National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy

Today marks the eighth annual National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. In recognition of the day, Planned Parenthood of Illinois called for public funding of comprehensive, medically-accurate sex education programs to reduce the alarming rate of unintended teen pregnancies in the U.S.

“Teens deserve honest, accurate, age-appropriate information about how to protect themselves,” said Steve Trombley, PPIL President & CEO. “They need sex education that provides information about healthy communication, responsible decision making, as well as abstinence and contraception as ways to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.”

The U.S. teen birthrate increased for the second year in a row, according to data released in March by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy reports the U.S. has the highest rates of teen pregnancy among comparable countries. An estimated 750,000 American teens become pregnant each year. Approximately 37,000 of these teens are from Illinois.

“The reality is that by their 18th birthday, six in 10 teenage women and more than five in 10 teenage men have had sex,” explained Trombley. “That is why PPIL is constantly working towards providing Illinois teens with the information and services they need to make healthy decisions. Our peer education program in particular has played an integral part in helping us achieve our goal of preventing unintended pregnancy and disease through comprehensive sexual health education.”

In addition to peer education programs (which include 52 peer educators who reach over 15,000 young people and adults with medically accurate sex education each year), PPIL is also working to expand access to comprehensive sexual health education with a broad coalition of organizations as part of the Campaign for Reproductive Health and Access. The campaign seeks passage of legislation that would ensure, among other things, that all Illinois public schools teach medically accurate, age-appropriate, comprehensive sex education.

For more information, visit The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood of Illinois, teen pregnancy, sex education

Increased Access to EC for 17-Year-Old Women

Yesterday the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announced the decision that it will allow 17-year-old women to purchase emergency contraception (EC) over-the-counter without a prescription. This decision is in line with a federal judge's order in March that the FDA expand access to EC to women ages 17 and older, and reconsider whether minors under the age of 17 should be allowed to access EC over-the-counter. Steve Trombley, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, applauded the announcement, saying the decision by the FDA "puts women’s health ahead of politics."

"We must do everything we can to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and protect the health and safety of all women,” said Trombley.

It's about time the FDA started using common sense. The on-going saga around EC (played out through the terms of 3 FDA commissioners!) has wreaked of political ideology and Bush administration agenda-pushing. With yesterday's decision, good medical science seems to have finally come back into the picture.

EC is a high dose of birth control that reduces the risk of pregnancy when taken within 120 hours of unprotected sex. Currently, women 18 and over may obtain EC over-the-counter. Timing is crucial, therefore unobstructed access to EC is necessary.

What's more, a recent study by the Center for Disease Control revealed that although pregnancy and birth rates among girls aged 15–19 years had been declining since 1991, birth rates increased for the first time in 2006 . These alarming statistics demand that measures be taken to help curb the rise of unintended teen pregnancies. The expansion of over-the-counter access to EC for 17-year-old women is a logical step forward.


Technorati tags: FDA, emergency contraception, Plan B, Planned Parenthood

New Female Condom Approved by FDA

A new version of the female condom, called the FC2, was granted regulatory approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last month. Read about it in a recent USA Today article here. The new version is made with a latex alternative, as opposed to polyurethane which was used in the original version. This is good news for consumers, as the FC2 is less costly to manufacture, meaning it can be priced more affordably.

The female condom is the only available and effective method to prevent HIV and STIs that's designed for women's initiation. This is an important addition to the methods of prevention available to women, given the high rates of HIV and STIs in Illinois. According to the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Illinois ranked 8th nationally among states with the largest number of new AIDS cases for 2006.

With the FC2, women can take control of their own health and reduce their risk of infection, as well as their risk for an unintended pregnancy. Used consistently and correctly, the female condom can reduce the per-act probability of HIV transmission by 97%, meaning it is comparable in effectiveness to male condoms.

For more information on the FC2, visit the Female Health Company website here.

Technorati tags: female condom, FC2, Planned Parenthood Illinois

Choice, Politics & Cocktails: May 14th

Co-chairs Paula Purdue & Mary Alice Sieracki and Honorary Chair House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie invite you to attend an exciting event this spring!

