Press release which announces agency approval of the application to market Plan B without prescription for women 15+.  The FDA action follows an April 2013 ruling by a New York Federal District judge that the product should be available without age or point of sale restrictions.  From the Food and Drug Administration

Ruling of Federal District Court Judge Edward Korman that Plan B One-Step, the so-called Morning-after pill, should be available without prescription to women of all ages.  Reverses a prior decision of the Food and Drug Administration at the direction of the Secretary of Health and Human Services.  From the U.S. Courts, Eastern District Court of New York.

This report describes legislation and policies that restrict or place requirements on U.S. funding of abortion or family planning activities abroad.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Presents national estimates of the proportion of sexually-experienced women aged 15-44 who have ever used various methods of contraception in the U.S.  Shows results by race and Hispanic origin, education, and religious affiliation.  Also shows reasons for stopping use of selected methods.  From the National Center for Health Statistics

Reports that 11% or 5.8 million sexually-experienced women had ever used emergency contraception, up from 4.2% in 2002. This report describes trends and variation in the use of emergency contraceptive pills and reasons for use during the 2006-2010 period.  From the National Center for Health Statistics

784,507 abortions were reported to federal authorities for 2009 by 52 reporting authorities covering 50 states, the District of Columbia, and New York City.  Also includes trend analysis from 45 areas that reported data consistently from 2000-2009.  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Presents national estimates of contraceptive use among women of childbearing age (15-44 years of age) in 2006-2010.  Also covers the effectiveness of various methods in preventing pregnancy.  From the National Center for Health Statistics

Reviews the history of judicial cases which have restricted the abortion rights stemming from the Roe v. Wade decision of the Supreme Court in 1973 or which have resulted in further legislative action to restrict abortions.  From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Reports that in 2008 an estimated 6.5 million pregnancies resulted in 4.2 million births, 1.2 million induced abortions, and 1.1 million fetal losses.  The pregnancy rate was 9% below the 1990 peak.  From the National Center for Health Statistics

Agenda for the State Board of Health meeting for June 15^th which, among other items, will take up the proposed regulations for abortion facilities in Virginia, which have been called the toughest in the nation.  The regulations, on pp. 72-116 of the agenda, would establish minimum standards for facilities, operation, staffing, equipment, and for policies related to infection prevention, disaster preparedness, and facility security.  The regulations must be passed by the Board of Health and the Attorney General’s office before posting to the Virginia Register of Regulations.  From the Virginia Department of Health

Provides a collection of data on 11, 13, and 15 year old boys’ and girls’ health, well-being, and social environments in 43 countries of Europe and North America.  Also focuses on how inequality affects their development.  Coverage includes adjustment to school, friends, body image, food consumption, physical activity,  risk behaviors, and more.  From the World Health Organization

The 2010 U.S. teen birth rate of 34.3 births per 1,000 females reflected a 44% decline from 1990, but U.S. teen birth rates remain higher than those in other developed countries.  This report describes trends in sexual experience and contraceptive use among U.S. female teens over a 15 year period.  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Presents a current  statistical snapshot of families, households, marriages, divorces, conceptions, and abortions in Great Britain.  From the Office of National Statistics

This report examines some of the data collected by the federal government on teenage childbearing, offers potential reasons for high teen pregnancy and birth rates, and provides basic information on federal programs which try to delay sexual activity among teenagers.   From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists

Surveys the states to analyze the prevalence of required classes taught to grades 6-12 covering 11 topics related to the danger of HIV, other sexually-transmitted diseases, and pregnancy prevention.  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Proposed rule which announces policy that would provide women with access to recommended preventive services including contraceptives without cost sharing while ensuring that religious organizations are not forced to provide contraceptive services they object to on religious grounds.  From the Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Register

Testimony of the Georgetown University law student before a panel of the Democratic Policy Steering Committee after she was denied the right to testify on access to contraceptives at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on the topic of religious liberty and contraception mandates.  From Youtube.com

Explains reasons why she overruled the Food and Drug Administration review panels in denying availability of Plan B One Step as an over-the-counter contraceptive available to women of all ages.  From the Department of Health and Human Services

Reports that a total of 825,564 abortions were reported to the federal government in 2008.  Trends were largely unchanged from 2007 but abortion numbers, rates, and ratios were 3%, 4%, and 10% respectively lower in 2008 than in 1999.  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Presents national estimates of sexual activity, contraceptive use, and births among males and females aged 15-19 in the U.S. in the period 2006-2010.  Reports that 43% of never-married female teens and 42% of never-married male teens had had sexual intercourse at least once.  From the National Center for Health Statistics

Discusses the importance of contraception during the postpartum period, rationale and methods, and offers recommendations.  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Controversial regulations for establishing minimum standards for facilities performing five or more first trimester abortions per month in Virginia.  Covers second half of this agenda document for September 2011 State Board of Health meeting.  From the Virginia Board of Health

Recommendations from a panel of health experts on what preventive health services for women should be covered by insurance plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.  States that all FDA-approved methods of birth control should be covered with no copayments required.  From the Institute of Medicine

Assesses the opportunities for women to gain access to various reversible contraceptive methods at physicians’ offices and federally-funded Title X clinics.  Estimates that 36 million U.S. women of reproductive age were in need of family-planning services in 2008.  From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Text of opinion by Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II that Virginia has the authority to promulgate regulations for facilities in which first trimester abortions are provided.  Such regulation can involve minimum standards for construction, maintenance, operation, staffing, and equipping of hospitals and other medical care facilities.  From the Office of the Attorney General

Describes the development of a national survey tool for collecting data on pregnancy, medical care associated with contraception, infertility and childbirth, factors affecting marriage, divorce, cohabitation and adoption, and attitudes about parenting.  From the National Center for Health Statistics.

Reports that about 42% of never-married female teenagers, and 43% of never-married male teenagers had had sexual intercourse at least once.  Among these teens, 79% of females and 87% of males used a method of contraception at first sex.  From the National Center for Health Statistics.

Presents national estimates of contraceptive use and method choice from interviews with more than 13,000 men and women.  Finds that the leading method of contraception in the U.S. during 2006-2008 was the oral contraceptive pill.  From the National Center for Health Statistics.

Text of the controversial executive order signed by President Obama to win support of anti-abortion Democrats for the health reform legislation.  From the White House.