MONTANA PUBLIC HEALTH IN ACTION Women’s and Men’s Reproductive Health
Public Health and Safety Division
Why Women’s and Men’s Reproductive Health is Important
Karen Wojtanowicz is a registered nurse who acted as director of the Bridger Title X clinic for 25 years. During the course of those years, she witnessed many changes and one predictable constant: without reproductive health services, 12% to 15% of the neediest clients would not be seen by a clinician. They have no other place to go because of their inability to pay for services. Family Planning, like the majority of public health services, is in the business of prevention – preventing unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV). Through routine physical exams, breast or cervical problems (including cancer) can be identified early so that treatment can prevent the situation from getting worse. Family Planning is one of the great public health achievements of the 20th century. (CDC). Pre-conception counseling for timing and spacing of pregnancies have improved the lives of women, men and children. Health benefits include fewer infant, child and maternal deaths as well as prevention of unintended pregnancies and STD’s. It is estimated that nearly 55,000 Montana women are in need of subsidized family planning services. Statewide family planning facilities serve approximately half those women each year. For those served, the outcomes are: o reduced unintended pregnancies, o earlier and more frequent prenatal care when the woman does become pregnant, o reduced rates of sexually transmitted diseases, and o annual screenings for reproductive and general health issues. Women who cannot afford reproductive health care services are at risk for unintended pregnancies. If or when that happens, the woman and her child are also at risk of falling further into poverty and depending on government services for a long period of time. Male involvement in reproductive health is essential with emphasis on reproductive responsibility, parenting, and pregnancy prevention efforts. For every dollar invested in family planning, federal, state and local governments save an average of $4.40 in short-term benefits (such as public assistance and prenatal, infant and child health care) and $26 in long-term benefits (such as perpetuating the cycle of poverty, lowered educational attainment, decreased tax revenues from under-employment and increased social service costs). (citation ???)
What Has Been Accomplished
In Montana, there are 15 Title X Family Planning clinics offering services in 29 locations. The majority of clients (72%) served by family planning programs in state fiscal year (SFY)
2003 lived in families with incomes at or below 150% of the poverty level. Many clients are uninsured and not able to pay for services.
Providing family planning services throughout Montana has contributed to the declining rate of
pregnancies and births to Montana teens. From 1995 to 2002, the birth rate for teens declined by almost 23%. During that same time, the teen pregnancy rate decreased by 27%.
In State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2003, Family Planning programs prevented the following through
their provision of direct health care services and comprehensive client education: o 18,840 unintended pregnancies o 12,479 unintended births o 2,618 abortions o 3,379 miscarriages
Next Steps
Reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancies in women who are users of family planning services. Provide comprehensive family planning services to 28,000 women and men, the majority of whom are low-income and least able to afford services. Assure quality of care by offering clinical updates to reproductive health care providers within the state. Expand family planning services in underserved areas of the state. Integrate more women’s and men’s reproductive health issues into public health activities. Continue to provide parental and/or family involvement information as part of local program services.
For more information, contact:
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH BUREAU Women’s and Men’s Health Section 406-444-3775