NAF has initiated two public service campaigns. Our 1999 campaign addressed the need to normalize abortion, the women who seek care, and the health care professionals who risk their lives to provide care to women. The most recent campaign, in 2001, focused on the availability of mifepristone (RU-486), the safe and effective option for very early abortion.
The National Abortion Federation's first public service campaign featured two ads which focused on the women who choose abortion, and the dedicated health care professionals who face many obstacles, including threats and violence, to provide that care safely to women.
Sister, Daughter, Mother
In 1998, experts at the Guttmacher Institute estimated that 43% of all women in the U.S. will have an abortion by the time they reach age 45. Our campaign sent the message that these women are our sisters, mothers, and daughters. They are our neighbors, our co-workers, our friends, and they deserve our respect and support.
While the personal experiences and backgrounds of women who have chosen abortion may be vastly different, what these women all have in common is that they have made the choice that was right for them. Abortion doesn't change who these women are. It simply allows them to decide who they will become.
Our Doctors
A critical part of NAF's mission includes ensuring that every woman who needs an abortion can access the highest quality medical care. As a group, abortion providers are highly qualified, dedicated medical professionals whose work ensures that reproductive choice is a reality for women. A recent study showed that 96% of women who had an abortion would recommend their abortion provider to a friend or family member.
The outstanding safety record of abortion is, in large part, a testimony to the skill and quality of abortion providers. Their dedication to the women they care for is apparent in the extraordinary determination they exhibit in the face of threats and violence. Abortion providers continue to provide women with compassionate, high-quality abortion services because they know that what they do protects women's health and saves women's lives.
> Sister, Daughter, Mother ad (PDF file, 490K)
> Our Doctors ad (PDF file, 423K)
NAF's second public service campaign was the first of its kind to educate the public about the safety and availability of early abortion with mifepristone (RU-486).
In September 2000, the FDA approved mifepristone for very early abortion. As a result, American women have another safe reproductive health care option available to them. Recognizing women's need for accurate information when making choices about an unintended pregnancy, NAF launched a public service education campaign about this new option. We wanted to ensure that women facing an unintended pregnancy knew where to turn to get the information they needed to make the choice that was best for them.
Prior to the launch of the campaign, the NAF Hotline expanded its hours in anticipation of an increase in calls as a result of the campaign.
The ad debuted in the July 2001 issue of Self and the July 9th issue of People magazine, and ran from August through November in Cosmopolitan, Fitness, Health, In Style, Jane, Mademoiselle, Glamour, Marie Claire, First for Women, Essence, Vanity Fair, and Latina. The campaign reached over 70% of women ages 18-49 with information about mifepristone (RU-486), the address of our medical abortion website, www.earlyoptions.org, and the number of our toll-free Hotline, 800-772-9100, for women seeking additional information and referrals to providers of quality abortion care.
> Early Options (mifepristone) ad (PDF file, 81K)
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