This archive report was first published on 29 July 2019.
Published on July 29, 2019, a day when the future of reproductive healthcare in the United States hung in the balance.
Linsley Myers, a 23-year-old community college student, visited a clinic in West Virginia to address her vaginal health issues. She expressed her concern about the potential consequences of not having access to birth control, stating, 'If we don't have access to birth control, then honestly, pregnancies are going to skyrocket.'
Myers' words echoed the sentiments of many women in West Virginia, who are worried about the impact of Trump's Title X cuts on their access to reproductive healthcare. The state, which gave Trump the highest margin of any state in the 2016 election, is home to several Planned Parenthood clinics that provide essential services to women, including birth control and cancer screenings.
Andrew Clovis, a 53-year-old plant nursery manager, was at the clinic to begin PrEP treatment, which reduces the risk of contracting H.I.V./AIDS. He emphasized the importance of the clinic, stating, 'If the clinic closes, there will be no place nearby to receive the treatment.'
According to Sarah Riddle, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood for the region, the organization may be forced to close the clinic without Title X funding. This would leave women without access to essential healthcare services, exacerbating existing health disparities.
Across the United States, a large share of Planned Parenthood and other family planning clinics are losing funding under the new regulations. Private gynecologists will still serve women with insurance, but those without insurance will be even less likely to get contraception or cancer screenings.
As one study found in 2010, publicly funded family planning averted 2.2 million unintended pregnancies, 99,100 cases of chlamydia, and 3,680 cases of cervical cancer. The impact of Trump's Title X cuts on women's health and well-being cannot be overstated.
