Comment: The conservative attack on birth control is embodied in new guidelines for the federal Title X “family planning” program that does not mention contraception other than an assertion that “medical and surgical treatments” are overprescribed, have negative side effects, and are part of a broader “overreliance on pharmaceutical and surgical treatments.”
Excerpt: “The Trump administration on Friday took the first step toward reviving and expanding the conservative overhaul of the Title X family planning program that happened the first time Trump was president — changes that previously led to an exodus of reproductive health providers and a steep drop in the number of patients served.”
Link to the Title X Guidelines: https://files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunities/770eae58-b245-4431-a4b8-7b1aca9e917f/attachments/5e3ac609-8998-466a-a8b6-c3d7d49a2e6c/2027_Title_X_Services_NOFO_PA-FPH-27-001_PDF.pdf
Excerpts below from the new Guidelines (pps. 11-12) promote “nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and [avoidance of ] exposure to harmful chemical and environmental toxins” as methods to treat conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and uterine fibroids, in preference to traditional, evidence-based medical treatments such as the use of hormonal birth control pills. They also promote “natural family planning” methods that are proved to be significantly less effective than methods such as hormonal birth control.
“Chronic disease prevention and management are essential to improving public health and
promoting healthy pregnancies and family formation. HHS is leading a science-driven
response to the nation’s chronic disease epidemic, with a focus on identifying and
addressing root causes that contribute to poor health outcomes, including those affecting
fertility and reproductive health. OASH’s health programs and offices play a central role
in developing solutions to reduce the burden of chronic disease through efforts that
address nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and exposure to harmful chemical and
environmental toxins. Integrating these priorities within the Title X program helps
strengthen reproductive health outcomes by addressing conditions that affect women,
such as hormonal imbalances, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and
uterine fibroids, as well as conditions that affect men, including low sperm count, low
sperm motility, low testosterone levels, and erectile dysfunction. Title X services may
also address lifestyle and behavioral factors—such as sleep quality, nutrition, physical
activity, and pornography use—that influence hormonal function and health in males and
females.”
“We expect applicants to demonstrate how their Title X projects will integrate
noninvasive, evidence-based practices that promote health literacy, fertility awareness,
and reproductive health without unnecessary medicalization or symptom suppression.
Key strategies for advancing optimal health through Title X services include, but are not
limited to, expanding access to fertility-awareness–based methods (often referred to as
natural family planning); providing education and counseling that encourage lifestyle
practices supporting reproductive health and healthy pregnancies; fostering collaboration
with community-based programs that address wellness and environmental health; and
incorporating approaches that empower individuals to understand and manage their own
health.”