taken from most recent Savage Love

[afterannabel]

"New federal guidelines ask all females capable of conceiving a baby to treat themselves-and to be treated by the health care system-as pre-pregnant, regardless of whether they plan to get pregnant anytime soon," reports the Washington Post. "[T]his means all women between first menstrual period and menopause should take folic acid supplements,

Comments

[afterannabel]

I don't eat like a pig or smoke, but if I was pregnant, I'd want to get rid of it ASAP... so why the fuck would I take anything that might help it IN CASE I got pregnant?
My guess is they're counting on abortion becoming illegal.

[afterannabel]

Ditto that. Where are you thinking? Toronto looks good to me.

[scareypete]

Not to mention that men who smoke around there "pre-pregnant" female friends are causeing harm via 2nd hand smoke to a child that probably doesn't exist. Men who drink and become asshoels are causeing stress to their most likely not pregnant partners which is bad for the baby they probably aren't carrying.

No you are not Paranoid... issueing this as an official government statement makes it that much easier to outlaw certain activites for women. Welcoem back Prohibition. I wanna cry thinking about it... pass me a Guinness.

[afterannabel]

I know I'M not paranoid. This was written by Dan Savage. And he knows he's not paranoid either-he was being facetious.

Men who drink and become asshoels are causeing stress to their most likely not pregnant partners which is bad for the baby they probably aren't carrying.
THAT'S your response?! Honestly, of all the issues concerning pregnancy in America today, and there are a lot, THAT'S what you focus on? A male partner causing stress to a pregnant partner by being "an asshole"?

Welcoem back Prohibition.
This isn't about outlawing consumption of alcohol on the part of women at all.

[scareypete]

I focused on the male part... you knwo actually lovign and supporting their partner. In the spirit of mocking this decree I kept with the assupmtiont hat we must all act like every woman is pregnant that could get pregnant. I took a vow to avoid all intoxicants, tobacco and never act liek a prick towards Pam when she was preggers. Thats about as supportive as a man can get. I didn't feel it nescessary to go into what a woman ought to do to ensure a healthy fetus becomes a healthy full term baby.

I got the feeling that it was goign towards that. If we are forced to constantly act as if we are makign babies... well it leads to outlawing abortion, tobacco, alcohol... Its more facsist than fucking seatbelt laws. Which were only created to generate revenue for small towns. It stinks of Big Brother.

I maintain

[bosium]

That the Heisenberg uncertainty principle should be applied exclusively to elementary particles and not women's pregnancy.

This sounds to me like fair generic (nearly common sense!) health advice that has been unfortunately paired with the wrong rationale.

[rhynofooty]

I wonder if it has something to do with the insurance industry. I worked in it, briefly, and insurance for women is always higher in pre-menopuasal women because of the possibility they might become pregnant. What heavy lifting comes with fatherhood?

[afterannabel]

I sincerely doubt that, if insurance is a factor at all, it is a motivating factor.

[rhynofooty]

I wasnt implying positive influence.

[beckaandzac]

I hadn't thought of the possible legal angle before. I mean, it's not a law, so you couldn't prosecute anybody for harming a fetus they didn't know they had yet. But I'm pretty sure it's possible to take a mother to court for possible harm to a fetus that she's aware of, so who's to say that line won't shift, legally speaking? Eek!

(I also love how this guideline assumes that every woman in the country is heterosexually active. If you expect kids to follow these bullshit abstinence only sex ed programs, then they can't get pregnant 'til they're married anyway. Should we perhaps say "double standard"?)

[afterannabel]

I guess they like pretending the queers don't exist/matter? Like, maybe if they wish it hard enough and ignore them it'll come true?