HB 351 in Ohio: John Becker’s Bill Would Ban Insurance Coverage of Abortion and IUDs.
Amanda Marcotte, Slate: HB 351 in Ohio: John Becker’s Bill Would Ban Insurance Coverage of Abortion and IUDs.
Becker claims IUDs should be considered abortion because they prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg. No big surprise, but he’s wrong, and not just because preventing implantation is not considered “abortion” by medical science. It’s also because IUDs work by preventing sperm from reaching the egg. Mirena also stifles ovulation. They may have a secondary effect of preventing implantation, but, as with the pill, the evidence shows that non-contraception users “kill” a lot more fertilized eggs by callously menstruating them out.
Becker addressed his lack of knowledge about science thusly: “This is just a personal view. I’m not a medical doctor.”
This is what he said regarding a bill he sponsored that will interfere with women’s medical decisions. At least he’s honest! Indeed, the attacks on legal abortion and insurance coverage for both abortion and contraception begin with the premise that a woman’s medical care should be determined not by what she and her doctor decide based on the evidence, but on the “personal view” of some conservative politician who is usually pushing a religious agenda. Becker’s candor is refreshing.