of all terminated pregnancies occurred within four to eight weeks of conception.
The state's contentious near-total abortion ban, which was upheld by the Indiana Supreme Court last year, has stoked fears lawmakers may begin restricting a woman's choice of birth control.
Indiana Task FORCE and reproductive health groups All-Options and the Midwest Access Coalition want the emergency contraceptive vending machine to serve as a gathering spot for community conversations on reproductive rights and sexual health.
"We've long been organizing our communities to bring about reproductive justice, which we didn't have before and we definitely don't have it now," Gruver pointed out. "But what we know to be true is that there are more of us that want access to reproductive care than those that try to stop it. We're excited to continue to work to meet this need now, and to organize for a better community."
Gruver hopes to have one dispenser in every Indiana region in the future to add to the single machine currently in an eastside Indianapolis grocery store. She added some universities in the state already have vending machines offering similar contraception products but users have to purchase the items.
This story is based on original reporting by Mary Claire Molloy for Mirror Indy.
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On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld an 1864 ban on nearly all abortions, except in situations when it is necessary to save the life of a pregnant person. It makes abortion a felony punishable by two to five years in prison for anyone who performs one or helps someone obtain one.
Arizona's near-total abortion ban will be one of the harshest in the country, along with Alabama, Mississippi and Texas.
Gov. Katie Hobbs said the law, written well before Arizona became a state or women had the right to vote, is placing lives in danger.
"I've personally experienced the anguish of losing a pregnancy," Hobbs noted. "I know it's outrageous to have the government tell you that the best decision for your health or future could now be considered a crime."
On the social media platform 'X,' Gov. Hobbs described it as a "dark day for Arizona." But anti-abortion advocates are celebrating a big win, even as some Republican lawmakers think the ban should be repealed. The Arizona Supreme Court put its decision on hold for 14 days as additional constitutional challenges are cleared up.
The ruling has rattled Democrats, including mother and nurse practitioner Sen. Eva Burch, D-Mesa. Just a couple of weeks ago, Burch announced on the state Senate floor she had an undergone an abortion procedure. She contended Arizonans of any political affiliation do not want an abortion ban.
"Somebody took care of me. Somebody gave me a procedure so I wouldn't have to experience another miscarriage; the pain, the mess, the discomfort," Burch stressed. "And now, we're talking about whether or not we should put that doctor in jail. This is outrageous."
Kris Mayes, Attorney General, said in a statement as long as she is in office, no person or doctor will be prosecuted under what she called a "draconian law."
Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit the Grand Canyon State later this week to champion reproductive rights. And Arizona pro-choice advocates recently secured enough signatures for a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution.
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Nevada reproductive-rights advocates are breaking down the importance of two looming Supreme Court abortion cases.
In Moyle v. United States, access to the abortion drug mifepristone could be restricted - and in Idaho v. United States, a federal law known as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) could be upended.
It requires hospitals to provide care in serious emergency situations that could warrant an abortion.
Alexis Salt is a Las Vegas-based teacher who experienced a difficult pregnancy herself and gave birth to a severely premature daughter.
She said she was able to receive the care she needed and wanted, but is sharing her experience to shine light on the importance of abortion in life-threatening situations - which she says is currently at stake.
"When you are pregnant, it can absolutely - 100% - kill you," said Salt. "It almost killed me, and so when people, particularly men, tell you that this is what your body is supposed to do, 'don't worry about it,' you can't listen to that."
The Alliance Defending Freedom is a conservative organization representing the State of Idaho - and says when the Supreme Court overturned Roe, it returned the issue of abortion to individual states, allowing pro-life policies to be passed.
It contends that the Biden administration is "misusing" federal law to "override" state law and allow abortions to be conducted. The Supreme Court will hear the case on April 24.
Margardia Jorge is executive director of the grassroots health-care advocacy organization Health Care for America Now.
She said she is by no means a legal expert - but adds that the Supreme Court justices are "unpredictable," and worries about the actions the conservative majority on the high court could take with these two high-stakes cases.
"We have seen this court reverse past precedent," said Jorge. "We have seen them rule on things that roll back all kinds of functions and features of government. We have seen them, time and time again, take the wrong side or use these court cases as an opportunity to impose their own ideology. "
Jorge said there is a lot more work to do to make abortion health care, which she contends impacts everyone, from pro-life to pro-choice.
She said the biggest challenge will be for people to see abortion in that light and to get it out of the political sphere.
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