Trump’s family planning strategy comes under fire

NEW YORK >> The Trump administration has adopted a new strategy for how it issues tens of millions of dollars in federal family-planning grants, giving preference to groups that stress abstinence and making it harder for Planned Parenthood to do business.

Major reproductive health organizations are voicing serious concerns about changes that the president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on Monday described as turning “back the clock on women’s health.”

Dr. Haywood Brown depicted the shift as part of the administration’s “continued move away from scientific, evidence-based policies and toward unscientific ideologies.”

The catalyst for the criticism was an announcement Friday by the Department of Health and Human Services of its guidelines and priorities for the next round of Title X grant applications, projected to total about $260 million.

The new HHS document makes repeated favorable mention of “natural family planning” — which encompasses the rhythm method and other strategies for avoiding pregnancy without using contraceptives like the birthcontrol pill. According to HHS, of 100 couples each year that use natural family planning methods, up to 25 women may become pregnant.

Planned Parenthood, which currently serves about 1.6 million of the 4 million beneficiaries of Title X, expressed concern that the guidelines were crafted to reduce or eliminate its role in the program.

“It reads as them trying to stack the deck against any specialized reproductive health provider,” said Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Erica Sackin.

Planned Parenthood has been the target of repeated attempts by the administration and congressional Republicans to cut off its federal funding and weaken its nationwide operations because it provides abortions.

Valerie Huber, who oversees the Title X office at HHS, said Planned Parenthood was eligible to apply for the new round of grants.

“It’s impossible to speculate who’s going to get funded,” Huber said. “An objective grant committee looks at every proposal.”