Trump Makes Moves Toward Defunding Planned Parenthood
HuffPost, March 26, 2025
The Trump administration is planning to freeze millions in federal family planning grants, a move that could significantly hinder operations at organizations including Planned Parenthood, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The Health and Human Services Department is looking to pause funds distributed under Title X, a federal program dedicated to providing family-planning services for free or discounted prices to about 4 million low-income Americans every year. Planned Parenthood is historically one of the largest Title X providers, with more than 300 of their 600 health centers participating in the federal program. The Journal reported that HHS is pausing $120 million in Title X grants for certain organizations, including Planned Parenthood, while the department investigates whether the federal dollars have been used for DEI efforts – a move that’s part of a broader campaign to gut all federal initiatives for diversity, equity and inclusion. HHS confirmed to HuffPost that the department is planning an immediate freeze of $27.5 million in Title X grants. ”HHS is reviewing all Title X grant recipients to make sure they comply with Federal law and President Trump’s executive orders,” an HHS spokesperson said. The department has not made any final decisions on funding cuts for Planned Parenthood, according to an HHS official.
Kentucky Governor Vetoes GOP Abortion Bill
ABC News, March 25, 2025
A Republican-backed bill touted as an attempt to bring clarity to Kentucky’s near-total abortion ban was vetoed Tuesday by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who said it would do the opposite by undermining the judgment of doctors while further imperiling the lives of pregnant women in emergency situations. Beshear, an abortion-rights supporter who is seen as a potential candidate for the White House in 2028, followed the advice of abortion-rights supporters who urged the governor to reject the measure. Kentucky’s GOP supermajority legislature will have a chance to override Beshear’s veto when lawmakers reconvene Thursday for the final two days of this year’s 30-day session. The bill’s supporters said it’s meant to offer clarity to doctors now fearful of breaking Kentucky law for terminating pregnancies while treating expectant mothers with grave complications. Delving into potential life-or-death situations, the bill aims to provide clear guidelines for doctors in such emergencies while maintaining Kentucky’s strict prohibitions against abortion, supporters said. “Although supporters of House Bill 90 claim it protects pregnant women and clarifies abortion law in Kentucky, it actually does the opposite,” Beshear said in his veto message Tuesday evening.
Debate Over Abortion Pill Mifepristone Resurfaces After Mackary Confirmed to Head the FDA
Associated Press, March 26, 2025
Many Americans wonder whether the pill used in most U.S. abortions will be restricted under the new Republican administration in Washington. President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, was confirmed by the Senate late Tuesday. In recent testimony before the Senate health committee, Makary wouldn’t commit to specific action on the pill, called mifepristone, despite prodding from both Republicans and Democrats. Medical professionals call it “among the safest medications” ever approved by the FDA. But a Christian conservative group that sued the FDA over the drug says it has caused “tens of thousands” of “emergency complications.” Abortion opponents say the FDA’s 2021 decision allowing online prescribing and mail-order use of mifepristone resulted in many more “emergency complications.” But that argument lumps together women experiencing a range of issues – from mifepristone not working to people who may simply have questions or concerns but don’t require medical care. OB-GYNs say a tiny fraction of patients suffer “major” or “serious” adverse events after taking mifepristone. A legal brief filed with the Supreme Court last year by a group of medical organizations including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says: ‘When used in medication abortion, major adverse events – significant infection, excessive blood loss, or hospitalization – occur in less than 0.32% of patients, according to a highly regarded study with more than 50,000 patients.’
Texas GOP Lawmakers Propose Amending Abortion Ban Linked to Deaths and a Rise in Sepsis Cases
ProPublica, March 27, 2025
Texas Republicans have proposed changes to the state’s strict abortion ban they say would make clear that doctors can terminate pregnancies for serious medical risks without having to wait until a patient’s condition becomes life-threatening. The legislation comes in response to a ProPublica investigation last fall that revealed how three Texas women died after they did not receive critical procedures during miscarriages. The reporting added to the testimonies and reports of dozens of women denied care during pregnancy complications and led to a statewide reckoning on the dire effects of the law. It is part of a wave of legislation responding to public pressure after ProPublica’s reporting revealed preventable maternal deaths in states with abortion bans. Some legal experts and reproductive health care advocates are calling it a significant step forward in a Republican-led state that has shown every sign of clamping down in support of its strict laws, even in the face of public outcry. Others are skeptical that the changes would go far enough to reassure risk-averse hospitals and doctors. While the bill attempts to mitigate the criminal risk for providers handling pregnancy complications, it leaves intact the most powerful deterrent: steep penalties of up to $100,000 in fines, 99 years in prison and loss of medical license for those who violate the law. It also leaves open the question of what constitutes a “serious risk.” Doctors previously told ProPublica the ban’s unclear language and stiff penalties have led to delays in care. The Center for Reproductive Rights, which has represented 20 women suing the state after they were denied abortions and faced health risks, opposes the bill. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists declined to comment on the bill. Many doctors are adopting a wait-and-see stance.
Youngkin Signs Bill to Protect Reproductive and Sexual Health Data, Vetoes Right to Contraception
Virginia Mercury, March 26, 2025
Public concerns about menstrual health data privacy have flared in Virginia since the overturn of federal abortion protections and changes to state laws relating to the procedure. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has helped put some of those fears at bay by signing Senate Bill 754 by Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Fairfax. Her bill protects reproductive health data, often collected in period tracking digital apps, and allows consumers to sue if their data is sold or released without their consent. As more pregnant people travel to get abortions outside states where the medical procedure is banned or restricted, some states – including Alabama and Texas – have threatened legal repercussions for people who leave the state for an abortion, and for those who aid them. Last year Youngkin signed a related bill by Favola to protect menstrual health data from search warrants – roughly a year after many, including former President Joe Biden and talk show host Stephen Colbert, lambasted the governor for opposing it in a previous legislative session. Reproductive health is still a hotly debated topic, particularly among partisan lines, as Virginia weighs a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine reproductive rights more broadly into the state constitution. This week, Youngkin again vetoed a bill that would have shored up the right to contraception.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
The Gender Wage Gap Widened For the First Time in Two Decades, and Trump Responds by Rolling Back Protections that Help Workers Discover Discriminatory Pay
Read more: The gender pay gap widened for the first time in 20 years. To make things worse, the Trump Administration has cut a ten-year-old protection that helps workers discover pay discrimination.
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Note: The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
