Persuasive Letter Nur 405 Essay

Persuasive Letter
NUR/405 Healthy Communities:   Theory and Practice
June 6, 2012
Beth Edwards, MSN, FNP- BC


June 6, 2012                                                                                                                                                  
Arizona Governor
Executive Tower
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ                                                                                    

Governor Brewer,

I am writing today to discuss the importance of basic women’s rights and safe practices in health care related to abortion.   Although abortion remains a controversial issue, it is legal in this country; however, there continue to be political campaigns to reduce women's access to abortion coverage in this country. The focus should not be on reduction of services but advances in technology to provide safer practices of medical and surgical abortions. Twenty-first century women should not have to continually demand and fight for their sexual reproductive rights or personal liberties. Family planning is an important part of women’s health and reproductive health which should include access to safe and legal abortion.  
Senate Republicans in Arizona have recently passed a bill that bans abortion after 18 weeks of pregnancy and forces women to endure transvaginal ultrasounds before having an abortion.   It declares pregnancy to begin from the first day of the last menstrual period of the pregnant woman, which does not seem to be logical considering the implied could be two weeks prior to the actual conception date. It also declares that fetuses feel pain at 20 weeks or earlier. There is an abundance of documented scientific research that concludes fetuses do not feel pain until the third trimester after 24 weeks. The bill criminalizes doctors for performing abortions after 18 weeks and mandates them to offer to show a picture of the ultrasound with a verbal description. This bill threatens doctors with criminal and...