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News & Press: Position Statements

American Academy of Nursing Statement: Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care

Thursday, May 30, 2024  

Supporting Policies to Ensure Access for Sexual and Reproductive Health Care 

Washington, DC (May 30, 2024) — The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) supports equitable access to health care, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care, for all individuals.1 This includes the full spectrum of SRH care under evidence-based clinical guidelines. As SRH services are being prohibited or unduly regulated, the Academy urges strong protections for the full spectrum of SRH services and care.

Although the term “women” is used throughout this statement, the Academy recognizes and affirms that some individuals who receive SRH services including abortion care may be transgender men or nonbinary people.

Policy Recommendations:

The Academy supports policies that protect the rights to and access of SRH services, including abortion. There is a strong need for legislative reform that addresses prevalent health disparities and realigns structures to enable the attainment of health equity.2

  • Require health insurance plans (both public and private) provide access to and coverage for the full spectrum of SRH care.

  • Increase funding for the Title X Family Planning Program.3

  • Ensure that provider networks include SRH providers, including advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), who specialize in these services and ensure they are able to practice at the top of their licensure.

  • Prohibit policies and legislation at all levels of government that interfere with the patient-provider relationship, including those that prevent nurses and other clinicians from discussing SRH services such as abortions, as well as legal actions against those who seek and provide reproductive care.

  • Protect individuals who travel to access abortion care from prosecution for criminal behavior. Clinicians who provide abortion care for these individuals should also be protected from prosecution.

  • Prohibit the illegal use and sharing of any sensitive patient health information, including patient identifiers revealing the patient’s location and health data, as intended by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule4 and other similar policies that protect the use of an individual’s data.

  • Require access to contraception care and coverage of prescribed and over the counter (OTC) contraception as well as medication abortion. This includes access for individuals who are prescribed the medications used in medication abortion for off-label use to treat health conditions unrelated to abortion.

  • Increase funding for community-based public health approaches for SRH care (including information and educational resources) for marginalized communities.

  • Enforce the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires hospitals that participate in public health programs to provide all patients with screening, examination, stabilizing treatment, and transfer, if necessary, irrespective of any state laws or mandates that apply to specific procedures. Stabilizing treatment could include medical and/or surgical interventions, including abortion.

  • Increase access to SRH services and care through telehealth technologies.

This position statement originated from members of the Academy’s Expert Panels on Bioethics, Health Equity, and Women’s Health. Members of the Expert Panel on LGBTQ+ Health also reviewed this position statement. The Academy’s Expert Panels are the organization’s thought leadership bodies. Through the Expert Panels, Academy Fellows, with expertise in specific areas, review the current trends, research, and issues within their field to make informed and evidence-based recommendations. This statement was approved by the Board of Directors on May 15, 2024.

 

1. Olshansky, E., Taylor, D., Johnson-Mallard, V., Halloway, S., & Stokes, L. (2018). Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, Access & Justice: Where Nursing Stands. Nursing Outlook, 66(4), 416–422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2018.07.001

2. American Academy of Nursing. (2020, August 4). The American Academy of Nursing and the American Nurses Association Call for Social Justice to Address Racism and Health Equity in Communities of Color.  https://cdn.ymaws.com/aannet.org/resource/resmgr/pressreleases-newsitems/oldwebsite/Academy_ANA_Joint_Statement_.pdf 

3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Title X statutes, regulations, and legislative mandates: HHS Office of Population Affairs. OASH Office of Population Affairs. https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/title-x-service-grants/title-x-statutes-regulations-and-legislative-mandates

4. Cohen, K. (2022, July 11). Location, health, and other sensitive information: FTC committed to fully enforcing the law against illegal use and sharing of highly sensitive data. Federal Trade Commission. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2022/07/location-health-and-other-sensitive-information-ftc-committed-fully-enforcing-law-against-illegal

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