LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
proclaim January 22-28, 2012, as Reproductive Rights and Justice Week in
the State of New York

WHEREAS, Women comprise more than half of the population of the United
States of America and are solely responsible for childbearing; and
WHEREAS, Women who plan their pregnancies are more likely to seek
prenatal care, improving their own health and the health of their chil-
dren; and
WHEREAS, The United States of America ranks 30th in the world in its
rate of maternal mortality and has one of the highest rates of maternal
mortality among all developed nations; and
WHEREAS, Family planning services improve health care outcomes and
wellness for women and families; access to family planning is directly
linked to declines in maternal and infant mortality rates, and women who
do not receive prenatal care are three to four times more likely to die
after a live birth than women who have received even minimal prenatal
care; and
WHEREAS, Contraception enables women to better prevent unintended
pregnancies and plan for pregnancy when they do want to have a child,
and publicly funded contraceptive services and supplies prevent nearly
two million unintended pregnancies each year in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Nearly half of all unintended pregnancies end in abortion and
abortion rates in the United States of America increase during times
when contraception is less accessible to low income women; and
WHEREAS, The United States of America has one of the highest rates of
unintended pregnancy among the world's developed nations; half of all
the pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and half of unin-
tended pregnancies occur in women who are not using contraceptives; and
WHEREAS, In addition to the primary purpose of allowing women to plan
and prepare for pregnancy, other health benefits of contraception
include reduced risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers, ectopic preg-
nancy, iron deficiency anemia related to heavy menstruation, osteoporo-
sis, ovarian cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease; and
WHEREAS, Racial and ethnic health disparities are particularly
pronounced in reproductive health, including disparities in rates of
contraception usage, unintended pregnancies, maternal mortality, and
sexually transmitted infections, and these disparities reveal signif-
icant barriers to access to sexual health care (including contracep-
tion), medical care, and medically accurate sexuality education; and
WHEREAS, A majority of American voters believe that matters related to
women's reproductive rights, including contraception and abortion, are
personal issues that should be decided by women with their families,
health care providers and/or clergy members; and
WHEREAS, New Yorkers overwhelmingly support the fundamental right of a
woman to make private medical decisions concerning her reproductive
health; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim January 22-28, 2012, as
Reproductive Rights and Justice Week in the State of New York, to
encourage public awareness, conversation, and support for reproductive
rights and justice nationwide; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New
York.