by Jared Rutecki

Reproductive rights and issues are often rife with controversy. Professionals who are interested in separating the facts from the friction will be interested in attending “Overview of Medical Abortion: Clinical and Practice Issues,” a presentation by Steven Sondheimer, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The presentation will take place Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 5:15 p.m. in Irvine 199 and is sponsored by Medical Students for Choice.

“The goal of Dr. Sondheimer” says second-year student Stephen Bacak, M.P.H., president of Medical Students for Choice, “is to provide accurate information about medical abortion to medical students and physicians.” Sondheimer is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist who practices at Penn Fertility Care in Philadelphia.

Sondheimer is a physician with more than 30 years experience in the field of reproductive endocrinology and serves as medical director of the Family Planning Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Sondheimer is a recipient of numerous teaching awards including a Lindback Foundation Award and has served on the National Medical Committee for Planned Parenthood. He has authored or coauthored more than 65 articles, including articles published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Fertility and Sterility, Journal of the American Medical Association, Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and New England Journal of Medicine.  He was recognized as one of the “Top Docs” in 2002, 2005 and 2006 by Philadelphia Magazine.

Among the topics Sondheimer is addressing, says Bacak, are medical abortion agents and regimens; the history of mifepristone (Mifeprex), a morning-after pill also known as RU-486; the important components of medical abortion practice, including counseling, eligibility screening, side effects and follow-up procedures; and the general administrative and legal issues related to medical abortion practice.

For medical students, this will be the first presentation that counts toward the reproductive health certificate. Physicians are eligible for continuing medical education credit. For more information, please contact, Stephen Bacak at sb897694@ohio.edu. Food will be served.