Schindler, Kati, Anna E. Jackson, and Charon Asetoyer. “Indigenous Women’s Reproductive Rights: The Indian Health Service and Its Inconsistent Application of the Hyde Amendment.” Native American Women’s Health Education Resource Center, 2002. http://prochoice.org/pubs_research/publications/downloads/about_abortion/indigenous_women.pdf.
Annotation
This report details limits to Native American women’s ability to make their own decisions concerning reproductive health and rights, due to federal government legislation that limits the reproductive health services they receive from the Indian Health Services (IHS). It addresses four issues: (1) legal policies on abortion in the U.S., (2) Native American women’s entitlements to IHS, (3) limitations and the existence of Native American Women’s access to abortion, and (4) the impact of the Hyde Amendment on Native American communities. The authors’ central argument is that a failure to address these issues and provide indigenous women funded reproductive health services is a violation of the federal law and human rights. They base this on a survey conducted regarding Native American Women’s access to legal abortions through IHS. Additionally, this report highlights that many IHS personnel are frequently uncertain of which services Native American women are legally entitled to, and that their assumption that every Native American is financially eligible to receive Medicaid coverage is incorrect. This report emphasizes Native American Women’s rights to legal reproductive services, healthcare, abortion, counseling, Mifeprex (also, known as RU-486 – a drug that ends early-stages of pregnancies), emergency contraceptives and other alternative that are within compliance of the law. It is particularly helpful in understanding how the Hyde Amendment has restricted federal funding for abortion.Resource
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