Hormonal birth control like the Pill (which has been around for 60 years this month, wow!) is pretty awesome at preventing unplanned pregnancy and has other positive side effects, too. Still, there are lots of reasons you may stop using oral contraception or another hormonal method. Sometimes, it’s because you’re ready and able to start … Continue reading Talk to Us Before Stopping Birth Control

The post Talk to Us Before Stopping Birth Control appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

This May, we’re joining groups all around the country to celebrate — and demand! — Sex Ed for All. Launched last year, Sex Ed for All Month is a re-imagining of Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month focused on empowering young people with the education and health care they need to build the relationships, families, and futures … Continue reading Happy #SexEdForAllMonth

The post Happy #SexEdForAllMonth appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

We know your sexual and reproductive health needs don’t go away because of a pandemic – and that’s okay. With rates of some Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) on the rise both nationally and in Maine, it’s important to get tested if you’re having symptoms or think you’ve been exposed. With everything else that’s going on, the last thing … Continue reading Worried about STIs? Get Tested At Home

The post Worried about STIs? Get Tested At Home appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

During this time of social and economic uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to have the information and supplies you need to avoid unplanned pregnancy. That’s why Maine Family Planning is ramping up its telehealth operations in response to Covid-19, so you can access expert care, including many forms of contraception, without having to visit … Continue reading Birth Control, Virtually

The post Birth Control, Virtually appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

First things first: Maine Family Planning continues to provide medication abortions and aspiration abortions for all Mainers amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Call 207-922-3222 to find out how we can help you access safe and timely abortion care. MFP is a pioneer when it comes to using telehealth technology to meet people’s sexual and reproductive health … Continue reading What If I Need an Abortion During Covid-19?

The post What If I Need an Abortion During Covid-19? appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

We at Maine Family Planning want to keep you updated on the status of advocacy efforts that YOU have supported related to family planning. Last Tuesday, the Maine State Legislature adjourned sine die, which means they do not know when they will return. At the time of adjournment, our family planning funding bill—LD 1613, which … Continue reading An Update from Augusta: What Happens Now?

The post An Update from Augusta: What Happens Now? appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.

The post Protected: Teaching Sex Ed from a Distance appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

Three weeks ago we launched our Pledge-A-Patient campaign, asking our supporters to make a donation showing their support for MFP patients as they endure a 40-day anti-abortion harassment campaign. Well, a lot can change in three weeks. We now collectively face the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, and life as we know it has been upended in … Continue reading Pledge-A-Patient Week 4: Stigma Doesn’t #StayHome

The post Pledge-A-Patient Week 4: Stigma Doesn’t #StayHome appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

We know that even during a health emergency, people still need birth control, abortion care, and other sexual and reproductive health services. And that it may be more difficult to access care during times like these. While we all figure out how to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, the new coronavirus, Maine Family Planning is … Continue reading How Do I Get Birth Control During a Pandemic?

The post How Do I Get Birth Control During a Pandemic? appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

The anti-abortion protesters outside our clinic in Augusta spread lies and misinformation about abortion care, often citing debunked research to raise confusion among patients seeking safe and legal health care. Well, we’ve got (more than) a few studies of our own—and, unlike those used by the other side, this research is credible. Today, as MFP … Continue reading Fighting Abortion Stigma With Facts

The post Fighting Abortion Stigma With Facts appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

In case you haven’t heard us brag about it before, Maine Family Planning is an independent (indie) abortion care provider and we are proud of it! On this Abortion Provider Appreciation Day we wanted to share some reflections from this year’s annual conference hosted by Abortion Care Network (ACN), the only national member-based organization for … Continue reading Celebrating Indie Abortion Providers by Sharing Power, Purpose and Vision in 2020

The post Celebrating Indie Abortion Providers by Sharing Power, Purpose and Vision in 2020 appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

This is it, folks. Today, March 4, the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in June Medical Services v. Russo, the case that jeopardizes the rights enshrined by the Court’s 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. This is the first major abortion rights case before the Supreme Court since Justice Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to … Continue reading #MyRightMyDecision: Abortion Rights at SCOTUS Today

The post #MyRightMyDecision: Abortion Rights at SCOTUS Today appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

