(A4e3a) abortion and infanticide

From the point of view of an aborted child abortion is a totalitarian terrorist act. Those who promote or commit abortion are terrorists. From a global perspective abortion is also genocide, as the following report from Erika, 2003-2004 secretary of the University of British Columbia (Canada) Lifeline Club indicates. Erika tells what Sean, a member of the club said in defense of using the Genocide Awareness Project as an educational tool: ******* Sean gave his reasoning on why lifeline uses the GAP as an educational tool. Read up! ******* Each form of genocide, whether Holocaust, lynching, abortion, etc., differs from all the others in the motives and methods of its perpetrators. But each form of genocide is identical to all the others in that it involves the systematic slaughter, as state sanctioned "choice," of innocent, defenseless victims -- while denying their "personhood." >******* When asked by the press what he thought of the GAP display on a university campus on which he was recently speaking, Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate, Elie Wiesel said "I feel that it' s wrong. Once you start comparing, everyone loses." Perhaps Mr. Wiesel has never read Dr. Martin Luther King' s 1963 "Letter From The Birmingham Jail," which compared the brutalization of Jews in Germany with the brutalization of Blacks in America. (Later published in The Atlantic Monthly, August, 1963, under the title "The Negro Is Your Brother." ) In it, the great civil rights leader built on the consensus that the Holocaust wasn' t mere evil, it was intolerable evil. Dr. King helped create a similar consensus that the savagery of segregation wasn' t merely immoral. It was as intolerably immoral as the extermination of Jews. Our GAP pictures merely extend the logic of Dr. King' s comparison to help people of conscience understand that the victimization of an unborn child can' t fairly be trivialized as a nominal evil. It is an intolerable evil whose immensity is comparable to that of any other crime against humanity. ******* thanks for your time! ******* erika ******* http://www.ams.ubc.ca/clubs/lifeline/ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ As of this date, 07-05-08, this folder contains 55 items. ******* item 1 ABORTION AND IT'S CONSEQUENCES ******* item 2 ABORTION, POLITICS AND RELIGION IN CANADA ******* item 3 ABORTION NEARLY FOUR TIMES DEADLIER THAN CHILDBIRTH ******* item 4 ABORTION HEROES MAKE HISTORY JOINING UNPRECEDENTED PRO-LIFE CAMPAIGN TO SHAKE THE NATION BACK TO LIFE ******* item 5 COUPLE SUES DOC FOR WRONGFULLY ABORTING HEALTHY BABY ******* item 6 NEW KNOWLEDGE ALTERS PICTURE OF ABORTION RISK ******* item 7 THE HEALTH RISKS OF ABORTION ******* item 8 NEW STUDY FINDS ABORTION RISKS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED ******* item 9 SILENT NO MORE POST-ABORTION AWARENESS CAMPAIGN BEGINS ******* item 10 ACTRESS TELLS SENATE "I PAID FOR MY ABORTION MY WHOLE LIFE" ******* item 11 MY ABORTION STORY: A TALE OF TWO LIVES ******* item 12 NEW STUDY SHOWS ABORTION HURTS WOMEN'S MENTAL HEALTH ******* item 13 AFTER ABORTION, WOMEN HIDE THEIR FORBIDDEN PAIN ******* item 14 ABORTION-BREAST CANCER COVER-UP IN ILLINOIS ******* item 15 NATIONAL PHYSICIANS CENTER AFFIRMS ABORTION-BREAST CANCER LINK ******* item 16 WOMEN'S GROUP LAMENTS DEATHS OF THOUSANDS DUE TO CANCER INDUCED BY ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTIVES ******* item 17 ABORTION - BREAST CANCER LAW SUIT ******* item 18 MEDICAL ORGANIZATION ACKNOWLEDGES ABORTION BREAST CANCER RESEARCH ******* item 19 BREAST CANCER SURGEON TELLS THE PRESS: TAKING A TEENAGER FOR AN ABORTION IS CHILD ABUSE ******* item 20 WORLD'S FIRST ABORTION-BREAST CANCER SETTLEMENT ******* item 21 IT'S SIMPLE AS ABC--DENY, DENY, DENY ******* item 22 ABORTION-BREAST CANCER LINK MUST NOT BE IGNORED ******* item 23 TEXAS ABORTIOH CLINIC WARNS PATIENTS OF BREAST CANCER RISK ******* item 24 POPULATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE DISCUSSES HOW ABORTION-BREAST CANCER LINK WILL IMPACT DEVELOPING WORLD ******* item 25 WEBSITE LISTS 347 WOMEN KILLED BY LEGAL ABORTIONS ******* item 26 ABORTION INCREASES WOMEN'S MORTALITY RATE ******* item 27 PROFESSOR BARBARA LUKE AND THE "PREMIE" RISK OF ABORTION ******* item 28 STUDY SHOWS CHILDERN OF POST-ABORTIVE MOMS HAVE MORE BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS ******* item 29 DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE RATES HIGHER AFTER ABORTION ******* item 30 NEW TREND SHOWS INCREASE IN INFANTICIDE RATE ******* item 31 SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN LINKED TO PRIOR ABORTION ******* item 32 GOVERNMENT RESTRICTS ABORTION ACCESS AFTER "ROE VERSUS WADE" ******* item 33 BIRTH TRENDS IN AMERICA ******* item 34 ANALYSIS OF "BIRTH TRENDS IN AMERICA", PARTICULARLY AS THEY PERTAIN TO ABORTION ******* item 35 NORTH DAKOTA COURT WILL HEAR ABORTION-BREAST CANCER LAWSUIT ******* item 36 MARCH OF DIMES IGNORES ABORTION-PREMATURE BIRTH LINK ******* item 37 STUDY: UP TO 50% OF BREAST CANCER CASES CAUSED BY ABORTION ******* item 38 FRENCH DOCTORS TO STRIKE OVER RULING ON "RIGHT" NOT TO BE BORN ******* item 39 WOMAN DIES FOLLOWING USE OF RU 486 ABORTION DRUG ******* item 40 TEXAS TO WARN OF ACP (AORTIION/CEREBRAL PALSY) RISK ******* item 41 MAKE THE CONNECTION ******* item 42 TEXAS WARNS OF ABORTION-CEREBRAL PALSY LINK ******* item 43 BRITISH GOVERNMENT: TWO WOMEN DIED AFTER TAKING RU 486 ABORTION DRUG ******* item 44 ELLIOT INSTITUTE: MORE STUDIES DOCUMENT ABORTION'S DANGERS ******* item 45 MAN REAPS WHAT HE SOWS ******* item 46 MATERNAL MORTALITY 3 TIMES HIGHER AFTER ABORTION - AJOG STUDY ******* item 47 ABORTION CONTRIBUTES TO INCREASED SUICIDE RATES AMONG YOUNG WOMEN ******* item 48 SWEDEN: TRAGIC RU 486 ******* item 49 15 YEAR OLD DETROIT GIRL DIES FROM BOTCHED SECOND TRIMESTER ABORTION ******* item 50 SWEDISH TEEN BLEEDS TO DEATH AFTER USING RU 486 ABORTION DRUG ******* item 51 A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT? BY JILL STANEK ******* item 52 OPENING THE CASKET ON ABORTION ******* item 53 MORE MOTHERS MURDER ******* item 54 NEW DETAILS EMERGE IN SHOCKING CASE OF "ABORTED" BABY BORN ALIVE ******* item 55 THE "A" WORD ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 1 ABORTION AND IT'S CONSEQUENCES ******* by Frank Wagner ******* Abortion is the child of contraception. The prediction by some who promoted contraception, that the practice of contraception would lead to more rather than fewer abortions, has come true wherever contraception became widely accepted. ******* The main consequence of abortion is death; spiritual death to the mother and physical death to the child. Societal changes include a decreasing respect for human life at other stages, as exemplified by increases in infanticide, suicide and cannibalism. (See links at the end of this web page.) Abortionists and their helpers deny this. Some others want this to be known and spell out details. ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 2 ABORTION, POLITICS AND RELIGION IN CANADA ******* by Frank Wagner ******* Abortion is the pivot which will decide the future of politics, religion and indeed our Canadian society as we know them. At the international level, unless we stop abortion, Western Civilization will destroy itself. To save Canada and Western Civilization from self-destruction we ought to begin by putting our trust in God rather than in man. If we do this and ask for His Help, God will lead us through the maze of pitfalls in Canadian politics, will bring us spiritual unity and will give true peace and prosperity to our nation. ******* There should be no conflict between religion, (and in particular, Christianity), and politics. Work in both religion and politics is primarily a matter of service. Religion is concerned mainly with the welfare of the soul while politics is concerned with the welfare of the body. At their most basic levels Christianity should protect us from spiritual death while our federal government should protect us from physical death. ******* Abortion results in the spiritual death of those who commit, promote or condone that evil act and in the physical death of defenseless children. ******* Therefore the duty of our religious leaders is to unequivocally condemn those thoughts, words and deeds which result in spiritual death. At the top of the list of acts which cause spiritual death is abortion. If our religious leaders do not warn their flocks of the spiritual danger of abortion then they fail in their most basic duty. Similarly, if politicians, especially federal politicians, do not work to protect the lives of pre-born children, who at this time are the most vulnerable and most defenseless of all human beings, then these politicians, just like our religious leaders, also fail in their most basic duty. ******* Thus it is in the very nature of true religion and true politics, that far from being at odds with each other over the issue of abortion, they have complementary and mutually supportive roles to play in the eradication of this deadly evil which has destroyed the souls and bodies of billions of human beings and which is in the process of totally devouring Western Civilization. ******************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 3 ABORTION NEARLY FOUR TIMES DEADLIER THAN CHILDBIRTH ******* From: Pro-Life E-News (by way of John Hof ) ******* Date: Tuesday, July 25, 2000 3:10 PM ******* New Government Study In Finland Ignored by Abortion Providers ******* Springfield, IL -- A recent government funded study in Finland shows that women who abort are approximately four times more likely to die in the following year than women who carry their pregnancies to term. In addition, women who carry to term are only half as likely to die as women who were not pregnant. "This is an impeccable, record-based study," said David C. Reardon, Ph.D., who authored a review of the Finland study and other related studies in the latest issue of The Post-Abortion Review. ******* "It proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that abortion is NOT safer than childbirth." Researchers from the statistical analysis unit of Finland's National Research and Development Center for Welfare and Health examined death certificate records for all women of reproductive age (15-49) who died between 1987 and 1994 - a total of 9,129 women. They then examined the national health care database to identify any pregnancy-related events for the women in the 12 months prior to their deaths. The researchers found that compared to women who carried to term, women who aborted in the year prior to their deaths were 60 percent more likely to die of natural causes, seven times more likely to die of suicide, four times more likely to die of injuries related to accidents, and 14 times more likely to die from homicide. Researchers believe the higher rate of deaths related to accidents and homicide may be linked to higher rates of suicidal or risk-taking behavior. ******* "Even though this important study was published in the top Scandinavian obstetrics journal, it has been completely ignored by the American press," Reardon said. ******* "Even worse, abortion counselors continue to lie to American women. They are telling women that abortion is safer than childbirth, when this and other irrefutable studies prove exactly the opposite. The entire body of medical literature clearly shows that abortion contributes to a decline in women's physical and mental health. Women aren't hearing this. Nor are they being told that giving birth actually contributes to women's overall health, not only in comparison to those who abort but also in comparison to women who have not been pregnant." ******* Reardon believes that abortion providers are collaborating with population control zealots to conceal the risks of abortion in order to advance their own financial and social engineering agendas. "If they were really pro-choice, they would want women to know about abortion's true risks," he said. "Instead, they are offering women a bundle of half-truths and complete fabrications." ******* A link to a full text copy of The Post-Abortion Review article can be found at http://www.afterabortion.org/PAR/V8/n2/finland.html ******* To sign up for this news list covering issues of abortion complications,send an e-mail to [email protected] or sign up at our web site http://www.afterabortion.org/search.html copyright 2000 Elliot Institute Permission granted to freely distribute in its entirety. **************************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 4 ABORTION HEROES MAKE HISTORY JOINING UNPRECEDENTED PRO-LIFE CAMPAIGN TO SHAKE THE NATION BACK TO LIFE ******* from Center for Reclaiming America ******* WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 - Talk about strange bedfellows! The three most significant people in the legalization of abortion on demand in the United States joined forces with the largest, most unified pro-life alliance to date, Shake the Nation Back to Life, to become part of a cultural message that is unprecedented. The historic 32-member and counting coalition announced a national advertising campaign on Monday, 10 a.m., January 14, at the National Press Club, and the stars of the 60-second spot will be three of the abortion industry's former heroes. ******* Shake the Nation Back to Life is a project of D. James Kennedy's Center for Reclaiming America. Janet Folger, the force behind the grassroots effort, notes that there has never been a coalition like this before. ``The fact that 32 of the most respected pro-life organizations joined together as never before was already momentous,'' said Folger, national director of the Center for Reclaiming America. ``But having these three founders of abortion on demand join us makes Shake the Nation Back to Life historic.'' ******* ``Most Americans have no idea that three of the abortion industry's superstars are now solidly pro-life,'' Folger said. ``But they'll see the truth for themselves now.'' ******* The second ad in the Shake the Nation campaign features Norma McCorvey, ``Jane Roe'' of Roe v. Wade; Sandra Cano, who was ``Mary Doe'' of Doe v. Bolton, Roe's companion case that legalized late-term abortions; and Dr. Bernard Nathanson, a co-founder of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL), the group that announced a $40 million campaign to block President Bush's pro-life judicial nominees, and all pro-life legislation in 2001. The TV spot showed McCorvey, Cano, and Nathanson boldly declaring, ``Abortion is a lie.'' The spot is scheduled to air on Fox, MSNBC and CNN, and continue past Jan. 22, the 29th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. ******* The news conference included statements from a Who's Who list of pro-life leaders such as Gary Bauer, president of American Values; Ken Conner, president of Family Research Council; and Sandy Rios, president of Concerned Women for America, to name a few. Shake the Nation originated in September as a pro-life coalition organizing in advance of any Supreme Court nomination. Its goals are to both prepare for the nomination process and focus pro-life Americans from across the country on the issue in an effort to communicate to the Senate and White House the strong support for life nationwide. Senators are receiving thousands of "rattles" from their constituents as part of the campaign, which can be tracked at www.shakethenation.org . But a cultural message, as seen in the ``Abortion Is a Lie'' ad, is an important part of a debate of this magnitude. ******************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 5 COUPLE SUES DOC FOR WRONGFULLY ABORTING HEALTHY BABY ******* From: Akron Beacon Journal ******* April 21, 2002 ******* Akron, OH -- A Canton, Ohio couple has filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit claiming a doctor negligently aborted their living, unborn child. ******* Christine L. and Michael F. Sicker allege Akron-area obstetrician and gynecologist Barry Fish erroneously determined that their unborn child was dead and recommended the abortion. ******* The couple say Fish failed to perform additional tests that would have shown the baby was alive. Furthermore, they say Fish failed to tell them that the botched abortion removed only an arm of the baby, leaving Christine Sicker to deliver a "well-formed" baby three weeks later at her home. ******* In their lawsuit, the Sickers say the 12-week-old baby was intact, except for a missing arm. A pathologist later determined that the baby was viable and healthy prior to the abortion, they say. ******* "They're emotionally devastated by what took place,'' said the couple's attorney, Donald S. Varian Jr. of Akron. "They are strongly opposed to abortion, personally and religiously. They feel their baby was terminated when it shouldn't have been.'' ******* Last week, the Sickers filed a civil lawsuit against Fish in Summit County Common Pleas Court seeking more than $3.5 million in damages. According to their lawsuit, the Sickers accuse Fish of "negligently and carelessly causing the death of a living and viable fetus,'' and of failing to tell the couple that the process to remove the supposedly-dead child was botched. ******* Christine Sicker says in the lawsuit that she has suffered "great pain and discomfort... and emotional distress.'' She declined comment when reached at her home Friday. ******* Fish did not return a message left at his Medina Road office. Lori Rolenc, his office manager, said Fish had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment. ******* The case has been assigned to Judge Brenda Burnham Unruh. ******* Varian said Fish deviated from acceptable medical procedures by relying strictly on the results of an ultrasound when he told the couple that their unborn child was dead. Fish's interpretation of the ultrasound showed no movement or heartbeat, Varian said. However, he said, it appears Fish did not perform blood, urine and pelvic tests that would have revealed a healthy, living baby. ******* "The family would have done anything to take their baby to full term. The only reason they didn't is because Dr. Fish told them there was nothing to go full term with,'' Varian said. ******** The Sickers have been married 11 years and have a 3-year-old son. They thought they had conceived their second child in April 2001, Varian said. Christine Sicker, then 36, had been a regular patient of Fish and said she visited his office on May 24 to confirm the pregnancy. She underwent an ultrasound. ******* During a follow-up visit a week later, Fish diagnosed her with a blighted ovum, meaning the child she was carrying was not alive, according to the lawsuit. ******* On June 18, Fish performed a dilation and evacuation at Akron General Medical Center. Despite the procedure, Christine Sicker "passed a well-formed fetus at home, intact except for a missing right arm'' on July 6, the lawsuit claims. ******* The couple had a memorial service and burial for the unborn child after a medical pathologist's examination, Varian said. The couple requested the exam "because they were so amazed and so alarmed when the child was delivered and it appeared to be a full baby, healthy and viable. They needed to know if the child would have lived,'' he said. Varian says the pathologist's report suggests the baby was viable with no genetic defects. ******* For several weeks after the abortion, Christine Sicker's body "continued to develop as if pregnant,'' and on Sept. 19, another doctor performed a dilation and curettage to return her body to "that of a nonpregnant female,'' according to the lawsuit. ******* Varian said the couple has received counseling and guidance from their church to deal with what occurred. "They're just devastated as a family,'' Varian said. "They don't have any personal animosity toward Dr. Fish, but they have a great deal of emotional concerns and want to ensure that something like this doesn't happen to someone else.'' ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 6 NEW KNOWLEDGE ALTERS PICTURE OF ABORTION RISK ******* From: "Pro-Life E-News" ******* Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 1:08 PM ******* by Steve Calvin ******* http://www.startribune.com/stories/562/1025995.html ******* Published Jan 13 2002 ******* Star Tribune ******* As we approach the 29th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, it was instructive to read excerpts from Justice Harry Blackmun's majority opinion that were recently reprinted on these pages. In January 1973 I was a college freshman premed major who thought that the decision legalizing abortion made sense. Today I am a physician specializing in maternal-fetal medicine who believes that the opinion was, at best, a judicial, medical and moral mistake. ******* Even so, my reading of Blackmun's arguments left me with some room for optimism. He acknowledged that there are compelling interests which justify some regulation of what has become a virtually unrestricted right to abortion. The compelling interests are the health of the pregnant woman, and the fetus potential for survival outside the womb. My optimism is based on compelling new medical considerations. ******* The health argument over this issue has always involved risk calculations. It is frequently pointed out that abortion in the first trimester is three times safer for a woman (but not the fetus) than a full-term pregnancy. Risks of abortion do not, however, end with the procedure. In their decisionmaking process women should have the right to know about long-term risks. ******* What has changed since 1973 is the understanding of some of the medical consequences of abortion. The two most important are the likelihood of links between abortion and breast cancer and between abortion and premature deliveries in subsequent pregnancies. The media and medical establishment have responded to these possibilities with either embarrassed silence or vehement denials. ******* It is widely known that full-term pregnancy followed by breast-feeding decreases the long-term risk for breast cancer. It makes biological sense that there is danger in abortion's interruption of the normal breast changes of pregnancy. Unlike most other cancers, the incidence of breast cancer has risen since 1973. Most worrisome is the fact that the women who chose abortion in the 1970s and 1980s are now entering the postmenopausal years -- when the risk of breast cancer is highest. ******* Originally skeptical of the proposed link between abortion and breast cancer, I read the medical literature as well as the arguments pro and con. I have concluded that a causal connection is likely. The highest risk seems to be for young women who have a family history of breast cancer -- and young women are the group most frequently offered abortion as a tragic but risk-free option. ******** Young women contemplating abortion should also know about a study published in the October 2001 issue of the British Journal of OB/GYN. An evaluation of more than 12,000 French women showed that one abortion increased the risk for subsequent preterm delivery by 40 percent and that two or more abortions increased the risk by 90 percent. Abortion is offered to women as a way to plan parenthood. To be completely informed, they should also be told that abortion will increase their future chances of delivering a baby who will have to fight his or her way through the complications of prematurity. ******* And, speaking of prematurity, since 1973 the gestational age of viability has undergone dramatic change. Justice Blackmun was told that few babies below 29 weeks survived. In 2002, babies at 23 and 24 weeks frequently survive. The dramatic medical progress in the care of tiny preemies makes it clear that unrestricted abortion is an anachronism begging for revision. ******* My willingness to discuss this information is not a condemnation of women who have chosen abortion in the past. Their decisions were made with the only information that they had available. Those who deserve criticism are those whose proabortion ideology drives them to ignore the risks of abortion and to block any efforts to provide women the information they need to make a truly informed decision. ******* During the 2001 legislative session one legislator theatrically derided the Woman's Right to Know bill as the "Women are Stupid bill." It got some laughs at the time, but in this year's session prochoice legislators and Gov. Jesse Ventura should honestly examine both the evidence and their consciences. If they do, they will see that Justice Blackmun's compelling interests have arrived and they will support informed consent for this very serious medical procedure. ******* -- Steve Calvin, of Minneapolis, is a physician. ********************************************************** The material contained in this file is made available courtesy contributors and editors of Pro-Life E-News. ******* Copying of this material is free for non-commercial educational and research use. Unless explicitly stated, copyright of this material is owned by the author and/or sponsoring organization, and/or newswire services. ******* Check out: ******* InterLIFE: http://www.interlife.org/ ******* The Bubble Zone: http://www.interlife.org/bubble/ ******* Clinic Watch: http://www.interlife.org/clinic/ ******* The Genetic Cleansing Project: http://www.geneticcleansing.org/ ******* The Kevorkian Papers: http://www.kevork.org/ ******* The RU-486 Files: http://www.ru486.org/ ******* The Morgentaler Files: http://www.interlife.org/morgentaler/ ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 7 THE HEALTH RISKS OF ABORTION ******* by Mary Cunningham Agee ******* "If only I had known." This is the haunting lament that I hear almost daily on the toll free crisis hotline of the Nurturing Network. Since founding this charitable organization almost twenty years ago, I have been invited by literally thousands of frightened, wounded women to understand the painful circumstances of their troubled lives. Let me assure you that they do not call to express satisfaction in their "reproductive freedom" to terminate the life of their unborn child. They call desperately seeking immediate, practical assistance in order to avoid an abortion procedure that almost half of our clients have already experienced in a prior pregnancy. ******* This is why the Nurturing Network was founded: to provide all of the practical support a mother in crisis needs in order to choose life for her unborn child. Our 30,000 member resources are located in all fifty states and in twenty-seven foreign countries. We offer individually tailored solutions that include medical, emotional, financial, educational, employment and residential assistance to any woman whose own support network has let her down. I am happy to share that we have had the indescribable joy of assisting almost 15,000 mothers and children. Their personal stories and courageous testimonies are what have contributed to the insights that I am sharing with you today. ******* Therefore, my perspective on the topic of abortion is as detached as that of a medic on the front line of an active combat zone. I have come to know this topic up close and in living color through the tragic life stories of women who believed the lies hidden behind the marketing rhetoric about this allegedly safe and easy procedure. Almost all of them would tell you that if they could erase just one decision in their lives, it would be the irreversible one that ended the life of their unborn child. ******* Their grief is difficult to capture here in a few words. It is always tinged with an unmistakable sense of sadness born of the realization that they have been betrayed. Betrayed by the boyfriend, the parent, the friend, or the employer who chooses to see her unborn child as an inconvenience or even a threat to their relationship with her. These women poignantly describe the panic and loneliness that inevitably sets in when those whom she has trusted create impossible trade-offs for her. How can she help but feel tricked and manipulated when those who should be caring for her maternal needs prefer, instead, to wash their hands of the death of her child and her innocence? None of these accomplices, of course, will ever live out the permanent consequences of an abortion decision the way she will; and so her sense of abandonment and isolation is profound. ******* While I am tempted to share unforgettable anecdotes from our client files, an objective review of a few facts might be just as persuasive. The following data has not been gleaned from biased sources, but rather, from medical and social scientists with no ax to grind. Their rather startling research findings only confirm what our common sense and the clients of the Nurturing Network have said for years: Abortion is far from being a safe procedure. ******* It was, after all, upon this false assumption about the safety of this procedure that the Supreme Court in 1973 struck down federal, state and local laws regulating its practice. The premise of their decision was that the advances of modern medicine had removed the need for any regulation of this procedure since it was now "relatively safe." ******* Clearly, the facts no longer support this assumption and, in fact, expose the glaring error at the root of our country's national policy toward abortion. The following data shows that abortion is not only unsafe but actually dangerous to the health of women--both physically and psychologically. This procedure, therefore, should at the very least be regulated if not outright prohibited. ******* The data was made readily available in a research report generated by the Elliot Institute. While I cannot include all of the findings listed on their web site, I would like to acknowledge them for providing such well-documented statistical information. I will draw heavily upon this source for the statistical part of my presentation. ******* National statistics on abortion show that 10 percent of women who undergo this procedure suffer from immediate complications.1 Over one hundred different complications have been associated with induced abortion. "Minor" complications include: infections, bleeding, fevers, chronic abdominal pain, gastro-intestinal disturbances, vomiting, and Rh Sensitization. The nine most common "major" complications are infection, excessive bleeding, embolism, ripping or perforation of the uterus, anesthesia complications, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury and endotoxic shock.2 Can you imagine what an honest warning label might read like for such a procedure? ******* While the immediate complications of abortion are usually treatable, they frequently lead to even more serious long-term reproductive damage. For example, one common outcome of abortion related infections is sterility. Researchers have reported that as many as 5 percent of aborted women are left inadvertently sterile.3 The risk of sterility is even greater for women who have a venereal disease at the time of an abortion.4 ******* In addition to the risk of sterility, women who acquire post-abortal infections are five to eight times more likely to experience ectopic pregnancies.5 Between 1970 and 1983, the rate of ectopic pregnancies in the United States rose four-fold.6 Twelve percent of all maternal deaths are due to ectopic pregnancy.7 Other countries who have legalized abortion have also seen the same dramatic rise in ectopic pregnancies.8 ******* Cervical damage is another leading cause of long term complications following abortion. According to one hospital study, 12.5 percent of first trimester abortions required stitching for cervical lacerations.9 Another study found that lacerations occurred in 22 percent of aborted women.10 And women under the age of seventeen have been found to face twice the normal risk of suffering cervical damage.11 ******* Whether microscopic or macroscopic in nature, the cervical damage which results during abortion frequently results in a permanent weakening of the cervix. This weakening may result in an "incompetent cervix," a serious medical condition in any pregnancy that often results in miscarriage or premature birth. According to one study, symptoms related to cervical incompetence were found among 75 percent of women who underwent forced dilation for abortion.12 ******* To put this risk in context, cervical damage from previously induced abortions significantly increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and complications of labor during later pregnancies by 300 to 500 percent.13 The reproductive risks of abortion are especially acute for women who abort their first pregnancy. A major study of first pregnancy abortions found that almost half, or 48 percent, of women experienced abortion-related complications in later pregnancies. Women in this group experienced 2.3 miscarriages for every one live birth.14 And another researcher found that among teenagers who aborted their first pregnancies, 66 percent subsequently experienced miscarriages or premature birth of their second pregnancy.15 ******* When this risk of increased pregnancy loss is projected on the population as a whole, it is estimated that abortive women lose 100,000 "wanted" babies each year due to latent abortion morbidity.16 In addition, premature births, complications of labor, and abnormal development of the placenta all can result from latent abortion morbidity and each are leading causes of handicaps among newborns.17 Considering premature deliveries alone, it is estimated that latent abortion morbidity results in 3000 cases of acquired cerebral palsy among newborns each year.18 And, finally, since these pregnancy problems pose a threat to the health of the mothers too, women who have had abortions face a 58 percent greater risk of dying during a later pregnancy.19 ******* It is unconscionable for any of us to remain silent in the face of scientific evidence that undeniably points to the health risks of this procedure for women. It is time for those in a position of policy-making power to correct the errors of the past and protect the next generation of women from further exploitation and damage. ******* Mrs. Agee is President & Founder of the Nurturing Network. She delivered this speech at the Library of Congress in Washington on April 17, 2002, commemorating FRC's new publication, Building a Culture of Life: A Call to Respect Human Dignity in American Life. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Notes ******* 1. Frank, et al., "Induced Abortion Operations and Their Early Sequelae," Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 35 (April 1985): 175-180. ******* 2. David C. Reardon, Aborted Women-Silent No More (Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1987). ******* 3. Arthur & Margaret Wynn, "Some Consequences of Induced Abortion to Children Born Subsequently," British Medical Journal (March 3, 1973); and Foundation for Education and Research in Child Bearing (London, 1972). ******* 4. J. C. Willke, Abortion: Questions and Answers (Cincinnati, Hayes Publishing Co., 1985). ******* 5. Chin Sik Chung, et al. Effects of Induced Abortion on Subsequent Reproductive Function and Pregnancy Outcome, University of Hawaii (Honolulu, 1981). ******* 6. H. K. Atrash, et. Al., "Ectopic Pregnancy in the U.S., 1970-1983" Morbidity and Mortaligy Weekly Report, Center for Disease Control, vol.35, no. 2ss9.29ss. ******* 7. "Annual Ectopic Totals Rose Steadily in 1970's But Mortality Fell," Family Planning Perspectives 15 (1983): 85. ******* 8. Thomas W. Hilgers, "The Medical Hazards of Legally Induced Abortion," in Hilgers and Horan, eds, Abortion and Social Justice (New York: Sheed and Ward, 1972). ******* 9. J. C. Wilke, Handbook on Abortion (Cincinnati, Hayes Publishing Co., 1979). ******* 10. "Abortion in Hawaii," Family Planning Perspectives 5 (Winter 1973): Table 8. ******* 11. Kenneth F. Schulz, et al., "Measures to Prevent Cervical Injury During Suction Curettage Abortion," The Lancet (May 28, 1983), pp. 1182-1184. ******* 12. Ren, "Cervical Incompetence--Aetiology and Management," Medical Journal of Australia 60 (December 29, 1973). ******* 13. Harlap, S., & Davies, A. M., "Late Sequelae of Induced Abortion: Complications and Outcome of Pregnancy and Labor," American Journal of Epidemiology 102 (1975); Hogue, "Impact of Abortion on Subsequent Fecundity," Clinics in Obstetrics and Gynecology (March 1986). ******* 14. S. Lembrych, "Fertility Problems Following Aborted First Pregnancy," eds. Hilgers, et al., New Perspectives on Human Abortion (Frederick, Maryland: University Publications of America, 1981). ******* 15. J. K. Russel, "Sexual Activity and Its Consequences in the Teenager," Clinics in Ob&Gyn 1 (December, 1974): 683-698. ******* 16. David C. Reardon, Aborted Women-Silent No More (Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1987). ******* 17. Hogue, C. J. R., Cates, W., & Tietze, C., "Impact of Vacuum Aspiration Abortion on Future Childbearing: A Review," Family Planning Perspectives (May-June 1983). ******* 18. David C. Reardon, Aborted Women-Silent No More. ******* 19. Ibid. ****************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 8 NEW STUDY FINDS ABORTION RISKS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Source: The de Veber Institute; April 23, 2002 ******* Toronto, CA -- Abortion complications are seriously underreported, leaving women who undergo abortion largely unaware of the range of physical and psychological risks they face, according to a new study by a Canadian bioethics institute. ******* Breast cancer, pelvic infection, infertility, life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, and subsequent premature births - with higher rates of children born with cerebral palsy - were found to be associated with abortion in a comprehensive review of the world medical literature. Abortion complications were not limited to physical health. While abortion is often regarded as a cure for the depression and stress of a crisis pregnancy, the study found that women are more likely to commit suicide after abortion than after giving birth to a child. ******* Current abortion rates of 114,000 in Canada and 1.4 million in the U.S. underscore the magnitude of this potential public health issue. ******* " In the absence of this knowledge, how can a woman give her informed consent to an abortion?" asks Ian Gentles, history professor at York University in Toronto, and one of the authors of the study entitled Women's Health after Abortion: The Medical and Psychological Evidence, published by the deVeber Institute, a nonprofit bioethics and social research group based in Toronto. Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Emory University professor of humanities and women's studies, calls the findings "compelling", and says the study "makes overwhelmingly clear [that] women who seek abortions in the United States and Canada are not even told of the risks they are running." ******* The study calls for a more accountable system of risk assessment where research data accurately reflect the true risks of abortion to their future health and fertility. ******* Key abortion risks ******* An extensive review of the world medical literature reveals abortion is associated with: *** Suicide risk *** A woman's risk of suicide is up to 6 times higher after abortion than after giving birth to a child, according to three large worldwide studies. (Gissler M et al. Suicides after pregnancy in Finland 1987-94: register linkage study. British Medical Journal 1996 Dec. 7;313(7070):1431-4.) *** Breast cancer *** 27 worldwide studies, including 13 U.S. studies, show the risk caused by the unprotected internal estrogen exposure a woman receives after an abortion. A young woman who aborts her first pregnancy nearly doubles her lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. ( Daling JR et al. Risk of breast cancer among young women: relationship to induced abortion. