Why Bars In Alaska Are Offering Free Pregnancy Tests

Why Bars In Alaska Are Offering Free Pregnancy Tests
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The University of Alaska is leading a state-funded program to put free pregnancy tests in the bathrooms of 20 bars and restaurants across the state from this December. True story.

While the idea may sound slightly strange, there's actually a pretty good medical reason for it.

Researchers behind the program are hoping availability of free tests will decrease the frequency of fetal alcohol syndrome.

The condition is brought on when women - who are in early stages of pregnancy and unaware they're expecting - continue to drink and "engage in other behaviour" that later proves harmful to their babies.

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But why Alaska? The state has the highest rate of fetal alcohol syndrome in the US the £230,000 project aims to tackle those numbers head on while reducing the stigma Alaskan women apparently associate with buying pregnancy tests at the pharmacy or supermarket.

Surprisingly, this motion was put in place by Republican State Senator Pete Kelly, who recently spoke out against greater access to contraception.

Talking about the project he told Anchorage Daily News: "Literally, you can go into the bathroom at the bar and test.

"So if you're drinking, you're out at the big birthday celebration and you're kind of like, 'Gee, I wonder if I - ?' You should be able to go in the bathroom and there's that plastic, Plexiglas bowl in there."

However, in the same interview, he also stated birth control is only for women "who don't want to act responsibly".

And there we were thinking that contraception was the responsible approach. Only in America, eh?

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