Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Abortion News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/abortion/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170071.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170071.php House Democratic leaders are preparing a rare Saturday night vote on sweeping health care reform. The Washington Post reports: "Democratic whips worked their rank and file, while House leaders tried to secure a momentum-building endorsement from the AARP, the nation's largest association of people over 50. Health Insurance / Medical Insurance Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170061.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170061.php On Wednesday, Cook County Circuit Judge Daniel Riley granted the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois' request for a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of an Illinois parental notification Abortion Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170065.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170065.php A Planned Parenthood facility in Bryan, Texas, has obtained a restraining order against its former director and an antiabortion-rights group in an effort to prevent them from releasing confidential information, KBTX reports. The court petition says Abby Johnson -- who resigned as the facility's director in October -- and the Abortion Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170060.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170060.php Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Wednesday that he intends to force a confirmation vote by Veterans Day on the nomination of U.S. District Judge David Hamilton to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, CQ Today reports (Perine, CQ Today, 11/4). President Obama nominated Hamilton in March (Women's Health Policy Report, 3/18). The Abortion Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170059.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170059.php New abortion-related language proposed by Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.) regarding abortion coverage will be included in the rule required to bring the House health care reform bill (HR 3962) to the floor, Abortion Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170068.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170068.php Abortion-rights advocate Sister Donna Quinn of the Wisconsin-based Sinsinawa Dominican order announced Tuesday that she would be temporarily suspending her activities as an escort for patients outside of the ACU Health Clinic in Hinsdale, Wis., a clinic that provides abortion services, after receiving a reprimand from the order, the Abortion Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169907.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169907.php The divisive issue of abortions, a lingering hurdle to health reform legislation, is plaguing both House and Senate Democratic leaders, the Los Angeles Times reports. "The delays in both houses reflect the fact that even though Democrats hold solid majorities, significant divisions exist below the surface. … The challenge is particularly great where abortion is concerned. Abortion Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169895.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169895.php The Illinois Medical Disciplinary Board on Wednesday is expected to decide when to begin enforcement of a state law requiring doctors to notify the parents of minors seeking abortion procedures, the Abortion Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169900.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169900.php The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit this week struck down a Pittsburgh law that established two kinds of buffer zones around facilities that offer abortion services, ruling that the law improperly restricted protesters' right to free speech, the AP/Boston Globe reports. Abortion Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169894.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169894.php House Democrats late Tuesday night released a manager's amendment with final changes to the chamber's health care reform bill (HR 3962), starting a 72-hour review period before the lawmakers can bring the bill to a floor vote, CQ Today reports (Wayne, CQ Today, 11/4). Abortion Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169791.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169791.php Though House leaders say they'd like a health reform bill vote by Friday, some Democrats are threatening to block its passage over the issue of abortion. The Washington Post: "House leaders were still negotiating Monday with the bloc of Democrats concerned about abortion provisions in the legislation, saying that they could lead to public funding of the procedure." Rep. Health Insurance / Medical Insurance Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169782.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169782.php House Democrats are nearing a compromise over abortion language in the chamber's health care reform bill (HR 3962), CongressDaily reports. House leaders are hoping to attract enough support from moderate Democrats "to mitigate a threat" from Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich. Abortion Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169788.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169788.php The following summarizes selected women's health-related blog entries. "Some U.S. Abortion Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169787.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169787.php The Baltimore Sun recently published an opinion piece and an editorial related to reproductive health issues. Summaries appear below.  Susan Reimer, Pregnancy / Obstetrics Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169783.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169783.php Enforcement of an Illinois law requiring physicians to notify the parents of minors seeking abortion procedures will be delayed at least through Wednesday, the Abortion Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169594.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169594.php A law requiring Illinois physicians to notify parents of minors seeking abortion procedures is scheduled to take effect Tuesday, the Abortion Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169599.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169599.php USA Today on Monday included an editorial opposing Rep. Bart Stupak's (D-Mich.) efforts to introduce an amendment imposing additional restrictions on abortion coverage under the House health care reform bill (HR 3962). Stupak wrote an opposing opinion piece. Summaries appear below.  Abortion Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169592.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169592.php The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is encouraging priests to speak out against health reform because of the church's opposition to legislative language on abortion, WIBW/CNN reports (WIBW/CNN, 10/30). Abortion Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169598.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169598.php Despite the fact that abortion is legal in the U.S., regulations and intimidation have so "sharply reduced the number of clinics, doctors and hospitals willing to engage in the procedure" that it is currently "not possible to obtain a legal abortion in 87% of U.S. counties," columnist Renee Loth writes in the Boston Globe. Abortion Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169601.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169601.php "After months of plodding work by five Congressional committees and weeks of back-room bargaining by Democratic leaders, President Obama's arms-length strategy on health care appears to be paying dividends, with the House and the Senate poised to take up legislation to insure nearly all Americans," The New York Times reports. Health Insurance / Medical Insurance Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169591.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169591.php The issue of abortion coverage in the House health care reform bill (HR 3962) continues to divide Democrats as House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) prepares to move the bill to the floor, CQ Today reports. Abortion Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169595.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169595.php Oklahoma District Judge Twyla Mason Gray on Thursday denied a motion by the state to set aside a temporary restraining order she issued on Oct. 21 blocking the enforcement of a state law that would require abortion providers to report personal information on women who obtain the procedure, the Abortion Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169597.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169597.php New York Gov. David Paterson (D) last week signed a law that will stiffen penalties for causing physical injury to abortion providers and their patients, the AP/Washington Post reports. Abortion Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169602.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169602.php Speaker Nancy Pelosi could hold a vote on the final House of Representatives health care reform legislation this week. The Hill: The likely day for a vote is Thursday, because this would allow Pelosi to keep her pledge to allow members three days to study the final legislation. Health Insurance / Medical Insurance Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169403.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169403.php Legislation (FID 09-0406) before the Baltimore City Council that would require crisis pregnancy centers to post signs stating that they do not provide abortion services prompted a "contentious" debate at a hearing on Wednesday, the Baltimore Sun reports. Abortion