Last week, Gov. Katie Hobbs called on the state Legislature to pass a law to guarantee women the right to contraception.

Making birth control a right is a top priority for Hobbs but could prove to be difficult for the Democratic governor to sign into law as she faces opposition from the conservative majority in the legislature. In addition, every legislative committee chair is a Republican and they are the ones who decide which bills will get heard.

Hobbs argued the Right to Contraception Act is something supported by most Arizonans and is not a partisan issue.

"When I talk to Arizonans about the threats to women's rights, the number one concern is 'what is next?'," Hobbs recounted. "They've seen the right to abortions stripped away, they've seen attacks on IVF in our state and others and they're scared contraception is the next thing on the chopping block."

Both the Senate and House versions of the act have yet to receive a hearing. Arizona Republican lawmakers argued access to contraceptives is not under attack. But Democratic lawmakers around the country are turning to reproductive health care to criticize Republican-backed policies and are betting on widespread support for contraception and abortion to translate as a win at the ballot box in November.

Sen. Priya Sundareshan, D-Tucson, one of the bill's sponsors, said she was able to have her family when she was ready, after pursuing her education and professional career, thanks to contraception. Her message to Arizonans is the ability for future generations to make their own health care decisions is in jeopardy.

"Our message is clear: We will not back down in defending every Arizonan's right to choose what is best for their own family," Sundareshan asserted. "Democrats have always been at the forefront of defending your reproductive rights and the fight for accessible contraception is no exception."

Sundareshan described her Republican colleagues' lack of action on the measure as "cowardly." At least half of Democratic voters said they think the elections will have a "major impact" on access to contraception, whereas three in 10 or fewer Republican voters say the same, according to KFF.


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Five hundred high school girls from Missouri are the stars of a new documentary.

Girls State is described as a political coming-of-age film. The girls participate in a weeklong, immersive democratic experiment. They build a mock government from scratch and deal with such significant issues as abortion rights and encouraging more women to serve in government.

The film is a companion to Boys State, which won a major film festival prize in 2020. Filmmaker Amanda McBaine, who co-directed both with Jesse Moss, said the comparison between the Girls State and Boys State programs was interesting to observe, as they were held during the same week for the first time.

"The degree of difference was what shocked me and the kids. I think they (the girls) were held back in a lot of ways from forming a government as quickly as the boys were," McBaine observed.

The filmmakers said they chose Missouri because it reflects America's political diversity. Girls State is trending now on the streaming platform Apple TV Plus.

McBaine described the communication among the young women as respectful despite their diverse views, and noted they didn't shy away from big subjects.

"They were empowered to build a Supreme Court, to hear a privacy case that very much mirrored the Dobbs Jackson case," she explained. "They took that moment and ran with it in a way that they recognized in each other, 'Oh, your politics may be different, but I see you in how much we need this empowerment.'"

McBaine added that the Girls State participants highlight the importance of representation in a democracy. According to Pew research, in 2023, only about 30% of state Senate seats were held by women. McBaine calls the documentary "a powerful look at politics through the eyes of young women."

Results of a new study show more American women are falling behind on getting critical breast cancer scans.

Nowhere is this perhaps more important than in Iowa, a state that is among the nation's leaders in lethal breast cancer cases.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. It claims about 40,000 women every year.

Researchers have historically broken down mammography use by state and demographics, but the University of Iowa's Iowa Cancer Registry Research Director - Sarah Nash - said that for the first time, this study took critical social factors into account when studying mammography use.

"And so they looked at several different things," said Nash, "and the strongest predictors among these social drivers of health were life dissatisfaction, feeling socially isolated, experiencing lost or reduced employment, receiving food stamps, lacking reliable transportation, and reporting cost as a barrier to care."

Nash said the results of this study point to the need to address social drivers and not just health care access when figuring out who needs help and how they can get it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that only 65% of women ages 50 to 74, with three or more health-related social needs, are up to date with their mammograms.

Despite acknowledging the social determinants that can stand between a woman and her mammogram, Nash and other researchers have said the number one factor is cost.

"So, to address costs, we can think about making sure preventive care remains at no co-pay," said Nash. "We have a program in Iowa called the 'Iowa Care for Yourself' program, which helps provide low- or no-cost screening for Iowans who are under insured."

Scientists estimate early detection and treatment can reduce breast cancer deaths by almost a quarter.




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In the final days of the legislative session, Kentucky Senate lawmakers could consider the "Momnibus" bill, which would increase access to critical prenatal and post-birth care for new moms and babies.

House Bill 10 would extend the state's voluntary home-visitation program for expectant parents to when a child reachs age three, and would include lactation assistance and telehealth.

Bonnie Logsdon, a board-certified lactation consultant and birth doula, said many women have to return to work a few weeks after giving birth and often lack the tools or knowledge to have a positive lactation experience.

"They need access to those quality supplies," she stressed, "and they need someone who can teach them how to use the pump, which is again where that lactation support would come into play."

The Momnibus bill would add pregnancy to the list of qualifying life events, so pregnant people could get health-insurance coverage and begin prenatal care visits.

Kentucky has the second-highest maternal mortality rate in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The bill would also expand mental-health counseling through the Lifeline for Moms Psychiatry Access Program.

In Letcher County, Courtney Rhoades said she's had a complex pregnancy, and has struggled to cope with stress and maintaining her physical health. She noted it's critical that first-time moms like herself have a place to turn for support, where they don't feel judged.

"Then to be finding out we're having twins," Rhoades said, "I am really excited to know that there's these programs available that otherwise I didn't know about."

Renee Basham, executive director of Hope's Embrace, said communities increasingly are aware of the role doulas can play in pre- and post-natal care. She added many of her clients need assistance.

"A lot of the clients that we work with, some of them have support, a lot of them don't," said Basham. "Doulas are extra important in that role, because if we weren't there, they wouldn't have anybody with them as they gave birth."

House Bill 10 would open the door to more research on the role of doulas in the birth experience, and how their expertise is being used for care and to reduce disparities in the Commonwealth.


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