The annual report of the Population Institute gives Arkansas and 18 other states a grade of F on its survey of reproductive health and rights.
The institute said high rates of unwanted pregnancies, particularly among teens, should be a concern. Political action suggests otherwise. From Gov. Asa Hutchinson on down, Arkansas politicians are working to end funding of Planned Parenthood, a key provider of health services (significantly including contraception) to lower income women.
Why does Arkansas rank so low?
High teen pregnancy rate.
No mandated sex education in schools (the education frameworks\ call for it, but application of the frameworks as with teaching of evolution — is spotty.)
An increasing number of laws make an abortion difficult to obtain. If a new state law survives a court challenge, it will be impossible to get the most common form of abortion in the U.S., a pill used in the first eight weeks of pregnancy.
The Institute says “A woman’s reproductive health should not depend on where she lives, but increasingly it does.” In Arkansas, make no mistake, the results are by design of those in political power.