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1994 Nov(2);86(21):1584-92. *** Immediate complications ***Pain, bleeding, infection, perforated uterus, and occasional death occur at rates higher than usually reported. True rates are often underestimated by inadequate hospital diagnostic coding. (Heisterberg L, Kringelbach M. Early complications after induced first-trimester abortion. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandanavica,1987;66(3):201-4.) *** Infertility, prematurity, cerebral palsy *** Subsequent infertility, life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, and premature delivery of subsequent children - which increases the risk of cerebral palsy 38 times in the earliest premature babies. (Escobar GJ et al. Outcome among surviving very low birthweight infants: a meta-analysis. Archives of Disease in Childhood 1991;66:204-211.) ******* To order the study from the deVeber Institute visit the website: http://deveber.org/publications2.html#launch ******* The Pro-Life Infonet is a daily compilation of pro-life news and information. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe" to: [email protected]. ******* Infonet is sponsored by Women and Children First (http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.org). ******* For more pro-life info visit http://www.prolifeinfo.org and for questions or additional information email [email protected] .................................................................. ******* RPRC (Reduce Preterm Risk Coalition) 3456 Dunbar St. (Suite 146) Vancouver, Canada V6S 2C2 ******* email: [email protected] ******* contact: Brent Rooney ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 9 SILENT NO MORE POST-ABORTION AWARENESS CAMPAIGN BEGINS ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Reply-To: Steven Ertelt ******* ******* Source: Elliot Institute; November 23, 2002 ******* Washington, DC -- A new post-abortion awareness campaign called "Silent No More: Women speak out about their abortion experience" will bring women who have had abortions together at state capitols and in Washington, D.C., in January 2003 to speak out about their abortion experience. ******* According to Georgette Forney a co-founder of the campaign, "We are the voice that hasn't been heard. There is a lot of talk about whether or not abortion should be legal, but very little attention is given to the women who have actually had abortions. I regret having an abortion and I know that there are millions of women who feel the same way." ******* "The truth is abortion affects us physically, emotional and spiritually. It's time to speak honestly about the pain we've lived with and we want to help women who are hurting find healing. After 30 years it's time to listen to the women who have experienced it," Fourney explained. ******* "Silent No More" expects to be the beginning of a national campaign to raise awareness about the aftereffects of abortion. The campaign will also seek to reach the many women who are suffering in silence, offering them abortion recovery help and resources. ******* State gatherings are being held in 35-50 states at various times during the week of January 18 -26, 2003. The gathering in Washington, D.C., will take place January 22, 2003 after the March for Life. ******* David C. Reardon, Ph.D., director of the Elliot Institute and an expert on post-abortion research and education, this is the second time the theme "silent no more" has been used by abortion activists. It was first used by the early eighties, by abortion advocates who gathered at "Silent No More" rallies to read the testimonies from women who had suffered from illegal abortions. ******* "Their goal was to educate the public about the horror of illegal abortions in an effort to bolster support for legal abortion," said Reardon. "Ironically, they just assumed that legal abortion must be better for women. Since my research at that time was showing that legal abortions were also harmful to women, I was inspired by these rallies to name my first book, 'Aborted Women, Silent No More.' Indeed, my research led me to conclude that legal abortion might be causing even more harm to women than illegal abortions had. Legalization had created the false impression that abortion had been proven to be safe and beneficial and thereby reduced levels of caution. Even more seriously, legalization made it easier for men to pressure women into unwanted abortions. These, and other effects, led to ten times as many women suffering from abortions each year." ******* Reardon says it is very fitting that this new generation of abortion witnesses should speak out under the same title as the victims of illegal abortions. "Their testimonies prove that while the legality of abortion has changed, it's harmful effects on women have not." ******* Women who are interested in participating in "Silent No More" may sign up by going to the Silent No More website at http://www.HelpAfterAbortion.com or by calling 1-800-707-6635. ******* See our web site http://www.lifecyclebooks.com for pro life and abstinence education material. ****************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 10 ACTRESS TELLS SENATE "I PAID FOR MY ABORTION MY WHOLE LIFE" ******* Source: Pro-Life Infonet; September 23, 2002 ******* Washington, DC -- Actress Jennifer O'Neill shared the painful memories of her abortion with more than sixty-five House and Senate staff members at a Capitol Hill briefing Monday afternoon. ******* "I had the abortion and paid for it all my life until I healed and am now able to help other women," O'Neill tearfully told the audience. ******* In an effort to overcome the emotional despair, O'Neill turned to shock therapy. Unable to cure her depression, she set her sights towards Heaven and eventually came to her present-day Christian faith. Now, she finds solace in the forgiveness God provides. ******* Like O'Neill, some 43 percent of women who have reached the age of 45 have had an abortion -- approximately 25 million women total. However, women who have abortions don't celebrate the decision and the truth rarely makes it past immediate family and close confidants. ******* "If it's such a good idea, why is it shrouded in secrecy," O'Neill asked the audience. ******* O'Neill urged the passage of laws that would make information about the emotional and physical complications following an abortion available to women prior to her abortion decision. "I was told a lie from the pit of hell -- that my baby was just a blob of tissue." ******* A former "Cover Girl" model for an unprecedented 30 years, O'Neill spoke at the Senate briefing on behalf of the Women Deserve Better campaign. The outreach is an effort of a group of pro-life organizations dedicated to advancing the pro-woman aspects of the pro-life message. Their goal: highlight how abortion hurts women and provide women with practical resources to choose alternatives to abortion. ******* "Of course the protection of the unborn child is at the center of my heart," O'Neill explained. "However, the aftermath of abortion can be equally deadly for both mother and unborn child. [A woman who has an abortion] is sentenced to bear that for the rest of her life." ******* O'Neill discussed the pattern of coercion that sometimes compels a young woman to have an abortion. Such pressured abortions can be caused by schools that lack adequate resources for pregnant college students or parents who don't want to help a teen mother raise a child. ******* "There is no quick fix for an unplanned pregnancy," O'Neill said. "But where do teens go when told they are going to be kicked out of the house if they have the child?" ******* For more information on the Women Deserve Better campaign, see http://www.womendeservebetter.com ******* -- The Pro-Life Infonet is a daily compilation of pro-life news and information. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe" to: [email protected]. Infonet is sponsored by Women and Children First (http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.org). For more pro-life info visit http://www.prolifeinfo.org and for questions or additional information email [email protected] ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 11 MY ABORTION STORY: A TALE OF TWO LIVES ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Reply-To: Steven Ertelt ******* Source: Buffalo News; November 24, 2002 ******* Buffalo, NY -- Debbie Hawes had an unplanned pregnancy in the 1980s that led to an abortion. Now she is sharing her painful choices and experiences. ******* Debbie Hewes Bastian, 40, lives and work in Western New York. She is one of the 30 million American women who have had abortions since 1973, the year the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion. Years later, in 2002, Hawes looks back on that decision as the hardest part of a devastatingly painful time in her life - a period she would never want to live through again. ******* The phone call ******* Debbie Hewes walked in the door of her dorm room in McGinnies Hall on the Fredonia State College campus fresh from her Wednesday afternoon jazz dancing class, dressed in a leotard bodysuit and T-shirt. ******* "Your mom called," said Amy, her roommate. ******* That was unusual. Her parents never called on weekdays, because the rates were too high. They always waited until the evenings or weekends. ******* But maybe it was a sign. All her life, Hewes, a devout Christian and already, at 20, the choir director of her hometown church, had been a big believer in signs and omens - tiny mysterious signals guiding her choices. Maybe the fact that her mother had called in the middle of the day, out of the blue, meant that Hewes should tell her the truth. Right now. ******* It was the last week of the spring semester, in May 1983, a chilly month in the middle of one of the wettest springs on record. Final exams were coming up. All over campus, students were packing their boxes of belongings and getting ready to leave. Just a few days ago, Hewes had been looking forward to going home to Rochester for the summer. ******* Now she felt as if she could never go back there again - not where she would have to act like a hypocrite, hiding her horrible secret from everyone. ******* Hewes picked up the phone and dialed. Her mother's voice on the other end of the line was calm and unsuspecting, but Hewes still hesitated, nervous, as she spoke the fateful words. ******* "I'm pregnant. And I've made an appointment for an abortion." ******* There was a pause. Then her mother, a schoolteacher and a woman who liked to be in control of every situation, said she had been preparing herself for something like this. She had seen glimmers of Hewes's wild behavior and she had been afraid this would happen. ******* "I don't want you to go to a clinic," her mother said. "Come back here and go to my doctor - he takes care of things like that." ******* Hewes hung up the phone, relieved. ******* It wasn't until much later that the irony of the situation struck her: Her abortion would be performed by the same man who had delivered her. ******* The wild life ******* Fredonia, in 1983, was a place where sexual and social mores were changing rapidly. It was also a place where a lone female student from out of town, like Debbie Hewes, who transferred to Fredonia in her sophomore year, could easily get swept up in the wilder side of college life. ******* The routine was simple. After her classes ended, Hewes, a music major, put on tight jeans and a low-cut top and headed out to the bars, where she drank and danced for hours to the hottest music, tunes like "Sweet Dreams" and "Back on the Chain Gang." The drinking age was 19; the bars were packed. ******* That spring, bars like the Caboose, SUNY's and Rascals lured students in with "Meet the Buffalo Bills" events and shows by bands like Silent Mistress, Koolaid Wino and a new group called 10,000 Maniacs. You could get a draft beer for 15 cents on Wednesdays, and Rascals offered 10-cent pizza slices and vodka shot specials for 75 cents. ******* At closing time, 2 a.m., she sometimes headed for SUNY's, a bar she and her friends affectionately called "Scummy's." A converted garage on the corner of Water and Canadaway streets, SUNY's was a place where it was easy to find a guy who was willing to take you home - and, in the days before HIV and AIDS were the acronyms on everyone's lips, it didn't really matter if you didn't know him all that well. ******* By the spring of 1983, Hewes was living a double life. In Rochester, she was known as a good Christian girl, the talented choir director who played piano and sang hymns with the voice of an angel. In Fredonia, she was a party girl. ******* Her grades dropped steadily, from a 3.7 average to nearly 2.0 - a C average. ******* By April, when she went home for Easter break, the dividing line between Hewes's two personas was blurred to the point of non-existence. ******* That's what made it so easy to say yes when a Rochester guy, older and wealthy and already engaged to another woman, asked her out to dinner on Good Friday, two days before Easter Sunday. She knew he was engaged, but she chose to ignore it. After dinner, Hewes went back to the man's apartment. ******* Six weeks later, back at Fredonia, Hewes missed a period. Disbelieving, she went to the student health center and took a pregnancy test. ******* After a one-day wait, she learned she was pregnant. ******* Three days later, after her jazz class, Hewes called her mother and told her she was going to have an abortion. ******* The abortion ******* She climbed up onto the surgical table, in a Rochester hospital, to wait for her mother's doctor. She was a little more than two months pregnant. ******* Her parents, in the room with her, spoke to her softly, trying to keep her calm. Her dad stood by her legs, rubbing and stroking them. He was crying a little bit. ******* The anesthesiologist came in and picked up a needle. ******* "You're going to feel a little prick," he told her, comfortingly. He stuck in the needle. ******* Hewes felt herself start to fade into unconsciousness. She had a sudden panicky sensation that things were moving too quickly - Do I really want to do this? Did I think about this enough? - but it was too late. The doctor was in the room, getting ready to start the abortion. ******* It would be a D&C - the frequently used abortion method known as dilatation and curettage, which involved inserting a small hooked scraping tool, called a curette, into Hewes's uterus through her cervix, which had been dilated to about the width of a drinking straw. The metal instrument would scrape out the contents of her uterus - the tiny baby, which was about the size of a golf ball, and the uterine lining. A tube, also inserted through the cervix, would suction out the contents of her womb. The abortion would take about 10 minutes. ******* Just as she felt darkness descending, a wave of nausea hit her. ******* She began to vomit violently, leaning over the side of the table to spew the disgusting taste out. ******* It's a sign, she thought to herself. Another mysterious signal telling her to stop the abortion. To back out while there was still time. She struggled to sit up, but she couldn't. ******* Nausea is normal, said the anesthesiologist's voice in her ear. It happens. ******* Before she could say anything in reply, Hewes blacked out. When she woke up, she was staring at a clock that told a different time. The wall the clock was hanging on looked different, too. It must have happened, she thought groggily. ******* Then a crashing wall of pain hit her in the abdomen, a wrenching sensation that felt like her insides were being torn apart. ******* "There was the feeling that life was ripped out from inside of me," she says today. "I felt incredible pain. I didn't understand the procedure, but I felt that's what happened." ******* Later that day, Hewes fell asleep on the couch in her parents' living room. She slept for a long time - days and days, so long she lost count. She got her period. She swallowed lots of Tylenol. Every once in a while, her mother or father would come in and check on her. They would stroke her arm, tell her everything was OK. ******* Already, she knew it wasn't. ******* Nightmares ******* Hewes suffered guilt and grief immediately after her abortion. But it wasn't until after she got married, in 1986, that her nightmares got really bad. ******* Her wedding that year, to Scott Bastian, was a beautiful affair. The couple seemed made for each other. ******* Hewes met Bastian, an economics major who grew up on Grand Island, at Fredonia at the beginning of her senior year in 1983, when she returned to college the summer after her abortion. He forgave her, when she finally broke down and told him about it, shortly before Dec. 7, 1983, which she figured would likely have been her baby's due date. ******* After their marriage, Debbie Hewes Bastian began to have nightmares about children. She would dream of babies outside her bedroom window, crying and begging to be let in. She would wake up in cold sweats, panicking. ******* Rages, too, became common for her. She would be brushing her hair in the bathroom and suddenly fly into a fit, screaming and breaking her hairbrush. ******* Finally, seven years after her abortion, Bastian decided to seek counseling. She signed up for an eight-week post-abortion counseling program offered by SonRays Ministries in the City of Tonawanda. As part of the program, Bastian wrote her child a letter, expressing her pain. She cuddled a teddy bear, pretending it was her baby, and unburdened herself of her hurt and grief. She wrote a song about her experience, "Hold You Again," and sang it before the congregation of her church. ******* Her single remaining fear, both before and after counseling, was also her biggest one: That she would never be able to have children with Scott because of her abortion. There were no clear answers to that fear; abortion facilities and pro-abortion groups claimed that abortion did not cause problems with future pregnancies, but pro-life groups pointed to research warning that these complications were very real. The uncertainty, for Bastian, was unsettling. ****** Today, Debbie Hewes Bastian is a music teacher who lives on Grand Island with Scott and their three children. Sarah, the oldest, is 11; Hannah is 5. Her third child is a boy to whom Bastian gave birth on the morning of Easter Sunday 1994, just as the sun was rising. ******* It was at that moment - so symbolic in the consciousness of a woman who aborted a pregnancy that began on Good Friday - that Bastian felt herself lifted beyond all the grief and guilt over her past. ******* On that day in 1994, she believes, she was finally healed. She was forgiven. She named her son Joshua, because of what the ancient biblical name means: "The Lord gives victory." ******* -- Letters From Baby Doe, by C. K. Wyand, is a new book that marks the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Read about the effects of abortion through heartfelt letters from aborted children written to their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and grandparents. Discover how these letters fall into the hands of an abortion doctor. More about this captivating fictional story at http://www.LettersFromBabyDoe.com. Buy eBook or Hardcover today! *********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 12 NEW STUDY SHOWS ABORTION HURTS WOMEN'S MENTAL HEALTH ******* Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 17:51:48 EDT ******* Subject: [Infonet-List] Pro-Life Infonet 8/17/02 #2761 ******* From: "Steven Ertelt" ******* Source: Elliot Institute; August 14, 2002 ******* Springfield, IL -- Six months after her abortion, Jane had a mental breakdown. When she later delivered a healthy son, unresolved grief over her abortion contributed to severe post-partum psychosis. "I remember wanting to throw him out the window of the hospital room," she