Our History

Michigan Nurses For Life began independently in the hearts of two nurses in the Metro Detroit area in the fall of 1995. One was a LPN; the other was a RN.

Both called the Educational Center For Life in Oakland County to see if there was such a group already in existence. Both were aware there was a National Association of Prolife Nurses, but wanted to be involved in something local. The answer was “no”, but they were given each other's phone number.

After that meeting and a great deal of work, which included developing the purpose, structure, marketing plan, and activities for the organization, MNFL emerged as a vibrant organization.

After a number of phone conversations, the two planned to meet one rainy fall evening in 1995, at a local restaurant. Another nurse, who was a member of a local prolife nursing group that dissolved in the late 1980's, joined them.

Michigan Nurses For Life has now grown to a membership of over 200 health care professionals. Each year an Educational Conference is held and Contact Hours are offered. A great deal has been accomplished, but there is so much more to be done! 

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NEW GUIDELINES FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE

Editor's commentary

For years, perhaps even generations, women have been advised to get regular, yearly mammograms, starting in their thirties, as a screening measure to detect breast cancer.

They have also been advised to get yearly pap tests when they become sexually active.

Well, think again.

New guidelines (notice the word “guidelines”) have recently been issued, stating that women should now get mammograms only every two years, beginning after the age of 40 and pap tests are no longer necessary until the woman is in her 20s.

Well fine—now what should we do? First of all talk to your doctor. You and he/she are the most logical people to discuss your health care options (government input not withstanding!). We all know of friends and relatives who have been diagnosed with cervical cancer at a young age. We know that young women are engaging in sex at younger ages and that with sexual activity comes the possibility of contracting HPV and that HPV is a leading cause of cervical cancer. The controversial HPV vaccine is witness to an increased awareness of HPV and cervical cancer and yet these guidelines seem to be saying, not to worry, it doesn't grow very fast so you can wait awhile.

As to the breast cancer screening issue, all of us also know of friends and relatives who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in their early 30s, some even younger.

The new guidelines say if you have known risk factors (family history, previous diagnosis, genetic predisposition) then you should continue to have yearly mammograms. If these risk factors don't exist, again they are saying that every other year is sufficient, and a later starting time is ok too. The authors of the guidelines say that increased anxiety about suspicious mammograms that turn out negative is one of the reasons to delay, and unnecessary biopsies are another. To others however, anxiety over a negative biopsy trumps an extra year of cancerous growth!

As with so many things, the driving force behind these guidelines is, by the author's own admission, cost. There is a real effort to “pretty up” the guidelines by saying that if they are not concerned about yearly mammograms and pap tests, women can concentrate on prevention (it is not known right now how to prevent breast cancer) and treatment options when finally diagnosed. Right now, most insurance programs cover the cost of yearly mammograms. If our health care becomes managed by the federal government, the element of cost may well become the rational for prohibiting payment for yearly mammograms and pap tests.

Diane Trombley