When promoting the health care of women and pregnancy with our tax dollars, a full and medically accurate range of reproductive healthcare should be offered. Entitled "Pregnancy Support Services" Senate Bill 444 attempts to establish not-for-profit organizations as legitimate wellness centers for women who are pregnant.
Under this legislation the list of women's wellness services to be offered are "high blood pressure screening, anemia testing, thyroid screening, cholesterol screening, diabetes screening and assistance with smoking cessation." But in this list — in a bill which focuses on women in their childbearing years — there is no mention of birth control and other aspects of reproductive health.
The proven way to help women during their childbearing years is with medically accurate information about reproductive healthcare and birth control. These issues are not covered at these centers or in this bill. We can do better than this with our tax dollars. Contact your state senator immediately to vote no on this bill.
Linda Donaldson, Winter Haven