later told her therapist. ******* A study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry reveals that both the early and delayed psychiatric episodes experienced by Jane are significant risks associated with abortion. By examining Medi-Cal records for 173,000 low-income California women, the research team compared the rate of psychiatric outpatient treatments for women who had abortions versus those who carried to term. To control for differences in prior psychological health, they excluded all women who had any psychiatric care for a year prior to their pregnancy outcome. ******* Women were 63 percent more likely to receive mental health care within 90 days of an abortion compared to delivery. In addition, significantly higher rates of subsequent mental health treatment persisted over the entire four years of data examined. Abortion was most strongly associated with subsequent reatments for neurotic depression, bipolar disorder, adjustment reactions, and schizophrenic disorders. ******* Dr. Priscilla Coleman, the study's lead author, said that the study design was an improvement over previous studies because it relied on medical records rather than on surveys of women contacted at an abortion clinic. ******* "Most studies of mental health status after an abortion rely on small groups of women "usually less than 300" and face high drop out rates of 50 percent or more," said Coleman, a professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. "By looking at medical claims for a large group of women, we were able to capture a more accurate picture of the differences between abortion and childbirth." ******* Another of the study's authors, Dr. David Reardon, said, "Our results are likely to underestimate the true difference in psychological treatments because the information on obstetric histories was incomplete. Since many of the women classified as ^�childbirth only' actually had prior abortions which we did not know about, this would most likely dilute our findings." ******* Reardon is the co-author with Dr. Theresa Burke of a new book, "Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion," in which Jane's experience, summarized above, is included as part of a comprehensive review of post-abortion reactions. (See www.forbiddengrief.com). "Forbidden Grief" was recently highlighted as the book of the week selection by radio talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger. ******* Reardon believes the results these recent studies underscore a key message of "Forbidden Grief." ******* "We need to expand outreach and referrals into post-abortion counseling programs," he said. "There are many women who have great difficulty coping with the emotional stress following an abortion. Without help, and especially the understanding of loved ones, they will be more vulnerable to self-destructive behavior and other psychological disorders." ******* Public interest in the health effects of abortion was last raised in 1989. Surgeon General Koop reviewed the research on abortion at the request of President Reagan. Koop concluded that all the studies done up to that point was so methodologically flawed that no firm conclusions could be drawn about abortion's risks or benefits. ******* In a letter to the outgoing president, Koop recommended that a major federally funded longitudinal study of abortions health risks was the only way to secure definitive answers. His proposal for a major study died in the Democratically controlled congress, however, when abortion advocates argued that the appeal for such research was politically motivated and a waste of tax payer dollars. ******* The Pro-Life Infonet is a daily compilation of pro-life news and information. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe" to: [email protected]. Infonet is sponsored by Women and Children First (http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.org). For more pro-life info visit http://www.prolifeinfo.org and for questions or additional information email [email protected] ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 13 AFTER ABORTION, WOMEN HIDE THEIR FORBIDDEN PAIN ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Source: Indianapolis Star-News; October 4, 2002 ******* [Pro-Life Infonet Note: The following article appeared in the op-ed section of the October 4, 2002 Indianapolis Star-News.] ******* The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last month that an Indiana law does not impose an undue burden by requiring women seeking abortions to wait 18 hours and receive in-person counseling. The three-judge panel overturned an injunction by a U.S. District judge. ******* The Indiana Civil Liberties Union will petition to have all 11 appeals court judges hear arguments against the law. The irony is that even if it is upheld, women are unlikely to get unbiased advice from abortion providers. ******* In a survey of women who experienced post-abortion problems, 66 percent said their counselors were very biased toward choosing abortion; 44 percent were actively hoping to find some other option during counseling sessions; and more than 90 percent said they were not given enough information to make an informed decision. The 252 respondents from 42 states were involved in chapters of Women Exploited by Abortion, a post-abortion peer support group. ******* "Ignoring all evidence to the contrary, most abortion counselors will tell women that psychological reactions to abortion are rare or even non-existent," explains Dr. Theresa Burke, a psychotherapist and founder of Rachel's Vineyard, a post-abortion training and healing ministry funded by the American Life League. She directs the program from her King of Prussia, Pa., home. ******* "It's all too easy to imagine that abortion is a 'quick fix' that will . . . allow a woman's life to go back and be the same as it was before," Burke points out in "Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion," co-authored by David C. Reardon (Acorn Press). But once a woman is pregnant, the choice is not simply between having a baby or not having a baby. It's between having a baby and having the experience of an abortion. "Both are life-changing experiences." ******* From 17 years of counseling women who have had abortions, Burke has observed that, "For many women, abortion is the most deeply traumatic and emotionally painful experience of their lives." ******* In a phone interview, she explains that she first got involved in post-abortion counseling "because of an awareness that the problem was not even being acknowledged by the mental health community." ******** From 1973 (the Roe vs. Wade decision) to 1997, more than 35 million legal abortions were performed in the United States. An estimated 43 percent of women will have at least one abortion by the time they are 45, reports the Alan Guttmacher Institute. ******* Studies show that 65 to 70 percent of women seeking abortions have a negative moral view of the procedure. "Many of the women I have treated knowingly violated their conscience or betrayed their maternal desires because of the pressures they faced," Burke says. ******* Some of these women face immediate regret and grief. Others have denied their feelings for years or even decades, "until finally they could no longer avoid the need to understand what they did," she explains. Often, a life trauma triggers this post-traumatic stress disorder. ******* Studies have shown, she points out, that women who have had abortions are much more likely afterward to abuse drugs and alcohol, suffer from depression and be more inclined to suicide. They often have problems with relationships, eating disorders, poor self-image, jobs, parenting. ******* The Rachel's Vineyard ministry provides weekend retreats for spiritual and emotional healing after abortion. Burke, who wrote the manual for the retreats, says there are 90 teams in 40 states and several other countries. The wife and mother of five spends her time providing training and leadership for the Christian-based retreats, which she calls "therapy for the soul." The teams use scriptural exercises and include a post-abortive woman and a clergy member. ******* "It's a process to detoxify repressed feelings of grief, anger, shame and any ambivalence regarding the baby that was lost," she explains. "Intellectually, they know God forgives them, but they can't forgive themselves." Burke says the women find enormous benefit from the unconditional love and acceptance of others who have shared their experiences. ******* In the interest of toeing the pro-choice line, many abortion providers skip over the realities of the procedure. When they do, they are failing the women who turn to them. As for the rest of us, the subject is awkward, uncomfortable. Women considering abortion, or dealing with its effects, sense that we don't want to hear about it. Perhaps if we were more willing to talk with them, they would spend that 18-hour waiting period finding a different answer to unwanted pregnancies and avoiding years of "forbidden grief." ******* You can help women make positive, life-affirming choices when confronting an unexpected pregnancy. Please provide a link on your web site to Pregnancy Centers Online at http://www.pregnancycenters.org *************************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 14 ABORTION-BREAST CANCER COVER-UP IN ILLINOIS ******* from "Karen Malec" ******* Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2001 7:13 AM ******* COALITION ON ABORTION/BREAST CANCER P.O. Box 152 Palos Heights, IL 60463 ******* Toll Free 1-877-803-0102 Local Calls 1-630-226-9336 ******* An International Women's Organization ******* AbortionBreastCancer.com ******* [email protected] ******* December, 2001 ******* Dear Friend: ******* We depend upon our subscribers to help start a grassroots effort to educate women about the truth concerning abortion. Please be sure to spread the word by sharing this e-mail with your friends and acquaintances. ******* I have shocking news to tell you about what happened here in Illinois this Spring as part of the effort to cover-up the abortion-breast cancer (ABC)research. I'd also like to tell you what you can do to help women learn the truth. First, let me explain what happened in the Illinois General Assembly. ******* It makes me angry that the Illinois State Medical Society deliberately chose NOT to come to the defense of women's health this past Spring! As a cancer survivor, I'm deeply offended, and I hope you are too! It makes me cringe to think that women are willfully being put at risk for this devastating disease because of greed! ******* Illinois Senator Patrick O'Malley's resolution (SR 8) called for a task force to be formed which would have investigated the ABC link. The measure failed by only three votes, and the Society's lobbyist sat on the sidelines with lobbyists whose organizations officially opposed the resolution -- Planned Parenthood, the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) -- and watched it all take place! ******* How could the Society fail to throw its powerful support behind this women's health issue? It could have used its influence to come to the defense of women by speaking out in favor of the resolution, but its leadership deliberately decided not to do so. Illinois women could have used the help. ******* Should women believe that organized medicine is genuinely interested in informing women about the existence of 28 out of 37 worldwide studies published since 1957 which link this optional procedure with a deadly disease? What were they afraid of? Why was this resolution so threatening to them? ******* Please don't misunderstand me. Many self-sacrificing physicians are profoundly dedicated to their patients, and we are deeply grateful to them. However, a large number of them are uninformed about the ABC link because the "gatekeepers" -- leaders in medicine -- have struggled to suppress the truth for 44 years, like tobacco executives. Outrageously, Illinois Lieutenant Governor Corinne Wood, a gubernatorial hopeful and "pro-choice" breast cancer survivor, chose NOT to spare other women her suffering. ******* She testified against the resolution and yet continues to represent herself as a spokesperson for the breast cancer cause! Ironically, she even accused her opponents of "playing politics with women's health!" Yet, the Lt. Governor herself represented her own political friends at NOW, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, while refusing to represent women who've had abortions. ******* Wood said that women should be kept in the dark about the research becausethose who've had abortions would feel more "guilt." This is a peculiar argument! Similar "logic" was never used by tobacco politicians when the tobacco-cancer link was discovered. What does Wood think women have to feel guilty about? Let's be honest! Abortion is an industry, just like tobacco. Each industry has its own hired medical experts, politicians and supporters. ******* Many other "pro-choice" women in the Senate fought bitterly to oppose this women's health issue, including Senators Christine Radogno, Debbie Halvorson and Kathleen Parker. Why are they so desperately afraid of the truth? ******* If they'd only tell women the truth, instead of continuing this cover-up, then much could be done to help women with abortion histories to reduce their risks of breast cancer and seek early detection of the disease. This is why we've supplied additional information on our web page entitled, "What If I've Had an Abortion?" ******* On this page, you'll find advice from our medical advisers discussing the merits of risk reduction measures, including: the benefits of risk reduction drugs (tamoxifen and raloxifene), vitamins, exercise, childbearing, breast feeding, and avoidance of hormonal contraceptives and alcohol. ******* We cite research on our website showing that a full term pregnancy during breast cancer treatment is "a natural chemotherapy." Breast cancer patients and survivors who abort their children have far higher incidences of mortality. ******* Visit our web page entitled, "Breast Cancer/Pregnancy," to read about this research. ******* Women and their families are the real victims of this effort to suppress the truth. Clearly, you and I must initiate a grassroots effort to educate women about the risks. Let me tell you how we can become partners in this effort. ******* a) E-mail your friends about our website at . ******* b) Purchase our brochures and bumper stickers advertising our web address. Distribute them at conferences, cancer walks, churches, abortion clinics and other events. Order your supply today by calling our toll free number, 1-877-803-0102, or completing the enclosed order form and returning it to us in our self-addressed envelope. Our brochure, "Abortion Raises Breast Cancer Risk," is also available in Spanish. ******* c) Write a letter to a newspaper or magazine editor. ******* d) Purchase the video, Open Forum IV: The Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer, available from Right to Life of Vanderburgh County (phone - 812/474-3195 or e-mail - ). ******* Show the video at churches and conferences or on local cable TV or public access station. ******* e) Don't let the abortion industry keep women in the dark any longer! ******* Send us your sacrificial donation. This will allow us to print more brochures and continue to update our website. We anticipate an increasing demand for our brochures because, recently, we mailed samples to 5,000 crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) across the nation. ******* We've applied for our 501(c)3 tax exempt status, so donations are tax deductible. We receive no federal grants or tax money, but instead depend on donations from individuals like you to educate the public. Please help us in any way that you can. It will be deeply appreciated and put to good use! ******* Please rush your donation to the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, P.O. Box 152, Palos Heights, Illinois 60463. Thank you for your generosity. ******* Sincerely, ******* Karen Malec ******* President *************************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 15 NATIONAL PHYSICIANS CENTER AFFIRMS ABORTION-BREAST CANCER LINK ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Reply-To: Steven Ertelt ******* Source: Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer; September 16, 2002 ******* Chicago, IL -- The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer reported today that the National Physicians Center for Family Resources has released a CD in which increased breast cancer risk is cited as a long-term medical complication resulting from abortion. The CD is intended to be a resource for parents and health educators to assist them in answering children's questions about puberty, reproduction and sexual health. It says: "During a normal pregnancy, the female's body produces high levels of the hormone estrogen. This causes the milk producing glands in the breast tissue to become active, a process that is completed during the third trimester of pregnancy. When this change is complete, it helps protect against breast cancer. Elective abortion interrupts these changes in the breast tissue, which makes the cells more likely to become cancerous. ******* Miscarriages generally do not result in a higher breast cancer risk because most pregnancies that miscarry do not produce very high amounts of estrogen." ******* The National Physicians Center joins other medical organizations in recognizing the weight of the evidence. ******* Jane Orient, M.D., executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, a 40 year old patients' advocacy group which prides itself on its scientific integrity, said that the elevated risk is "substantial, particularly in women who abort their first pregnancy at a young age and who have a family history of breast cancer." ******* The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists released its paper evaluating the research earlier this year and said, "Informed consent should be informed. Women deserve the correct information. The evidence (of a link) is strong." ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 16 WOMEN'S GROUP LAMENTS DEATHS OF THOUSANDS DUE TO CANCER INDUCED BY ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTIVES ******* From: "Karen Malec" ******* Sent: Monday, January 21, 2002 12:54 PM ******* Coalition on Abortion/Breast Camcer ******* P.O. Box 152 ******* Palos Heights, IL 60463 ******* Toll Free 1-877-803-0102 ******* Local Calls 1-630-226-9336 ******* An International Women's Organization ******* AbortionBreastCancer.com ******* [email protected] ******* NEWS Contact: Karen Malec ******* For Immediate Release ******* Date: January 21, 2002 ******* WOMEN'S GROUP LAMENTS DEATHS OF THOUSANDS ******* On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, an international women's group lamented the suffering and deaths of thousands of women resulting from breast cancer induced by abortion and hormonal contraceptives and condemned the complicity of foundations and billionaires contributing to the population control cause. Since the legalization of abortion in 1973, breast cancer rates have sky rocketed 40% in the U.S., while the incidence of all other cancers has declined. Breast cancer has become the primary cause of cancer death among middle aged American women. ******* Karen Malec, president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, said, "We urge the media to save women's lives by spreading the truth about the research. If 28 out of 37 studies published over the last 45 years have linked breast cancer with an optional procedure, then shouldn't women be told about it? Women who've either had abortions or used hormonal contraceptives are being denied the opportunity to take steps to reduce their risks for the disease by having children, breast feeding, using risk reduction drugs like tamoxifen or raloxifene, exercising, choosing a low fat diet and avoiding alcohol and hormonal contraceptives. They're being denied the opportunity to be properly screened for the disease because they've not been fully informed about the scientific research. Parents are being denied the opportunity to protect their pregnant adolescents." ******* The studies implicating abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer are listed on the coalition's website at www.AbortionBreastCancer.com ******* It's been calculated that among American women an additional 5,000 to 10,000 cases of breast cancer directly attributable to induced abortion were diagnosed in the last year. It's been conservatively estimated that by the year 2020 an additional 40,000 to 50,000 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed which are due to induced abortion. ******* In his book, Breast Cancer: Its Link to Abortion and the Birth Control Pill, Pennsylvania internist, Chris Kahlenborn, MD, identified the following groups of women at greater risk for the disease as a result of the use of the oral contraceptive pill: ******* 1) Women using it before a first full term pregnancy; ******* 2) Women using the pill for four years or more; ******* 3) Childless women who use it; and 4) Women using the pill after age 25. ******* Medical experts universally acknowledge that childbirth, breast feeding and early first full term pregnancy reduce a woman's risk for the disease. Mrs. Malec said, "With the breast cancer rates sky rocketing, why are abortion and use of contraceptives being aggressively promoted?" ******* Mrs. Malec concluded, "Population control is a big business. Some day, women may associate the names of the biggest backers of population control with the worldwide increase in the incidence of breast cancer." Major backers of population control efforts include: U.S. taxpayers, the Hewlett Foundation, the Packard Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, Ted Turner and Warren Buffet. The Life Research Institute which publishes Human Life Reports reported in August, 2000 that foundations gave grants totaling $128.5 million for family planning in 1997. ******* Planned Parenthood's 1999-2000 annual report states that $187,300,000 of their income is derived from government grants. ******* The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer is an international women's organization founded to protect the health and save the lives of women by educating and providing information on abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer. ******* _________________________________________________________________ ******* Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 17 ABORTION - BREAST CANCER LAW SUIT ******* From: COALITION ON ABORTION/BREAST CANCER P.O. Box 152, Palos Heights, IL 60463 ******* Toll Free 1-877-803-0102 Local Calls 1-630-226-9336 ******* An International Women's Organization www.AbortionBreastCancer.com ******* [email protected] April 17, 2002 ******* Dear Friends, During a conference sponsored by the Population Research Institute on the first weekend of this month, attorneys for the plaintiffs in the California lawsuit, Agnes Bernardo, et al. vs. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, held a press conference announcing their plans to appeal the decision of Superior Court Judge Ronald Prager. ******** The plaintiffs had filed a false advertising lawsuit against the nation's largest abortion provider because it provides women with false and misleading information about the alleged safety of abortion. Although the plaintiffs had supplied statements from six experts attesting to the link between abortion and breast cancer, Judge Prager decided in favor of Planned Parenthood whose attorneys had argued that the abortion provider's right to express its opinions would be violated. ******** New Jersey breast cancer surgeon, Angela Lanfranchi, MD, FACS, expressed her support for this appeal during the press conference. We are providing her statement below. ******** Be sure to share Dr. Lanfranchi's statement with family and friends. Without grassroots activism, women will never learn the truth about this research. sincerely, Karen Malec, President **************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 18 MEDICAL ORGANIZATION ACKNOWLEDGES ABORTION BREAST CANCER RESEARCH ******* From: "Karen Malec" ******* Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 1:24 PM ******* Subject: This Week's Articles on the ******* Abortion-Breast Cancer Link ******* COALITION ON ABORTION/BREAST CANCER ******* P.O. Box 152 ******* Palos Heights, IL 60463 ******* Toll Free 1-877-803-0102 ******* Local Calls 1-630-226-9336 ******* An International Women's Organization ******* www.AbortionBreastCancer.com ******* [email protected] ******* March 28, 2002 ******* Medical Organization Acknowledges Abortion Breast Cancer Research: ******* American Association of Physicians and Surgeons ******* We have a milestone to report. The American Association of Physicians and Surgeons joined the Catholic Medical Association and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists in acknowledging the significance of the research linking abortion and breast cancer. In a story published yesterday by World Net Daily entitled, "Can Doctors Be Sued Over Abortion?" Jon Dougherty quoted Jane Orient, a physician and spokesperson for the organization, who said: "If you look at the number of studies that show a connection, they vastly outnumber the ones that don't, and the ones that don't have been criticized for serious methodological flaws." She added that elevated risk is "substantial, particularly in women who abort their first pregnancy at a young age and who have a family history of breast cancer. It's something like 800 percent." ******* Orient said women should be informed about the "potential connection with breast cancer" and the possibility of psychological harm. ******* We applaud this action of the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons and encourage other medical organizations to recognize the link and inform women about this body of research as well. ******* A second article appeared in the L.A. Times this week. A person doesn't have to read beyond the heading of the March 24, 2002 story on efforts to advertise the abortion-breast cancer link to determine what the reporter's ideology might be. Entitled "Abortion Foes Seize on Reports of Cancer Link in Ad Campaign," Stephanie Simon describes those of us working to educate women about the research as "abortion foes." ******* This creates an impression in the minds of readers that only activists ideologically opposed to abortion recognize a link between abortion and breast cancer, that they are motivated by concern for the unborn, not for women, and that, for this reason, the research shouldn't be a serious concern for women. Of course, the abortion industry uses this device as well, in order to diminish the significance of the research in the minds of women. Never mind that some activists are women who've had abortions or even cancer themselves. However, women aren't so simple-minded as to easily accept this ploy and forget about the issue. ******* Women can and do read. Women can examine the research themselves, using the comprehensive list of the studies the coalition has provided on its website at . ******* The use of the word "seize" makes it appear as if the evidence linking abortion with breast cancer is weak and activists have jumped on the slightest hint of a link. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, the weight of the biological and epidemiological evidence is staggering. ******* Nevertheless, the printed press has crossed a milestone when it decides to stop censoring news of this 45 year old research and uses the word "abortion" in conjunction with the words "breast cancer." Most members of the public have never heard of the term "abortion-breast cancer link." Although a major secular newspaper has reached this milestone, our expectations of the printed press should be much higher. Ideology is irrelevant and has no place in a discussion about this women's health issue. ******* We challenge the L.A. Times to discuss the issue dispassionately. ******* The World Net Daily article can be found here: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=26970 ******* The L.A. Times story can be found at this website: ******* http://latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-000021469mar24.story ************************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 19 BREAST CANCER SURGEON TELLS THE PRESS: TAKING A TEENAGER FOR AN ABORTION IS CHILD ABUSE ******* "Although I observed in my own practice in the early 1990s an inordinate number of 30 year olds with breast cancer who had no family history, but had abortions as teenagers, it wasn't until 1999 that I informed my patients of this risk. That was when a Harvard professor in charge of risk assessment at a well known Boston clinic told me she knew abortion was a risk factor for breast cancer and considered it in the evaluation of her patients. Although she chose not to publicly speak about this issue, she encouraged me to do so. ******* "I was reluctant at first to follow her suggestion. I depend upon referrals from obstetrician-gynecologists, some of whom do abortions, and I was worried they would stop sending me patients when they heard me give lectures on the abortion-breast cancer link." ******* "I lecture on the subject because it is unjust to withhold pertinent medical information from patients that is so well documented in the literature for over 20 years and that is in my textbooks. It amounts to child abuse to take a teenager in a crisis pregnancy for an abortion. At best, it will give her a 30% risk of breast cancer in her lifetime. At worst, if she also has a family history of breast cancer, it will nearly guarantee this." ******* "As a mother, I need to be informed of this to protect my daughter. Medical professionals have an unfortunate history of continuing to harm women if it means admitting that they have injured or killed them with their treatments. This is best illustrated through the well-known story of Ignaz Semmelweis, MD. He was an obstetrician-gynecologist in the 1840s who proved that handwashing would reduce mortality rates from childbed fever from 30% to 2% on maternity wards. His reward for this was ridicule from his professors and loss of his hospital appointments. Women continued to die needlessly for another 30 years until the germ theory proved Semmelweiss was correct." ******** "It must have been very embarrassing for a lowly resident to have told the greatest medical professors of his time they were responsible for many women's deaths." ******* "We are in the same situation now. There is overwhelming and convincing evidence (that) abortion and breast cancer are linked, along with a well described biologic mechanism. Twenty-eight out of 37 studies (have been published) and women still don't know." ******* "It's not only embarrassment and denial that cause doctors to ignore this data now. It is also the fear of malpractice. How can an abortionist not be held liable for increasing a woman's risk of breast cancer and not tell her?" ******* "It is unfortunate, but it has become my belief that it will belawyers who will force the medical community to address this issue." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Our life-saving work is made possible by your donations. The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer is recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c)3 organization. Donations are tax deductible. To send a donation, mail your check to P.O. Box 152, Palos Heights, Illinois 60463. To subscribe, e-mail the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer at . ******************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 20 WORLD'S FIRST ABORTION-BREAST CANCER SETTLEMENT ******* from BC Parents and Teachers for Life ******* A landmark case involving the world�s first known settlement of an abortion-breast cancer lawsuit was heralded by Australian attorney Charles Francis. Mr. Francis revealed that the plaintiff in the case had sued because her physician hadn�t told her that researchers had associated abortion with breast cancer. A confidentiality clause in the agreement prohibits the identification of the plaintiff. The case was filed in the County Court of Victoria (Medical Division) No. 2000/06190. It was settled at Mediation on 3 August 200l. ************************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 21 IT'S SIMPLE AS ABC--DENY, DENY, DENY ******* From: "Pro-Life E-News" ******* Sent: Friday, February 01, 2002 10:22 AM ******* www.report.ca ******* The Report February 4, 2002 ******* It's simple as ABC--deny, deny, deny ******* But doctors and the media are being forced to admit abortion probably causes breast cancer ******* by Joanne Byfield Smoking and cancer are inextricably linked in the minds of North Americans. Doctors and governments rail against the habit, and now cigarette packages by law carry hideous photographs of diseased lungs and rotten teeth. Forgotten is the fact it took 20 years after the studies began appearing for groups like the American Medical Association, the U.S. National Cancer Institute and governments to react. All three first ignored and then soft-pedalled the anti-tobacco message, says Karen Malec, president of the Illinois-based Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer (ABC). Mrs. Malec says the same deliberate denial is occurring again, because it is even less acceptable to criticize the abortion "choice" today than it was the tobacco "choice" in 1960. The news media is part of the process, now as then. Almost no general news media in North America covered two ABC stories this winter. Last fall British statistician Patrick Carroll, with the Population and Pensions Research Institution, examined abortion and breast cancer rates in Finland, Sweden and Great Britain, and reported that abortion doubles the risk of breast cancer. He also predicted that breast cancer cases in England and Wales would more than double by the year 2023, with as many as half of those attributable to a surge in abortion over the past generation. A search of all major Southam newspapers, Canadian wire services and the three television networks found no reference to this story. In late December, RFM News in the U.S. reported that an Australian woman has won an out-of-courts settlement from a doctor she sued following a botched abortion. Her statement of claim argued that she was not informed of the increased risk of breast cancer and the risk of psychiatric and psychological complications caused by abortion. Again, no Canadian or American general news media picked up the story. It is the first known case where a settlement has been reached over lack of informed consent for abortion. It may not be the last, however. At least three ABC lawsuits are proceeding in the U.S. A woman in Fargo, North Dakota, is suing an abortion clinic for false advertising because their pamphlets do not include the ABC link. Two others are personal-injury suits against doctors by women who had abortions but were not warned about the risk. Thirty-seven studies worldwide since 1957 have examined possible ABC links. Twenty-eight found some correlation. Nor is this surprising. For one thing, it has long been acknowledged that the later in life a woman's first childbirth occurs, the greater her odds of contracting breast cancer; abortion obviously delays a woman's first delivery. Women are rarely told of this, but it is widely accepted as true. Another possible risk, one which is ignored or denied by the medical establishment, is directly triggered by the abortion itself. Joel Brind, an endocrinologist at Baruch College at the State University of New York, says that during pregnancy, a mother's estrogen levels surge and cause a multiplication of breast cells in preparation for lactation. If the pregnancy is arbitrarily interrupted, the breast cells are left in an "undifferentiated" (i.e., incomplete) state, which leaves them vulnerable to cancer. Dr. Brind conducted a meta-analysis of the 35 studies available in 1996. He found that 27 of them showed an increased risk of breast cancer following abortion, an average increased risk of 30%. That is not a high risk, but since one in nine women contract breast cancer, anything that elevates that risk is not good. Dr. Angela Lafranchi, a New Jersey oncologist quoted last summer in the Victoria Times-Colonist, estimates that out of 100 women who have abortions, five will get breast cancer. "That's not a huge risk, but it is a large number of people considering one in four women of reproductive age has had an abortion." A 1995 study by pro-choice researcher Janet Daling went further, and identified specific high-risk groups women under 18 or over 29 had a twofold increase in risk; women with a family history of breast cancer, an 80% increased risk; and teenagers with a family history who had abortions before they were 18 had an "incalculably higher risk." All 12 of the women in this last category of the study contracted breast cancer by age 45. Four states in the U.S.require doctors to warn women about the link, and another 12 are considering such laws. