Abortion Funding: A Matter of Justice

New Report Finds:

U.S. Abortion Policies Result in Later Abortions and Deny Reproductive Choice to Low-Income Women

Thousands of women and teenagers are denied abortions each year or are forced to have later abortions because federal law and 33 states withhold Medicaid funding, according to a report published this week by the National Network of Abortion Funds. The report, Abortion Funding: A Matter of Justice, exposes the harsh realities confronted by low-income women and girls who seek abortion services.

"This report looks at women's lives, which are too often missing from the abortion debate," said NNAF Executive Director Stephanie Poggi. It shows low-income women doing the best they can to take care of the families they have and struggling to find the money for an abortion."

The story of "Marie," a young, single mother with two children and a part-time job, provides a snapshot of the hardships for low-income women who face an unintended pregnancy.

When Marie found out she was pregnant in late December, she knew that she couldn't care for another child and wanted to have an abortion. She relied on Medicaid for healthcare, but her state Medicaid policy bans coverage for abortions. She needed to earn two more paychecks in order to pay for the procedure. She also had to borrow from her sister and delay paying her rent. She had gotten enough money together by February, but by that point, she was just over 12 weeks pregnant and needed to somehow raise an additional $200.

Read the Full Report.

And while you're at it, check out NNAF's website and donate for women who can't afford access to safe, legal abortions: National Network of Abortion Funds