Choice, Politics & Cocktails: A Benefit for Planned Parenthood of Illinois

Thursday, May 14th, 2009
VIP Reception
5:00 - 6:00 pm

Main Reception
6:00 - 8:30 pm

The Inn at 835
835 S. Second
Springfield, IL

- Honoring Judith Barringer, PPIL's Voice for Choice Award

- Live entertainment by the Brian Pryor Trio

To register online or make a donation, please CLICK HERE.

Regular Tickets: $50
Next Generation Tickets: $40
(35 and under)
Non Profit Professional Tickets: $35
Student Tickets: $30

CLICK HERE to register or make a donation.

For more information about the event, please contact Andrea Cedusky at rsvp@ppil.org or 312-592-6838.

Technorati tags: planned parenthood of illinois, choice politics and cocktails, women's health

Planned Parenthood, MTV, Kaiser Family Foundation Join to Fight STDs

Planned Parenthood is participating in a national campaign with MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation to increase the testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases among people 25 and under. The campaign, dubbed "GYT: Get Yourself Tested," will be running throughout the month of April, National STD Awareness Month.

(Pictured Left: IL Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky)

View the campaign website at: http://www.gyt09.org/

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 19 million new STD infections occur every year in the U.S. and almost half are among people aged 15-24. The two most commonly reported STDs in this country are chlamydia and gonorrhea, both of which can result in infertility if left untreated.

On the bright side, we know that this is a preventable public health problem. Planned Parenthood has the largest network of sexual health and peer educators who annually provide 1.2 million teens, young people and parents with the knowledge and tools they need to stay healthy and safe. The GYT campaign is a great opportunity to continue spreading the word to young people.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois will be engaging in activities for the GYT campaign throughout the month. To get involved, contact a volunteer coordinator at volunteer@ppil.org or visit the GYT website HERE for more information. To find a Planned Parenthood health center near you, click HERE.


Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood of Illinois, STD, chlamydia, gonorrhea, GYT

RHAA Moves to the Full IL House for Consideration

On March 11th, the Reproductive Health and Access Act (HB 2354) passed out of the Illinois House Human Services Committee with a 5-2 vote.




The Reproductive Health and Access Act (HB 2354):

- bars the government from interfering with anyone's ability to use birth control, carry a pregnancy to term or terminate a pregnancy

- requires all Illinois public schools to teach medically-accurate, age-appropriate comprehensive sexual health education.

- makes sure that government funded health care programs, like Medicaid, cover basic reproductive health care services like family planning, prenatal care and pap tests as they do for other health care services

- protects both patients and doctors by allowing individual health care professionals to object to providing certain services, while still ensuring that patients receive timely, accurate and complete information about health care options

Planned Parenthood of Illinois, along with others from the Campaign for Reproductive Health and Access, attended a lobby day in Springfield on March 10th to rally support for HB 2354 and lobby elected officials. It was a huge success! Volunteers, staff, and activists from various coalition partner organizations came out in full force to make their voices heard at the Capitol.

The bill now moves on to the full House for consideration. You, too, can join with other supporters to help make the Reproductive Health and Access Act a reality in Illinois! Click HERE to get more information and find out what you can do!

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood of Illinois, reproductive health and access act, reproductive rights

Get Your Tickets to PPIL's Fourth Annual Trivia Event Today!

Everyone loves a good game of trivia. Why not show off your skills and support Planned Parenthood of Illinois while you're at it? Get your tickets to PPIL's Fourth Annual Trivia Event in Peoria today! Click HERE to sign up now.

PPIL’s Fourth Annual Trivia Event
Friday, March 27, 2009
6:00 – 9:00 pm
The Embassy Suites, East Peoria

Ticket prices:

$35 - Student Ticket

$45 - Next Generation Ticket (under 35)

$55 - Regular Ticket

The evening includes hosted bar, dinner buffet, silent auction, raffle and more! The Silent Auction includes a week in Jamaica! Raffle packages include gift certificates to the best that Peoria has to offer, including hotel stays, restaurants, spa services, exclusive art and much more!

Come on, we know you're always up for a good challenge. Take part in this year's battle of wits and click HERE to get your tickets now!

Technorati tags: Planned Parenthood of Illinois, trivia event, women's health