Statistics often put people to sleep. But any one of the new laws should be enough to cause waking nightmares for everyone concerned about women’s lives. Here are only a few: At least 15 states this year have introduced laws to ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat has been detected. Fetal heartbeats generally develop about six weeks into a pregnancy – before many women even know they are pregnant. These laws, therefore, would amount to a near total abortion ban. […]

Women are crossing state lines again to come to Choices for safe and legal abortions that they cannot get elsewhere – And we welcome all of them! - Merle Hoffman, Founder/President Choices Women’s Medical Center

Women’s History Month is a good time to discuss and address the difficulties of being female in a diversity of societies in the world today. The World Health Organization has done just that in a report on Gender Disparities and Mental Health.

In 1987, March was officially declared Women’s History Month in the USA. With the attacks piling upon abortion and on women’s very right to a life of her own choosing and in some cases on her very life itself, it’s no time for feel-good  pats-on-the-back or congratulatory high-fives.  Read the rest of this newsletter to find out more. And let’s pay tribute to the brave marchers of 1908 by heeding their example and getting ready to pick up the pace of struggle.

Choices escorts are out every Saturday attempting to protect women against the harassment and bullying of anti-choice demonstrators.

One key issue looming large, especially this month: Why are maternal and infant mortality rates disturbingly high in the Black community? And what is being done about it?

“The entire issue of surrogacy is another arena for the commercialization of humanity.” Merle Hoffman, On The Issues Magazine, 1987 Commercial surrogacy may soon be legal in New York State. New York Governor Cuomo is supporting a bill that would legalize the practice of paying a woman to carry a pregnancy and give birth to a child unrelated to her biologically. Called “The Child-Parent Security Act,” it is included in a Budget Bill soon to be voted on by the […]

Recent Events Jessica O’hara Baker in the lead role of Ann Trow Lohman, alias Madame Restell. Photo by Braddon Lee Murphy of TheaterScene.net. On January 31st, Merle Hoffman and Choices Women’s Medical Center attended Wickedest Woman, an original play by Jessica Bashline. Wickedest Woman tells the story of Ann Trow Lohman, an entrepreneur, midwife, abortionist–and eventually, a millionaire–who lived in New York City in the 1800s. Using the alias “Madame Restell,” Ann began performing abortions legally in 1838. After a […]

The first thing you need to know is that in New York State abortion services to 24 weeks of pregnancy will remain available and accessible to all women and teens with no restrictions. Choices has been proud to offer these services in complete confidentiality since 1971.