On September, 13, 2018, prosecutors in Chesterfield County, Virginia finally dropped the criminal charge of "producing an abortion," a class 4 felony, filed against Michelle Roberts. Almost three years ago Ms. Roberts had experienced a stillbirth at home and placed the fetal remains in the ground behind her house.
A Victory in the Fight for Justice for Pregnant Women
NAPW Mourns the Passing of Dr. Robert “Bob” Newman
National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) mourns the passing of Dr. Robert "Bob" Newman, long- standing board member, humanitarian, and fierce champion of the rights and dignity of people who use or are dependent on drugs. With love, gratitude for his career of dedicated and generous advocacy, and condolences to his family and all who had the honor of working with him.
Federal Court of Appeals Decision Prevents Pregnant Woman’s Challenge to Wisconsin’s “Unborn Child Protection Act”
June 18, 2018 - Today a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit vacated a well-reasoned decision by a federal district court that had struck down Wisconsin's Unborn Child Protection Act (Act 292) as unconstitutional. The appeals court panel avoided grappling with Act 292's numerous constitutional problems by ruling that the woman challenging it, Tamara Loertscher, could not continue to do so because she had moved out of Wisconsin.
Rinat Dray Decision Proves How Hard it is for Women Subjected to Forced Surgeries to Get Justice
On April 4, 2018, a mid-level New York appeals court ruled against Rinat Dray, reminding us of the enormous challenges women face when they seek redress for obstetric violence through the court system.
In this case Ms. Dray had gone to Staten Island University Hospital to deliver her third child.
NAPW Supports El Salvadoran Women and Girls’ Human Rights!
NAPW and NYU Law School's Reproductive Justice Clinic, along with more than twenty leading international human rights and public health experts, submitted an amicus (friend of the court) brief to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (the "Commission") in support of Manuela, a woman who died in prison after being convicted under El Salvador's total abortion ban.
Statement from Lynn M. Paltrow, Executive Director, National Advocates for Pregnant Women
NAPW Calls on Senators to Oppose S. 2311, Federal Legislation Banning Abortions After 20 Weeks Senate Bill 2311 Demeans and Denies the Personhood of Pregnant Women
The Senate is scheduled to vote today on S. 2311, a law making it a crime to perform or attempt to perform an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
State of the Union: Who will defend and advocate for the pregnant woman?
During the January 2018 State of the Union address, we heard President Trump declare that his "administration is committed to fighting the drug epidemic and helping get treatment for those in need." But rather than describing how the government will expand access to drug treatment (and no plans have been put forward for an increase in funding this year) he launched into a story about a police officer in New Mexico who saw "a pregnant, homeless woman preparing to inject heroin.
NAPW Statement Condemning Call for Arrest of Pregnant Women
National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW) Rejects Montana County Prosecutor's Call to Implement "The Handmaid's Tale"
NAPW Advises Pregnant Women Not to "Self-Report" and the Public to Reject Incoherent and Inaccurate Claims Regarding Pregnant Women
On January 11, 2018, the Big Horn County Attorney's Office issued an announcement calling for the "immediate crackdown" on pregnant women that is outrageous, irresponsible, and dangerous to women, children, and families.
NAPW and Allies Support Rinat Dray
On Monday, December 4th four justices of the Appellate Division of New York Supreme Court heard arguments in the Dray case. Rinat Dray is a mother who is suing Staten Island University Hospital and doctors there because, pursuant to a secret (not disclosed to patients) hospital policy, they forced her to have cesarean surgery even though she clearly refused.
Victories in Nevada and Pennsylvania
In Nevada, NAPW helped to get a charge of "felony drug use" against a pregnant woman dismissed. The charge was based upon an unconfirmed clinical drug screen result that was performed for the purpose of medical treatment being provided to a pregnant woman in the hospital.