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Britain declared in 2000 that Dr. Brind's study "could not be disregarded" and issued a warning about the link. It later withdrew it, says Karen Malec of the Coalition on ABC, because of an outcry in the media. Her group is currently battling with the American Cancer Society because the Coalition has posted on its own Web site (abortionbreastcancer.com) a 1996 ABC warning from the cancer society. The society is now demanding it be removed and replaced with a new pronouncement denying evidence of a link. As for Canada, Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (SOGC) spokeswoman Christiane Menard initially said she knew of no policy one way or the other. After checking, she said, "no study has conclusively shown that there is a link," so the society does not believe there is one. She says the studies that have been done have flawed methodologies, and there is no randomized study. Asked if the society actually looked at all 37 studies, Ms. Menard replied curtly, "That was the answer I wasgiven." The Canadian Cancer Society's position is equally imprecise. After some searching, a helpful counsellor on the information line found a statement from a 1999 National Cancer Institute of Canada expert panel. The current research "does not support a relationship between induced abortion and breast cancer." Steven Milloy, publisher of Junkscience.com, wrote in the National Post last year about a press release issued by Health Canada based on one study that showed 30% to 100% increased risks of breast cancer from second-hand smoke. Columnist Milloy noted that those levels and higher ones were downplayed and ignored in the case of the abortion link but widely reported in the smoking case. Karen Malec, a cancer survivor herself, says, "One in four American women choose abortion without being told about this risk. It's up to the other three in four women to help them and get the information out." If we do not, she says, "so many children will lose their mothers because of this." Photo Cap The abortion "choice" Are women being warned of the risk? *************************************************** The material contained in this file is made available courtesy contributors and editors of Pro-Life E-News. ******* Copying of this material is free for non-commercial educational and research use. Unless explicitly stated, copyright of this material is owned by the author and/or sponsoring organization, and/or newswire services. ******* Check out: ******* InterLIFE: http://www.interlife.org/ ******* The Bubble Zone: http://www.interlife.org/bubble/ ******* Clinic Watch: http://www.interlife.org/clinic/ ******* The Genetic Cleansing Project: http://www.geneticcleansing.org/ ******* The Kevorkian Papers: http://www.kevork.org/ ******* The RU-486 Files: http://www.ru486.org/ ******* The Morgentaler Files: http://www.interlife.org/morgentaler/ ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 22 ABORTION-BREAST CANCER LINK MUST NOT BE IGNORED ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Reply-To: Steven Ertelt ******* Source: Seattle Times; October 26, 2002 ******* By Elenor Loarie Schoen ******* [Pro-Life Infonet Note: The following guest editorial recently appeared in the Seattle Times. Elenor Loarie Schoen lives in Shoreline, Washington.] ******* There seems to be a shocking reluctance in the media to investigate and report on the increasing evidence of a link between abortion and the incidence of breast cancer. The link was revealed as long ago as 1970 when the World Health Organization gathered data that "suggest increased risk associated with abortion." ******* In 1981, a University of Southern California study found a 140 percent increased breast cancer risk among young women who had chosen to abort their first pregnancy. This was also reported in the British Journal of Cancer in the same year. ******* In 1989, a New York Department of Health study showed a 90 percent risk increase for women with any history of abortion, and a 300 percent increased risk for those who had two in a row. According to Dr. Joel Brind, a professor at Baruch College of the City University of New York, similar studies in Russia, Japan, Denmark and France echo these findings. In 1996, Brind undertook a project to create a major statistical summary of all existing 28 studies. This meta-analysis revealed that a conservative estimate from the available literature was a 30 percent risk in breast cancer after having an abortion. ******* Another study was conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle in 1994 by Dr. Janet Daling, a pro-abortion scientist. She found an overall 50 percent risk increase. Women who had an abortion before age 18 had a 250 percent risk increase. Women who had their first abortion after age 30 showed a 210 percent risk increase. In 1997, Daling stated: "I would have loved to have found no association between breast cancer and abortion, but our research is rock solid and our data is accurate. It's not a matter of believing it, it is a matter of what is." ******* Dr. Angelo Lanfranchi, a breast surgeon from New Jersey, declared: "Over the past three or four years, I have spoken to many authorities and people in a position to be well-informed. They have stated they knew abortion was a risk factor but it was too political to speak about. They had found, as I did, that cases of breast cancer in young women are associated with an abortion history." ******* Dr. Jose Bufill, practicing oncologist and clinical professor at Indiana University Medical School, has stated that two clinical studies suggest that induced abortion actually "may predispose women to a specific form of breast cancer unique to a particular carcinogenic pathway." The Ownby study "found that patients with a history of induced abortion had tumors with a more aggressive histological appearance and with a more aggressive clinical course." ******* The reasoned explanation for this link is that nature, through hormones, provides women in late stages of pregnancy with increased protection against tissue-susceptibility to cancer, carrying forward the recognized protective effects of early first childbirth. If pregnancy is suddenly ended through an induced abortion, the breast cells that make up the milk glands are unable to complete their maturation into cancer-resistant cells. During the remainder of a woman's reproductive life, the increased number of immature breast cancer cells will be exposed to high estrogen levels during each menstrual period. Estrogen, although normally found in the body, is carcinogenic in high doses because it stimulates cell division. While statistics about the carcinogenic effects of pollution, industrial waste, nuclear accidents, etc., are reported, the abortion-breast cancer link continues to be mostly ignored. Until June 2002, the National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet maintained that abortion is not a risk factor for breast cancer, but this fact sheet has now disappeared from the NCI Web site. Total funding for breast cancer research through the National Institutes of Health from fiscal years 1992 to 2001 equaled $4.2 billion. ******* Can an issue be so political, such a sacred cow that statistics and studies are hidden from the public and further investigation discouraged? Has the fact that abortion is a multimillion-dollar industry (numbered among the Fortune 500) have any connection with this cover-up? ******* Yet, the National Cancer Institute estimates one in every eight American women will contract breast cancer within her lifetime, and many will die prematurely. ******* It would seem criminal to provide or even advise women to have an abortion without informing them about this risk. By suppressing such statistics, the media and the medical professions are endangering women's lives. ******* Who or what is preventing a thorough investigation of this link? Where are Congress, the American Medical Association and the media? ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 23 TEXAS ABORTIOH CLINIC WARNS PATIENTS OF BREAST CANCER RISK ******* Date: Fri, 02 Aug 2002 15:40:43 -0700 ******* From: "Elliot Institute News" The Elliot Institute News, A Monthly Email Publication from the Leader in Post-Abortion Research ******* Vol.1, No. 8 -- Aug. 2002 ******* Visit us online: www.AfterAbortion.Info ******* An abortion clinic in San Antonio, Texas, is warning patients of a link between abortion and breast cancer, despite claims from the abortion industry that the link is simply a "scare tactic" invented by pro-life activists. ******* A Woman's Choice Quality Health Center requires its patients to sign a medical consent form that lists eleven "risks and hazards [which] may occur in connection with this particular procedure." Two of the risks are listed as "post abortion stress syndrome" and "possible increased lifetime risk of breast cancer." The Coalition on Abortion-Breast Cancer, a research group, said that such a move proves that "it's becoming more and more difficult for the profiteers in the abortion industry to dismiss 45 years" of research showing a causal link between breast cancer and abortion. ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 24 POPULATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE DISCUSSES HOW ABORTION-BREAST CANCER LINK WILL IMPACT DEVELOPING WORLD ******* from COALITION ON ABORTION/BREAST CANCER ******* P.O. Box 152 ******* Palos Heights, IL 60463 ******* Toll Free 1-877-803-0102 ******* Local Calls 1-630-226-9336 ******* An International Women's Organization ******* AbortionBreastCancer.com ******* [email protected] ******* Dear Friends: ******* The Population Research Institute (PRI) released its Weekly Briefing on January 4, 2002 and discussed how the link between abortion and breast cancer will impact women in the developing world. Steve Mosher, president of PRI, concluded that for these women, "breast cancer is a death sentence" because of the inferior quality of health care which is provided in the developing world. ******* Tragically, groups like International Planned Parenthood and the misnamed Catholics for a Free Choice, funded by individuals and organizations including Ted Turner, Bill Gates, the Rockefellers and the Ford Foundation, have been busy at the United Nations promoting access to abortion and contraceptives/abortifacients for women and girls as young as age 10. ******* Breast cancer rates have more than doubled in the industrialized world in the last half of a century. In the United States, the incidence of breast cancer increased 40% since the legalization of abortion in 1973. Sales of abortions and contraceptives/abortifacients in the developing nations will only serve to cause breast cancer rates to become equal to those of the developed nations. ******* Graham Colditz, M.D. is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Four years ago, he explained in an article appearing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute that differences in childbearing patterns are responsible for the differing rates of breast cancer between the developed and the undeveloped countries. He included these childbearing patterns: age at first birth, number of births and breast feeding. He said, "Comparing the reproductive patterns with six or more pregnancies with the typical pattern of two pregnancies in the developed world, we have shown that at least 50% of the international variation in breast cancer rates can be explained by these patterns of childbearing." ["Relationship Between Estrogen Levels, Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy, and Breast Cancer," JNCI (1998) 90:814-823] ******* Be sure to spread the word. ******* Sincerely, ******* Karen Malec ******* President ******* Dear Colleague: ******* With a release of a new study in Great Britain, evidence of a link between breast cancer and abortion continues to mount. Legal efforts to penalize abortionists who do not inform women of the risk of breast cancer are also bearing fruit, notably in Australia. But who will speak for women in the developing world, victimized by abortion, who will endure untold suffering from breast cancer in the years to come? ******* Steven W. Mosher ******* President ******* PRI Weekly Briefing 4 January 2002 Vol. 4/ No. 1 ******* What the Abortion-Breast Cancer Link Means for Women in the Developing World ******* By Steve Mosher ******* The news that breast cancer has now overtaken lung cancer as the most common British cancer came as a surprise to many. Not to Patrick Carroll, however, the author of a new study from Great Britain that links the huge increase in breast cancer to the widespread practice of abortion. Dr. Carroll's study demonstrates that abortion actually doubles the risk of cancer in women. *******(1) And the worst is yet to come. In England and Wales the breast cancer rate is expected to rise by over 2 per cent per annum between now and 2023-some 60 percent-among women aged 45 to 49. The total number of breast cancer cases for women of all ages is expected to more than double over the next 26 years. This is largely because, Dr Carroll tells us, of the high rate of nulliparous abortions, that is, of abortions performed on women who have never carried a child to term. "Perhaps as many as 50 per cent of the breast cancer cases of the future will be attributable to abortion," he concludes. ******* Professor Joel Brind, an endocrinologist at the City University of New York who is perhaps the world's expert on the abortion-breast cancer link, praised the study for its scientific rigor. "Those who undergo abortions clearly have an increased risk, which can be precisely calculated, of contracting cancer of the breast. We are talking about thousands of cases of cancer over the next twenty years. These are very sobering numbers." ******* "Out of 37 independently published studies, 28 show a causal connection," Brind said. "And of those, 17 provide positive associations that reach statistical significance suggesting a 95-percent certainty that this association is not due to chance. That is scientific evidence which simply cannot be ignored." ******* Shortly after the publication of Dr. Carroll's study came the news that an abortion doctor in Australia had settled with a breast cancer victim. The woman had sued the abortionist for not telling her about research findings linking abortion to breast cancer. Although a confidentiality agreement prevents details of the settlement from being released, Australian attorney Charles Francis is confident that other cases can be brought against abortionists on the same grounds. "It seemed to me that the evidence [of an abortion breast cancer link] was fairly strong," Francis remarked, "certainly strong enough for a good chance of winning." ******* Another suit involving the abortion-breast cancer link is moving forward in Australia. "In another case to be heard in New South Wales shortly," Francis said, " 'Mary' is suing a hospital and an abortionist for failure to warn her that she might subsequently have a bad psychiatric reaction and for failure to warn of the increased breast-cancer risk." ******* Other litigation is pending as well. Assisted by the Thomas More Law Center, three California women are suing Planned Parenthood to force the nation's largest provider of abortions to reveal scientific evidence of a substantial link between induced abortion and increased risk of breast cancer. ******* In the developed countries, despite access to regular mammary exams and excellent treatment regimens, many of those who develop breast cancer will die. As Dr Carroll remarks of the British situation, "Unless there is a major improvement in treatment, including a reduction in the waiting-lists, the number of women who die from the disease will rise alarmingly." ******* In the developing world, unfortunately, this grim picture grows much grimmer. Because of the poor state of primary health care, women who get breast cancer are unlikely to have it diagnosed until it has reached an advanced stage. Those who do have it diagnosed are unlikely to get treatment. And even the lucky few who receive the relatively unsophisticated treatments available are unlikely to survive. ******* By promoting, performing, and lobbying for the legalization of abortion, the International Planned Parenthood Federation claims to be reducing "maternal mortality." Yet "safe, legal" abortion poses many dangers to the mother, not least of which is a greatly increased risk of breast cancer in succeeding years. And in the developing world, breast cancer is a death sentence. ******* Endnotes ******* (1)Patrick Carroll, "Abortion and Other Pregnancy-Related Risk Factors in Female Breast Cancer," Pension and Population Research Institute (PAPRI), 4 December 2001. Copies are available from PAPRI at 35 Canonbury Road, London, N1 2DG, UK. ******* _____________________________ ******* Steve Mosher is the president of Population Research Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to debunking the myth that the world is overpopulated. ______________________________ � 2002 Population Research Institute. ******* Permission to reprint granted. ******* Redistribute widely. ******* Credit requested. ______________________________ PRI hosts the Global Family Life Conference in Santa Clara California, April 3-7, 2002. ******* Check out our website at http://www.pop.org/conference.html for more information. ______________________________ To subscribe to the Weekly Briefing, send an email to: Mail to: [email protected]. ******* The Population Research Institute is committed to ending human rights abuses committed in the name of "family planning," and to ending counter-productive social and economic paradigms premised on the myth of "overpopulation." ____________________________ Population Research Institute 1190 Progress Drive, Suite 2D, P.O. Box 1559,> Front Royal, VA 22630 USA ******* http://www.pop.org ******* Media Contact: Scott Weinberg 540-622-5240, ext. 202 ******************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 25 WEBSITE LISTS 347 WOMEN KILLED BY LEGAL ABORTIONS ******* Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2002 12:01:27 -0800 ******* From: Donald Jellison's Internet Report - March 8/02 ******* The Overwhelming Majority of Abortion-Related Deaths Remain Undiscovered ******* LIFE DYNAMICS, February 11, 2002 (LSN.ca) - Life Dynamics, a Texas-based pro-life group has created a website listing women killed by legal abortions, along with information regarding the circumstances of their deaths. "The Blackmun Wall" project is named after Harry Blackmun, the Supreme Court justice who wrote the Roe v. Wade decision and launched America's abortion holocaust. ******* Life Dynamics reports that it has statistics from both state and federal reporting agencies documenting many more abortion-related deaths than are listed on the Blackmun wall. However, because there were no further details on them, the group was not able to include them. Additionally, Life Dynamics notes that their research clearly indicates that, for a variety of reasons, the overwhelming majority of abortion-related deaths remain undiscovered. Abortion related deaths and post abortion complications are frequently not reported by medical staff and institutions as having resulted from an abortion. ******* Life Dynamics will continue to investigate and catalogue the deaths of women that are due to legalized abortion. The Blackmun Wall will be updated, as new information is received. The wall is comprised of 29 panels, listing 347 women, along with the available details of each one's death. ******* See the Blackmun Wall at: http://www.lifedynamics.net/AboutLDI/dsp_WomenKilled.cfm **************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 26 ABORTION INCREASES WOMEN'S MORTALITY RATE ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Reply-To: Steven Ertelt ******* Source: Elliot Institute; August 27, 2002 ******* Springfield, IL -- A study published in the latest issue of the Southern Medical Journal reveals that women who have abortions are at significantly higher risk of death than women who give birth. This finding contradicts the widely accepted opinion that abortion is safer than childbirth. ******* Researchers examined death records linked to Medi-Cal payments for births and abortions for approximately 173,000 low income Californian women. They discovered that women who had abortions were almost twice as likely to die in the following two years and that the elevated mortality rate of aborting women persisted over at least eight years. ******* During the eight year period studied, women who aborted had a 154 percent higher risk of death from suicide, an 82 percent higher risk of death from accidents, and a 44 percent higher risk of death from natural causes. ******* This is the second major record-based study to link abortion to elevated mortality rates. In 1997, a study of women in Finland sent a tremor of worry through family planning agencies when it revealed that in the first year following an abortion, aborting women were 252 percent more likely to die compared to women who delivered and 76 percent more likely to die compared to women who had not been pregnant. ******* This new study confirms the trend found in Finland. It is also the first American study to use a uniform and objective standard for associating deaths with prior abortions and births. ******* Critics of abortion have long complained about the inaccuracies of abortion mortality figures. There are no federal or state regulations requiring the reporting of abortion complications. Indeed, the international standard for identifying cause of death does not even provide a means for identifying surgical abortion as a cause of death. ******* Another recently published Elliot Institute study using the California data reveals that aborting women also seek more subsequent mental health care. A third Elliot Institute study, published last January in the British Medical Journal, reveals that subsequent long-term clinical depression is more common among those women who have had abortions. Depression can weaken the immune system and reduce overall health. ******* More information, researchers comments, and a link to the actual study are posted for the press at http://www.afterabortion.org/News/deaths_smj.html ******* The Pro-Life Infonet is a daily compilation of pro-life news and information. To subscribe, send the message "subscribe" to: [email protected]. Infonet is sponsored by Women and Children First http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.org). For