Undecided voter here who is trying hard not to get involved with internecine Democratic turf wars, but-

FAS requires sustained exposure to enormous amounts of alcohol, it’s not something that happens after a single bender. I’ve known women who managed to get in 10+ nights of heavy drinking before they realized they were pregnant (and then quit) who still had healthy children.

Here is what the CDC should have said:

well... really any baby. but especially one with a serious medical condition that it acquired from me existing as a 25-year-old with no plans to get pregnant. CAN I FUCKING LIVE?

First:

“Some women will take this advice,” Filer said, “and some will not.”

YEP. THAT’S HOW ADVICE WORKS, ASSHOLE.

Because, once again, we are incubators first, and sentient beings second.

@soulnebula: The Assessment was helpful context and an interesting read, thanks for sharing. It didn’t, however, include the metric fuckton of evidence explaining why it’s impossible that introducing a genetically modified organism into the region could impact rates of disease transmitted by those organisms.

@soulnebula, here is the European Center for Disease Control’s Rapid Risk Assessment on the possible connection between Zika and microcephaly.

The pro-life response will be worse than this now that Zika has been confirmed to be transmitted sexually: http://nyti.ms/1nL2wuF.

I love that one, it’s the same people who say “well why don’t the people who live in Flint just MOVE?!?”

It’s the tetanus/diptheria/whooping cough vaccine. I don’t know the exact situation in Brazil but in the US the shot is recommended for all pregnant women in their 3rd trimester as newborns are very susceptible to whooping cough and it can cause death. The mother getting the shot between 32-36 weeks can transfer some…

Well, as the repugs constant efforts to repeal the Healthcare Act show, they have no problem telling people with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc., etc. that they should be on the hook to pay ruinous medical bills. I doubt their attitudes would differ from what they are now towards families with disabled children.

True story. I know this awesome conservative couple who helped a woman out who was thinking of having an abortion. They decided they would not only adopt her child, but supported her through the process, were there on the day of the birth and offered to pay her medical expenses. I used this as an example to my…

Oh, wow, really? That is legitimately fascinating. I wonder how Jim Bob feels about that.

Where did you see that!? I need to see this with my own eyes! This would be the best (Duggar-related) day ever!

A Duggar on birth control! It really is true that every cloud has a silver lining.

Ugh. I feel like you’re depressingly right. They don’t give a shit if women are dying/abused. But if enough men complain about having to care for these children, then something will change.

People who think that way clearly haven’t experienced enough pain. And I don’t say that because I wish them pain (although I do), I say that because they obviously don’t understand what actual human anguish feels like.

This might be the type of crisis that will make men (who make laws) think about how this will affect THEM. In their pocketbooks.