BWHI defines Reproductive Justice as an all-encompassing health movement to eliminate all barriers to self-agency.
Our work protects the right to self-govern one's body, sexuality, gender, sexual pleasure, and reproduction preferences. The main pillars of Reproductive Justice are:
- The right to have a child.
- The right to not have a child.
- The right to raise and nurture our children in a safe and healthy environment.
In short, BWHI champions the whole woman, girl, femme, and gender non-confirming person through a preventative, affirming, and holistic approach.
Access to Emergency Contraception
Emergency contraception refers to contraceptive methods to prevent pregnancy in the first few days after unprotected intercourse, sexual assault, or contraceptive failure. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first dedicated product for emergency contraception in 1998, numerous barriers to emergency contraception remain. Emergency contraception pills are different from abortion pills, and emergency contraception pills do not stop or harm your pregnancy if you are already pregnant.
Did you know?
Nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned.
How many types of Emergency contraception are there?
In the United States, there are two types of FDA-approved ECPs available for emergency contraception:
ella® (ulipristal acetate)
Plan B One-Step® (LNG-only) — Plan B One-Step® has several generic versions. Some common generic versions include AfterPill™, My Way®, Next Choice One Dose™, and Take Action™.
What are my options for Abortion?
Medical/Medication Abortion
Medication abortion is the process of ending a pregnancy through medication."Abortion pill" is the common name for two types of medicines used to end a pregnancy. The two medicines are mifepristone and misoprostol. The mifepristone pill blocks your body's progesterone halting the pregnancy, while misoprostol empties the uterus. Patients have up to 48 hours to take the second pill.
Abortion pills are very effective, but timing matters:
- For people who are 8 weeks pregnant or less, it works about 94-98 out of 100 times.
- For people who are 8-9 weeks pregnant, it works about 94-96 out of 100 times.
- For people who are 9-10 weeks pregnant, it works about 91-93 out of 100 times. If you're given an extra dose of medicine, it works about 99 out of 100 times.
- For people who are 10-11 weeks pregnant, it works about 87 out of 100 times. If you're given an extra dose of medicine, it works about 98 out of 100 times.
Surgical/Suction Abortion
Surgical abortion is a procedure that ends a pregnancy by removing the fetus and placenta from the uterus.
Abortion restrictions put Black women in jeopardy
MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin spoke to Linda Goler Blount, President and CEO of the Black Women's Health Imperative, about how stripping away reproductive rights could have a disproportionate impact on the Black community.
What overturning Roe v. Wade could mean for Black women
“Black women have disproportionately the greatest number of percentage of abortions. But that is due to the economic oppression and frankly, the poor economic circumstances that we exist in now, but that are 400 years in the making,”
Linda Goler Blount
States Where Abortions are Legal or Banned
Currently, 14 states have full abortion bans, 1 state has a 6 week ban and 3 states have 15, 18 or 20 week bans.
