Let Planned Parenthood work

Planned Parenthood of Indiana has been the target of many misguided attacks over the past few years.

Bloomington’s Planned Parenthood was attacked by a man with an ax just a few months ago.

Earlier this month, Governor Mike Pence signed SB 371 into law, which could force the Lafayette Planned Parenthood to close.

Two years ago our legislators passed a law that barred patients on Medicaid from using their federal insurance at the nonprofit — a law that has since been challenged in the courts and is likely to be struck down.

And on Tuesday, the Supreme Court refused to hear the case, which was decided in Planned Parenthood’s favor in lower courts.

It is a comfort to know that when our representatives get overzealous, the court system will keep them in check. These are the checks and balances our founding fathers envisioned. This is how America works!

Of course, many Hoosiers aren’t as thrilled with the process as I am.

Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life said “taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize the state’s largest abortion business. Even if Planned Parenthood is instructed to use tax dollars for non-abortion activities, they then are free to use other funds for growing their abortion business.”  

I have a few problems with Mr. Fichter’s statements.

First of all, Planned Parenthood is a non-profit. It isn’t in the “abortion business,” and if it is, it’s not very good at it.

Roughly 71 percent of Planned Parenthood clients seek pregnancy prevention services.

Why would they devote so much time and energy to preventing unwanted pregnancy if they’re really trying to “(grow) their abortion business?” They can’t provide abortions if their clientele isn’t pregnant.

Planned Parenthood of Indiana has even partnered with two adoption agencies for women who can’t or don’t want to raise their child, but also don’t want to have an abortion.  Why would this even be an option on their website if they were in the “abortion business?”

Seems like a poor business model to me.

The most recent data available shows the rate of abortions declined between 2000 and 2008, and hit an all-time low in 2009.  

Unfortunately, lower income women experienced a 50 percent increase in the number of unintended pregnancies between 1994 and 2006.

These data show that the women who need Planned Parenthood’s services the most — especially contraception and sex education — are likely the same women who are on Medicaid.  

It is unclear why Indiana’s government has been carrying out this crusade against Planned Parenthood for so long. It is not an abortion store.

The organization provides a spectrum of women’s health care, of which only 3 percent is as an abortion provider, but this 3 percent constantly overshadows all of the other work PPIN does.

The healthcare provider is one of the few organizations in Indiana dedicated to sexual health and comprehensive sex education. It is doing important and valuable work to make Indiana families stronger and Hoosiers healthier.

In attempting to exterminate the 3 percent of Planned Parenthood that provides abortions, our legislators are undermining the 97 percent of undeniably good work the organization does: cancer screenings, STI testing and treatments, contraception education and access and prenatal care.

If we let Planned Parenthood do its job, it is likely that the rate of abortion will continue to decrease, as will the rate of unplanned pregnancy.

I’m happy that the courts has knocked down yet another prohibitive measure towards women’s health, and hope that this sends a message to the Indiana legislature: let PPIN work.

Planned Parenthood is good for Hoosiers, even if some of us have yet to be convinced.

­— casefarr@indiana.edu