For 40 days, from February 26 to April 5, patients seeking all types of care at our flagship health center in Augusta will be subjected to judgment and misinformation hurled at them by anti-abortion zealots who have co-opted the Christian observance of Lent in an attempt to intimidate and shame. When our patients come to … Continue reading 40 Days to Say No to Shame: Pledge-A-Patient

The post 40 Days to Say No to Shame: Pledge-A-Patient appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

Today at the State House, family planning patients, providers, and advocates will gather in support of LD 1613, Speaker Sara Gideon’s bill to fund the statewide family planning network after the loss of federal Title X funds. This bill would ensure continued access to affordable birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other … Continue reading Family Planning Works 4 ME

The post Family Planning Works 4 ME appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

On the 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 US Supreme Court decision that established the constitutional right to safe and legal abortion, Maine Family Planning is affirming recent victories and girding for the battle ahead. With the passage of LD 820, Maine law now requires public and private health insurance that covers prenatal … Continue reading Roe Turns 47: More at Risk Than Ever Before

The post Roe Turns 47: More at Risk Than Ever Before appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

Pop quiz: Carmen is 14 years old, lives in Maine, and wants to go on birth control, but doesn’t want to ask their parents. Can Carmen get a birth control method without involving their parents? Answer: Yes! Maine law empowers young people to take control of their sexual and reproductive health. Minors in Maine are … Continue reading Young Mainers: Know Your Rights!

The post Young Mainers: Know Your Rights! appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

Maine Family Planning to offer free HIV testing at 18 locations statewide, Dec. 2-6 Did you know?38,739 people received an HIV diagnosis in the U.S. in 2017. This year’s World AIDS Day theme is “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Community by Community.” As the leading sexual and reproductive health care provider in many Maine communities, Maine … Continue reading What’s Your Status?

The post What’s Your Status? appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

On November 13, Maine Family Planning joins with our allies in reproductive health and justice to say: Thanks, Birth Control. Thanks for enabling us to build the families we envision, on the timelines that make sense for us. Thanks for helping us regulate our periods, treat certain medical conditions, and control acne. Thanks for providing … Continue reading #ThxBirthControl Today & Every Day!

The post #ThxBirthControl Today & Every Day! appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

Many patients know to call us at Maine Family Planning when something’s up — you have an uncomfortable symptom, you missed your period, you had unprotected sex. (Our number is 207-922-3222 and we often can offer same-day appointments.) But did you know you can call us when everything’s going fine — and we can help … Continue reading What’s a Wellness Visit?

The post What’s a Wellness Visit? appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

Are you one of those people who will do anything to avoid making a phone call? We feel you. That’s why Maine Family Planning offers our free, convenient Let’s Chat service, available from 9 am – 6 pm, Monday-Thursday, and 8 am – 4 pm on Fridays. Over 100 people a month utilize this convenient … Continue reading Hate the Phone? Let’s Chat!

The post Hate the Phone? Let’s Chat! appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

The latest numbers from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services show that for gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia, we are on par to meet or even surpass last year’s rates — and that’s not a good thing. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs or STDs) climbed dramatically in 2018, a worrisome trend that doesn’t seem to … Continue reading STIs on the Rise — Time to Get Tested

The post STIs on the Rise — Time to Get Tested appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

I love being part of an organization where we are doing amazing work and really making a difference in people’s lives. Leah Coplon, MFP Program Director The Abortion Diary, founded and directed by Dr. Melissa Madera, empowers people to share “their full, unmediated abortion experiences in a safe and supportive environment.” It is the only … Continue reading MFP Program Director on The Abortion Diary Podcast

The post MFP Program Director on The Abortion Diary Podcast appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

Today, after nearly 50 years as the Title X grantee for Maine, we notified the Office of Population Affairs within the US Department of Health and Human Services that Maine Family Planning is withdrawing from the Title X National Family Planning Program. We did not come to this decision easily. But we cannot comply with … Continue reading It’s Official. We’re Out of Title X.

The post It’s Official. We’re Out of Title X. appeared first on Maine Family Planning.

This evening we are hosting a Tweet Storm in collaboration with our partners, Homeless Voices for Justice (HVJ), about their proposed bill LD 1294—the “Dignity Pilot”. Our partnership with HVJ is the result of MFP’s investment in working to advance reproductive justice in our state, which requires a focus on current economic injustices and the … Continue reading Fight for #Dignity4All

The post Fight for #Dignity4All appeared first on Maine Family Planning.