A Passion for Prevention

February 14 was National Condom Day and Family Planning Health Services (FPHS) has joined the American Social Health Association in asking Americans to "Get passionate about prevention." Family Planning Health Services has been helping people prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies for more than 35 years. Most importantly, we work to improve the health of women and men by enabling them to make informed decisions about their sexual health. We also encourage them to reduce the frequency, as well as the consequences of risky behaviors.

We've learned that people do not always make a morally correct choice by their own standards. We've learned that people (especially teens) do not always make a healthy choice, a wise choice, or a safe choice, and sometimes they don't even have a choice. We have learned that sex education -- whether it is abstinence-only or abstinence-based -- whether it is secular or religious -- does not always improve behavior. And study after study shows us that condoms and emergency contraception won't work if people don't use them consistently and correctly.

FPHS is proud to empower our patients so they have fewer unintended pregnancies, fewer abortions, and fewer untreated sexually transmitted infections than they would have if our services were not available. My own "passion for prevention" is based on results. FPHS' health care services and advocacy for confidential affordable reproductive health care have given us better maternal and child health and our services have helped women reach their educational goals and participate more fully in society.

In the first paragraph of a February 11, 2010 guest column in the Wausau Daily Herald, a proponent of the 40 Days for Life Prayer Vigil group stated that FPHS "believes that teen sex is a healthy choice;" ... that FPHS ignores "the harmful effects birth control and abortion have on women;" ... and that FPHS "lobbied hard to change laws to allow teens as young as 15 to receive birth control without their parents' permission."

I want to respond to the inaccurate assertions in the first paragraph of the column: 1) FPHS does not believe that teen sex is a healthy choice; 2) FPHS neither ignores the side effects of birth control or abortion, nor do we ignore the risks and consequences of pregnancy and childbirth. 3) The basis for confidential reproductive health care to minors is the constitution of the United States and the Supreme Court's decisions on the right to privacy for all our citizens. Our state and federal grants require us to meet that standard. FPHS follows Wisconsin's mandatory reporting laws regarding the sexual abuse and assault of minors. Although we understand that not everyone agrees with the constitutional right to sexual and reproductive privacy, we uphold it proudly, patriotically, and unapologetically