Africa: Experts fear higher maternal mortality rates due to reinstated Mexico City policy

Experts fear higher maternal mortality rates due to reinstated Mexico City policy
By Deepti Agnihotri
Monday, February 13

As one of his first actions taken as president, Donald Trump reinstated what is known as the "global gag rule," and practitioners fear maternal mortality rates will now take a turn for the worse.

Trump signed the executive order reinstating what is formally known as the Mexico City policy just four days after taking office. His doing so did not come as a surprise—since the Ronald Reagan administration, the policy has been reinstated and repealed every time a new Republican or Democratic president has taken office.

The policy prohibits American family-planning funds from going to any foreign organization that provides counseling or referrals for abortion or advocates for abortion access. Critics call it the "global gag rule" because they argue it hinders doctor-patient communication, but its supporters argue that it will lead to a decrease in the overall abortion rate.

Continued at source: The Duke Chronicle: http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2017/02/experts-fear-higher-maternal-mortality-rates-due-to-reinstated-mexico-city-policy