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ACNM Opposes "Domestic Gag Rule"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 


May 23, 2018
Contact: Maura Christopher
240-485-1822; 
[email protected]





The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) stands in strong opposition of the release of the Trump Administration's so-called "domestic gag rule" that seeks to strip funding from providers receiving Title X funding for providing critical health care services to low-income, uninsured, and underserved women, individuals, and families nationwide.

ACNM supports policy decisions that strengthen access to and use of sexual and reproductive health care coverage and services provided by midwives and other providers that build upon gains made in nation's health care system. The Title X program is integral to the health care system, as it offers individuals access to medically accurate counseling on and referral services for all pregnancy options legally available to women and families in the United States.

In response to the release, ACNM President Lisa Kane Low, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN stated, "Implementation of the domestic gag rule would interfere with the relationship between providers and those we serve by restricting crucial medical and health information midwives offer, limiting free speech, and impeding a women's access to family planning by cutting off funding for midwives and other providers who chose to prioritize quality reproductive-health services and counseling over funding that restricts access to critical care and censors information." 

Title X is the only federal program dedicated to providing family planning services to low-income, uninsured, and otherwise underserved individuals. Each year, roughly four million women, men, and adolescents rely on Title X funded health centers for basic preventative health care, including cancer screenings, birth control, sexually transmitted infection screenings, pregnancy testing, and well-woman exams. Implementation of this gag rule domestically would have dire consequences on the women, individuals, and families that midwives serve who rely on the Title X program for access to these critical health care services. ACNM stands in strong opposition to this proposal and urges the Trump administration to immediately rescind this harmful proposal.

 

 ACNM is the professional association that represents certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) in the United States. ACNM promotes excellence in midwifery education, clinical practice, and research. With roots dating to 1929, our members are primary care providers for women throughout the lifespan, with a special emphasis on pregnancy, childbirth, and gynecologic and reproductive health. ACNM provides research, administers and promotes continuing education programs, establishes clinical practice standards, and creates liaisons with state and federal agencies and members of Congress to increase the visibility and recognition of midwifery care.

American College of Nurse-Midwives
409 12th St SW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20024-2188
Phone: 240.485.1800
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