Content feedback sought

April 3, 2005

JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman reporter

MAT-SU - Com-ments on Alaska's preliminary abortion Web site are being accepted by the state's Department of Health and Social Services' Division of Public Health. The site is intended to provide women with accurate information about abortion, its alternatives and other pregnancy-related issues.

Under Alaska state law, before terminating a pregnancy, all doctors will have to refer patients to the final version of the Web site as a way to ensure women are fully informed before consenting to an abortion.

The preliminary informed consent Web site content is available for viewing at: http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dph/wcfh/informedconsent/.

Stephanie Birch, Women's, Children's and Family Health Section chief for DHSS, said she's had quite a few people commenting on the site via e-mail. Birch said she is not at liberty to divulge specific comments, but did say most comments deal with the medical content of the site.

Once the public comment period closes, April 25, the five physicians in charge of developing the site content will review the comments and make any additional changes. Birch said she expects the completed site to be up and running sometime this spring.

Comments may be submitted in writing to Stephanie Birch, Women's, Children's and Family Health Section Chief, Department of Health and Social Services, 4501 Business Park Blvd. Suite 24, Anchorage, AK 99503; telephone: (907) 334-2424.

Comments may also be made by e-mail at stephanie_birch@health.state.ak.us, or by facsimile at (907) 269-3465. The comments must be received no later than 4:30 p.m., April 25. Written comments received are public records and are subject to public inspection.

Oral or written comments may also be submitted at an April 15 hearing at the Anchorage Legislative Information Office, 716 W. 4th Ave., Suite 200, Anchorage. Interested people may also participate in the hearing by calling 1-800-395-5073. The hearing will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Until the Web site is available, providers should continue to meet the requirements of Alaska law - AS 18.50.245 - and submit to the state registrar, on the present form, the required information related to the induced termination of pregnancy. Once new regulations are approved and the Web site is operating, a new form will be available for physicians to report the additional information.

Contact Joel Davidson at

352-2266, or joel.davidson@

frontiersman.com.