more pro-life info visit http://www.prolifeinfo.org and for questions or additional information email [email protected] ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 27 PROFESSOR BARBARA LUKE AND THE "PREMIE" RISK OF ABORTION ******* Java Newsletter 27 Nov. 2002 [8] ******* comments by Brent Rooney ******* Preterm birth is the number one cause of death and disability for infants before age one year. ******* Professor Barbara Luke in her classic book wrote, "If you have had one or more induced abortions, your risk of prematurity with this pregnancy increases by about 30 percent." (Every Pregnant Woman's Guide to Preventing Premature Birth, 1995, p 32). How well qualified is Luke to have written this 239 page book? Consider the following quotes from highly respected medical doctors: ******* 1. "This compete and accurate book should have great appeal to the discriminating woman who is pregnant or planning pregnancy, as a means of maximizing her chances for a successful pregnancy." ******* -Roy M. Pitkin, M.D., editor, Obstetrics and Gynecology ******* 2. "Every Pregnant Woman's Guide to Preventing Premature Birth is an important contemporary book that should be recommended for today's pregnant women, women considering pregnancy, and all those professionals who attend the health care of women." ******* -George D. Wilbanks, Jr. M.D., president, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [Dr. Wilbanks wrote the forward to Prof. Luke's 1995 book] ******* 3. "Based upon scientific data which have been shown to be associated with a reduction in preterm births and very user-friendly in its approach, this book is ideal for women with a history of preterm deliveries, and even for medical providers." ******* -E. Albert Reece, M.D. professor OB/GYN and internal medicine, director, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine ******* 4. "Based on her extensive clinical experience and her vast scientific knowledge, Dr. Luke presents practical information to women. As women increasingly recognize the importance of self-education and self-help, this book is timely. As one who has contributed to our understanding about the risk factors, prematurity and especially, work in pregnancy, Luke has an authoritative and clear voice." ******* -Timothy R.B. Johnson, M.D., chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Bates Professor of Diseases of Women and Children, University of Michigan Medical School ******* [the prior 4 quotes are from the back cover of Every Pregnant Woman's Guide to Preventing Premature Birth (1995) [preface by Emile Papiernik], New York: Times Books] ******* There is no more respected person in the field of prematurity risk factors than Dr. Emile Papiernik of France. Dr. Papiernik lead a French national program that reduced preterm birth rates by over 30%. Papiernik wrote the preface to Luke's 1995 book and stated: "I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Luke's book [EPWG..] to every pregnant woman and her family as the "best medicine" to help ensure a healthy pregnancy." ******* Professor Barbara Luke's credentials and memberships ******* "Barbara Luke, Sc.D., M.P.H., R.D., R.N., received her nursing and public health degrees from Columbia University, her degree in nutrition from New York University, and her doctorate in science from John Hopkins University. Currently she is associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan Medical School. She is a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Dietetic Association, the American Public Health Association, and the Society of Perinatal Obstetricians. ******* Barbara Luke is the author of eight medical textbooks as well as research and review articles on obstetrics, nutrition, and public health. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan." (EPWG.., "About the Author", after page 239) ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 28 STUDY SHOWS CHILDERN OF POST-ABORTIVE MOMS HAVE MORE BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS ******* Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 00:05:39 EDT ******* From: "Pro-Life Infonet" ******* Reply-To: Steven Ertelt ******* Subject: CHILDERN OF POST-ABORTIVE MOMS HAVE MORE BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS, STUDY SHOWS ******* Source: Elliot Institute; September 18, 2002 ******* Springfield, IL -- A study published in the newest issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry found that children whose mothers have a history of abortion tend to have less emotional support at home and more behavioral problems than children whose mothers have not had abortions. ******* Researchers examined behavior and the quality of the home environment for 4,844 children. The study used data collected in 1992 by the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, a survey conducted by the Center for Human Resource Research at Ohio State University and funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. ******* "The results of our study showed that among first-born children, maternal history of abortion was associated with lower emotional support in the home among children ages one to four, and more behavioral problems among five- to nine-year-olds," said Dr. Priscilla Coleman, a professor at Bowling Green State University and the lead author of the study. "This held true even after controlling for maternal age, education, family income, the number of children in the home and maternal depression." ******* Coleman noted that although the results of the study were probably unprecedented, "they were not all that surprising when considered in light of previous research linking unresolved grief associated with other forms of perinatal loss, such as miscarriage and stillbirth, to compromised parenting." ******* Many women opt for abortion as the result of adverse circumstances or pressure from others, she said, making the decision difficult to cope with if the woman was emotionally attached to the fetus or desired to carry the pregnancy to term. ******* "An abortion could become psychologically similar to other forms of pregnancy loss in some women," Coleman said. In some polls, as many as 80 percent of aborting women said that they would have chosen to carry the pregnancy to term under better circumstances or with more support from others. ******* Elliot Institute director Dr. David Reardon a co-author of the study and a new book, "Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion," said that the new study confirms the insights revealed in the book by women in post abortion counseling. ******* "Unresolved feelings about a past abortion can often impede bonding with subsequent planned children," Reardon said. "Some women report becoming overprotective because they fear God will punish them for their abortions by allowing their children to come to harm. Others report a need to emotionally distance themselves from their newborns because the feelings of love that are aroused also give rise to intense feelings of grief and despair over the children who were not born." ******* Other differences in mothering among women who have had abortions and those who have not, Reardon says, may be related to other emotional reactions to abortion. Recent studies have shown that women who have abortions are at significantly higher risk of clinical depression in the long term, are more likely to require subsequent mental health care, are more likely to report abuse of drugs and alcohol, and are more likely to die of suicide and other causes. Any of these tendencies, he believes, could have an impact on the children in their care. ******* Reardon says these studies underscore the importance of educating the public about post-abortion reactions and the availability of post-abortion counseling programs. "Ignorance of the problem--or the fear of addressing it--deprives women of that interior sense of peace we all need. But by working through the forbidden grief over past abortions, women are more free to become the best parents they can be." ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 29 DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE RATES HIGHER AFTER ABORTION ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Reply-To: Steven Ertelt * ******* Source: Elliot Institute; october 23, 2002 ******* Springfield, IL -- Mental health officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have designated October as National Depression Awareness and Education Month. This year the occasion is drawing attention to three recently published studies linking abortion to higher rates of clinical depression and suicide. ******* The first of the three, published in the prestigious British Medical Journal, examined a national survey of American women whose first pregnancies were unintended. Examining depression scores an average of eight years after the unintended pregnancies, researchers found that women who women who have abortions are at significantly greater risk of clinical depression than women who carry their unintended pregnancies to term. ******* The second study, from the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, reveals that after controlling for prior history of mental illness, women who abort subsequently require more mental health treatments than women who deliver. The researchers examined Medi-Cal records for 173,000 low-income California women for four years following their pregnancy outcomes. Abortion was most strongly associated with higher rates of subsequent treatment for neurotic depression, bipolar disorder, adjustment reactions, and schizophrenic disorders. ******* In the third study, researchers examined death records linked to Medi-Cal payments for births and abortions and discovered that women who had abortions were almost twice as likely to die in the following two years. They also discovered that the higher mortality rate of aborting women persisted over at least eight years. After controlling for prior psychiatric history, abortion was associated with a three times higher risk of death from suicide over the eight years examined. A similar study of all women in Finland found that compared to non-pregnant women and delivering women, women who had abortions were 3.7 and 6.5 times (respectively) more likely to commit suicide within one year. ******* According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, suicide is the leading cause of violent deaths in the world. David Reardon, Ph.D., director of the Elliot Institute, an organization specializing in research on mental health adjustments following abortion, and one of the principle authors in all three of these studies, believes depression following abortion plays a significant direct or indirect role in many of suicides. ******* Reardon says that the existing research shows that post-abortion depression can come and go over long periods of time. But at least in regard to suicide, the greatest risk is in the first year after the abortion. "After the first year, the rate of suicide appears to decline toward more normal levels over a four year period," he said. "Case studies and self-reports from women indicate that depression may become most intense near the expected due date of the aborted pregnancy and at the anniversary of the abortion." ******* Other researchers have found that shame, secrecy, and thought suppression regarding an abortion are all associated with greater post-abortion depression, anxiety, and hostility. Reardon believes that this suggests that the cure for post-abortion depression, at least in part, lies in growing awareness that severe depression after an abortion is not abnormal. "The political controversy over abortion often makes it difficult for women to discuss their emotional reactions to abortion with loved ones," he said. "This may increase feelings of isolation and exacerbate depression." ******* Asked what the practical implications for physicians using abortion history as a marker for risk of depression, Reardon said: "We recommend that physicians should routinely inquire about the outcome of all the patient's pregnancies. The simple question, 'Have you experienced any pregnancy losses such as miscarriage, abortion, adoption, or stillbirth?' may be sufficient to give women permission to discuss unresolved issues related to prior pregnancy losses." ******* Studies in order mentioned: ******* Reardon DC, Cougle JR. Depression and unintended pregnancy in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth: a cohort study. British Medical Journal. 2002; 24:151-2. ******* Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Rue VM, Cougle JR. State-funded abortions vs. deliveries: A comparison of outpatient mental health claims over five years. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 2002; 72(1):141-52. ******* Reardon DC, Ney PG, Scheuren FJ, Cougle JR, Coleman, PK, Strahan T. Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women. Southern Medical Journal. 2002; 95(8):834-841. ******* Gissler M., et. al. Pregnancy-associated deaths in Finland 1987-1994 - definition problems and benefits of record linkage. Acta Obsetricia et Gynecolgica Scandinavica. 1997; 76:651-657. ******* The World Report on Violence and Health, Edited by Etienne G. Krug, Linda L. Dahlberg, James A. Mercy, Anthony B. Zwi and Rafael Lozano (Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 2002) ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 30 NEW TREND SHOWS INCREASE IN INFANTICIDE RATE ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Reply-To: Steven Ertelt ******* Source: Focus on the Family; December 5, 2002 ******* Washington, DC -- For years, the killing of teenagers made the headlines. Yet, research shows babies under one year are being murdered just as often. ******* There's a troubling new trend developing in infant deaths: Infants are being murdered at a rate nearly equal to teenagers. A new study shows that in 2000, for every 100,000 babies born in the United States, roughly nine of them were murdered -- up from 8.4 per 100,000 in 1990 and 4.3 in 1970. ******* Rosemary Chalk, a child abuse researcher for Child Trends -- the nonprofit group that produced the study -- said the infant death numbers have surprised many people. ******* "The infant homicide rate was, in our view ... something that people had not been paying attention to," Chalk said. "The fact that the high rates have persisted is troubling." ******* There are no easy answers as to why this is happening, but Chalk said the numbers tell an important part of the story. ******* "All we know is that the risk factors ... are very young teen mothers," she said. "They have a low education status and in some cases a history of mental disorders as well." ******* Those young unwed moms often are giving birth in isolation, feeling desperate, with no support group around them. ******* Debbie Velie, who heads up the ministry New Beginnings -- a place where unwed moms can turn to so their baby will be adopted into a loving family -- lamented the infant death statistics. ******* "There are just wonderful couples that are not able to have children, and I know that they'd be glad to love and raise these children that are not being given a chance in life," Velie said. ******* Yet, all too often that is not happening, and it's a trend that's getting worse. ******* The report also indicates that half of all infant murders happen by the fourth month of life, and the risk is highest on the day the child is born. What may be most troubling is many experts believe the number of infant homicides is probably underestimated. They claim several deaths that are known to be homicides are not recorded that way in the coroner's records. ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 31 SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN LINKED TO PRIOR ABORTION ******* December 2002; 187(5):1673-8. ******* from: Elliot Institute ******* New Research Underscores Abortion's Risks to Women and Later Children ******* Springfield, IL -- Women with a prior history of abortion are twice as likely to use alcohol, five times more likely to use illicit drugs, and ten times more likely to use marijuana during the first pregnancy they carry to term compared to other women delivering their first pregnancies, according to a study published in the newest issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The researchers conclude that higher rates of substance use during the subsequent pregnancies would place the newborn children of these women at higher risk of congenital defects, low birth weight, and death. ******* The research is based on the National Pregnancy and Health Survey, using a nationally representative sample of 2,613 women who had recently given birth. The survey was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, and the Division of Epidemiological and Prevention Research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the purpose of providing the first national assessment of licit and illicit drug use and alcohol consumption among pregnant women. ******* According to one of the study's authors, David Reardon, Ph.D., who specializes in the study of post-abortion reactions, this is the seventeenth study linking abortion to elevated rates of substance abuse. It is the first study, however, to specifically show that drug and alcohol abuse remain higher during subsequent pregnancies. ******* Reardon, who directs the Elliot Institute and is co-author of the new book, "Forbidden Grief: The Unspoken Pain of Abortion," says many women use drugs and alcohol to cope with unresolved emotional issues related to past abortions. Since unaddressedissues of loss, grief, and guilt may become more intense during a subsequent wanted pregnancy, women may have more difficulty abstaining from drugs and alcohol even though they know it puts their wanted pregnancies at risk, he said. ******* The researchers recommend that obstetricians should screen pregnant women for a prior history of abortion and substance abuse in order to make better recommendations for counseling. "Counseling that addresses only the surface problems of the woman's substance abuse may fail to give her the help she needs to truly overcome this problem." Reardon said. ******* This is the fifth study documenting emotional problems linked to abortion to be published this year. The Elliot Institute has participated in all five. The other studies have linked abortion to higher rates of long term depression, increased need for mental health treatments, higher death rates (including death from suicide), and poor bonding with and parenting of later children. The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology is one of the most respected and influential medical journals in the United States. ******* More details are available at www.afterabortion.org/news # # # REFERENCE: Coleman PK, Reardon DC, Rue VM, Cougle JR. "History of induced abortion in relation to substance use during pregnancies carried to term." American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. December 2002; 187(5):1673-8. ******* Link to AJOG posted abstract: http://www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/scripts/om.dll/serve?action=searchDB&searchDBfor=art&artType=abs&id=a127602&nav=abs ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 32 GOVERNMENT RESTRICTS ABORTION ACCESS AFTER "ROE VERSUS WADE" ******* From: [email protected] ******* Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2003 06:22:10 EDT ******* Subject: GOVERNMENT RESTRICTS ABORTION ACCESS AFTER "ROE VERSUS WADE" ******* JAVA Newsletter ******* June 2003 ******* By Brent Rooney ******* Less that 12 full months after the 1973 'Roe v Wade' Supreme Court decision the government put restrictions on abortion access because of a flood of newborn with handicaps. ******* Was this the U.S. Federal government? No, it was the Hungarian government which 'legalized' elective abortion in 1956 (same year as the attempted Hungarian revolution against Soviet occupiers). ******* The Hungarian government was concerned about the high incidence of PBs (Preterm Births) among women with prior elective abortions. ******* There is international precedent for governmental concern about the PB risk from Induced abortions. The Hungarian government was alarmed about the evidence of an abortion-Preterm Birth link as early as 1973: ******* "A recent article in MAGYAR HIREK, a journal sponsored by the government, contained detailed explanations for the new legislation. The columnist referred extensively to the research of Jeno Sarkany, who had presented evidence considered conclusive by the government, that artificially induced abortions predisposed to premature births in subsequent pregnancies. ******* His study of perinatal and infant morbidity statistics revealed a striking increase in physically and/or mentally handicapped babies among those born to mothers who had had a "therapeutic" abortion previously. Apparently, this unforeseen social burden outweighed the benefits on economic pressures of free abortion, and the government, while emphasizing the unchanged importance of population control, felt compelled to repeal its abortions laws." [1] ******* The new Hungarian abortion restrictions went into affect in January 1974, less than 12 full months after the U.S. Supreme Court 'Roe v Wade' decision. Barriers to access, required counseling, and other factors have reduced the abortion rate in Hungary from a high of 57 percent of pregnancies in 1969 to 38 percent in 2000. [2] The long-term effect of a decreasing abortion rate on pregnancy outcome should be monitored. ******* 1 Iffy L. Letter. Obstet Gynecol 1975;45:115-116. Citing: Kovacs J: Nepesedespolitikank nehany kerdese: A kulong utodokert. Magyar Hirek 1973:26;10. ******* 2 Johnston WR. Historical abortion statistics, Hungary. Available at: http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-hungary.html. Accessed April 23, 2003.> ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 33 BIRTH TRENDS IN AMERICA ******* from Center for Disease Controel/NCHS Press Office, 301) 458-4800 ******* WASHINGTON, June 25 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The U.S. birth rate fell to the lowest level since national data have been available, reports the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) birth statistics released today by HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. Secretary Thompson also noted that the rate of teen births fell to a new record low, continuing a decline that began in 1991. ******* The birth rate was 13.9 per 1,000 persons in 2002, a decline of 1 percent from the rate of 14.1 per 1,000 in 2001 and down 17 percent from the recent peak in 1990 (16.7 per 1,000), according to a new CDC report, "Births: Preliminary Data for 2002." The current low birth rate primarily reflects the smaller proportion of women of childbearing age in the U.S. population, as baby boomers age and Americans are living longer. ******* There has also been a recent downturn in the birth rate for women in the peak childbearing ages. Birth rates for women in their 20s and early 30s were generally down while births to older mothers (35-44) were still on the rise. Rates were stable for women over 45. ******* Birth rates among teenagers were down in 2002, continuing a decline that began in 1991. The birth rate fell to 43 births per 1,000 females 15-19 years of age in 2002, a 5-percent decline from 2001 and a 28- percent decline from 1990. The decline in the birth rate for younger teens, 15-17 years of age, is even more substantial, dropping 38 percent from 1990 to 2002 compared to a drop of 18 percent for teens 18-19. ******* "The reduction in teen pregnancy has clearly been one of the most important public health success stories of the past decade," Secretary Thompson said. "The fact that this decline in teen births is continuing represents a significant accomplishment." ******* More than one fourth of all children born in 2002 were delivered by cesarean; the total cesarean delivery rate of 26.1 percent was the highest level ever reported in the United States. The number of cesarean births to women with no previous cesarean birth jumped 7 percent and the rate of vaginal births after previous cesarean delivery dropped 23 percent. The cesarean delivery rate declined during the late 1980s through the mid-1990s but has been on the rise since 1996. ******* Among other significant findings: ******* -- In 2002, there were 4,019,280 births in the United States, down slightly from 2001 (4,025,933). ******* -- The percent of low birth weight babies (infants born weighing less than 2,500 grams) increased to 7.8 percent, up from 7.7 percent in 2001 and the highest level in more than 30 years. In addition, the percent of pre-term births (infants born at less than 37 weeks of gestation) increased slightly over 2001, from 11.9 percent to 12 percent. ******* -- More than one-third of all births were to unmarried women. The birth rate for unmarried women was down slightly in 2002 to 43.6 per 1,000 unmarried women, reflecting the growing number of unmarried women in the population. ******* -- Access to prenatal care continued a slow and steady increase. In 2002, 83.8 percent of women began receiving prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy, up from 83.4 percent in 2001 and 75.8 percent in 1990. ******* Data on births are based on information reported on birth certificates filed in state vital statistics offices and reported to CDC through the National Vital Statistics System. ******* The report is available on CDC's National Center for Health Statistics web site at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs. ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 34 ANALYSIS OF "BIRTH TRENDS IN AMERICA", PARTICULARLY AS THEY PERTAIN TO ABORTION ******* From: [email protected] ******* Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2003 05:37:45 EDT ******* Subject: U.S. Birth Rate Falls To Lowest Level & Preterm Births at Highest Level ******* Dear Friends: ******* The ... report out of Washington should bring about anxiety attacks to those who are planning to retire in 10-15 years. With 30% of all children killed in their mother's womb, then naturally the workforce is down 30%. Just where does this loss of SS contributions come from? Will the retirement age be raised to 70-75% years as proposed in Europe? ******* I think a good idea would be that all the people who subscribed to the proposition that women should have the right to have their unborn child killed, should be on the receiving end of lower social security benefits and all who honored the sanctity of human life to get their promised share. ******* After all, why should pro-lifers, who had nothing to do with the decimated workforce and on the contrary tried to save the lives of children, be punished. ******* We were told, "Man reaps what he sows." ****** So, it is only fair that only those who did the sowing, reap their satanic benefits. The "Party of Death" (Democratic) should bear the responsibility. ******* Another thing that caught my attention in the report was that the percentage of low birth weight babies (infants born weighing less than 2,500 grams) increased to 7.8 percent, up from 7.7 percent in 2001 and the highest level in more than 30 years. ******* What happened 30 years ago? Of course, the Roe v Wade decision in 1973 that legalized the killing of unborn children. ******* When a child is killed in the mother's womb, there is ALWAYS damage to the cervix and endometrium. (inner lining of the womb) When the cervix is dilated with instruments, this is not natural. The cervix is being stretched. There will be some tearing and bleeding, either microscopic or visual -- depending on the size of the child and the skill of the doctor. I can tell you right now that the best doctors do not have to resort to the killing of unborn children to make a living. ******* The scraping of the endometrium causes damage and will heal with scar tissue formation. At times even punctured, leading to death. ******* Is it any wonder that many woman cannot maintain a subsequent pregnancy to term, with an incompetent cervix and scarring in the womb. That is if the woman was not made sterile by the abortion. ******* So, the increased rate of preterm babies should come as no surprise, as should the increased rate of miscarriages. So far there have been 50 studies on record finding that abortions increase the risk of preterm babies in subsequent pregnancies. It's only common sense. ******* Below term weight (BTW), these babies of low birth weight are more prone to develop physical and mental problems, including cerebral palsy. Would you believe that this IRREFUTABLE risk is not told to the patient prior to the abortion. If only the public knew, there would be law suits galore. But, they don't know about the breast cancer risk either. ******* Go figure it. This in a country where lawyers want to sue fast food chains because their clients are getting obese. ******* Frank Joseph MD ******* [email protected] ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 35 NORTH DAKOTA COURT WILL HEAR ABORTION-BREAST CANCER LAWSUIT ******* From: The Pro-Life Infonet ******* Reply-To: Steven Ertelt ******* Source: Fargo Forum, Pro-Life Infonet; May 28, 2003 ******* Fargo, ND -- The North Dakota Supreme Court will take up the question of the link between abortion and breast cancer next month. The appeal will be argued June 18. ******* Amy Jo (Mattson) Kjolsrud is a former Fargo resident who was living in Louisiana when her lawsuit was tried before a Fargo district judge in March 2002. ******* Her lawsuit contended that the Red River Womens Clinic abortion facility misled women considering abortions because its brochure said that having an abortion does not increase the likelihood of getting breast cancer later in life. ******* Kjolsrud said numerous studies showed there is a link and wanted the abortion business to change the information it distributed. A pro-life advocate who distributed crisis spregnancy information outside the abortion facility, she filed the lawsuit in 1999. ******* East Central District Judge Michael McGuire ruled at the end of the trial that the abortion business did not deceive or mislead patients. He said trial testimony showed there are conflicting studies and "the issue seems to be in a state of flux." He later ordered her to pay $34,000 of Red River's fees for defending itself. ******* Kjolsrud announced the appeal soon after the trial. ******* The abortion business has counter-appealed to the high court because it disputes McGuires ruling before the trial that Kjolsrud does have standing to sue. They wanted her suit dismissed and said McGuire erred. Kjolsrud suffered no injury or threat of injury from the clinic and had never seen the advertisements she alleged to be untrue when she sued, Red River says in its brief. ******* Joel Brind, a professor of human biology and endocrinology at the City University of New York, testified during the original trial. Brind was the lead author of a 1996 "comprehensive review and meta-analysis" of the worldwide medical literature on the abortion-breast cancer link. It was published by the British Medical Association and showed that most studies confirmed the link. ******* According to Brind, the link between abortion and breast cancer is explained by the hormonal disruption that occurs when a woman has an abortion. ******* Experts for the defense disagree, but attorney for the plaintiff, John Kindley said there clearly is evidence of an established link. Of the studies done on this topic, a majority indicate a relative risk of developing breast cancer for women who have had an abortion. ******* "Clearly there is evidence of a direct relationship," Kindley said ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 36 MARCH OF DIMES IGNORES ABORTION-PREMATURE BIRTH LINK ******* Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2003 02:34:38 EDT ******* From: "Steven Ertelt" ******* To: "LifeNews.com Report" LifeNews.com Report ******* Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The March of Dimes, an organization that prides itself on working to eliminate handicaps in children, is ignoring the link between abortion and premature births, according to the Elliot Institute, which researches the physical and psychological effects of abortion. The pro-life organization accuses the March of Dimes of trying to cover up the fact that women who have had abortions need to be especially vigilant in receiving adequate prenatal care in subsequent pregnancies. The March of Dimes has removed information from its website about the risk of premature birth following abortion. Previously, the website had included a statement that women with a history of three or more miscarriages or abortions may be at higher risk of premature delivery. In actuality, the risk of premature birth increases after only one induced abortion, according to the Elliot Institute. http://www.lifenews.com/nat65.html ******************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 37 STUDY: UP TO 50% OF BREAST CANCER CASES CAUSED BY ABORTION ******* LONDON, December 5, 2001 (LSN.ca) - A study in Britain has found that abortion makes women nearly twice as likely to suffer from breast cancer, reports the Scotsman. Life, a UK pro-life group which commissioned the Populations and Pensions Research Institution (PAPRI) to undertake the study, said that as many as 22,000 women residents of England and Wales could have developed breast cancer because they obtained legal abortions. ******* PAPRI, an independent group of statisticians, looked at breast cancer and abortion rates in Britain, Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic suggests that up to 50 per cent of breast cancer cases in England and Wales over the next 26 years will be "attributable to abortion". Patrick Carroll, researcher and author of the study, said the total number of breast cancer cases is expected to more than double from 35,110 in 1997 to 77,000 in 2023. The rise is "largely" because of abortions carried out on women who have not yet had a baby, he said. Life accuses the British government, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and breast cancer charities of refusing to acknowledge that procured abortion makes breast cancer more likely. Professor Joel Brind, of New York's City University and director of the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute in New York, spoke at the release of the study saying, "Women are at risk and they do not really know about it." ******* PAPRI can be contacted via [email protected] ******* See the coverage in The Scotsman: http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/uk.cfm?id=127145 ******* (with files from SPUC News Digest) ******************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 38 FRENCH DOCTORS TO STRIKE OVER RULING ON "RIGHT" NOT TO BE BORN ******* PARIS, December 5, 2001 (LSN.ca) - Top prenatal doctors in France pledged to strike due to a decision by the country's top court last week, which held that when doctors fail to detect deformities in unborn disabled children and do not suggest abortion to their parents, the doctors are liable for compensation. In a letter to the daily Le Monde, 11 specialists at eight hospitals said that from January 1 they would refuse to carry out any ultrasounds and other tests that can show whether an unborn child has any abnormalities. Reuters reports that the doctors hoped many others would join them and pledged to continue the strike until the law was altered. ******* "(The ruling) encourages doctors to worry about their own protection rather than that of their patient," said the letter. "It is impossible for us now to perform our work, which moreover will become uninsurable very soon." The decision last week reaffirmed a decision of the court made earlier this year. At the time doctors said the fear of being sued for a mis-diagnosis would encourage them to recommend abortions at the smallest hint of a disability. "The ruling means that the handicapped have no place in our society," said Yves Richard, a lawyer representing the medical profession. "There is a real risk of this starting a process that ends with the search for the perfect child." ******* Reuters reports that Jean-Francois Mattei, a doctor and Liberal member of parliament, has drawn up a bill to amend the law making it impossible to seek compensation for having been born. Disability groups and the national Ethics Committee have criticized the court's decision. ******* See the Reuters coverage at: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011204/hl/disabled_1.html ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 39 WOMAN DIES FOLLOWING USE OF RU 486 ABORTION DRUG ******* Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2003 14:13:30 EDT ******* Subject: LifeNews.com Report 9/20/03 #3073 ******* From: "Steven Ertelt" ******* LifeNews.com Report ******* Saturday, September 20, 2003 ******* Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A California woman died shortly after taking the dangerous RU 486 abortion drug she received from a local Planned Parenthood. Local officials are investigating the death of Holly Patterson, 18, who died Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. She received the abortion drugs from Planned Parenthood on September 10 to cause an abortion of her seven-week unborn child. Holly's father Monty Patterson said his daughter went to a Planned Parenthood in Hayward, California, on Wednesday of last week. Holly began taking the abortion drugs on Saturday. She lived with her father and did not tell him about the pregnancy. "On Sunday, she was crying and crying, and she told me she was having cramps, that she had a bad period," Monty told the Chronicle. He said he only learned of her pregnancy hours before she died. Between the time Holly took the abortion drugs and her death, she was in severe pain, bleeding heavily and was unable to walk. Her boyfriend took her to a local medical center on Sunday. Holly was given painkillers and released. Holly then went to a local hospital overnight on Tuesday and by Wednesday afternoon she was dead. ******* http://www.lifenews.com/nat123.html ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 40 TEXAS TO WARN OF ACP (AORTIION/CEREBRAL PALSY) RISK ******* From: [email protected] ******* Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2003 06:25:06 EST ******* [Press Release] 27 December 2003 ******* Texas first state to warn of ACP (Abortion CEREBRAL PALSY) ******* Source: Brent Rooney, Reduce Preterm Risk Coalition (Vancouver, Canada) ******* As of December 2003 the Texas Department of Health became the first U.S. state to inform women that elective abortions boost their risk of delivering a future newborn with the brain damage condition known as CEREBRAL PALSY: [ www.tdh.state.tx.us "A Woman's Right to Know" (page 17)] ******* "Some large studies have reported a doubling of the risk of premature birth in later pregnancy if a woman has had two induced abortions...." This website also informs women that CEREBRAL PALSY (a brain injury malady) risk is increased in preterm newborn. I.E. The Texas Health Department has linked prior induced abortions (IA's) to higher risk of babies with CEREBRAL PALSY. By Texas law all women visiting IA clinics in 2004 will receive the booklet "A Woman's Right to Know", which lists IA health risks, including breast cancer and future preterm deliveries. Jana Huband and Allan Parker of the Texas Justice Foundation presented the Texas Health Department with convincing evidence of the preterm birth risk of induced abortions. Pre-term births also raise the risk of a newborn dying before age 1 year. ******* To state the obvious, CP scares the 'H' out of doctors. In Texas the ABC risk can be interpreted by some courts as meaning that elective IAs are contraindicated. Legally, this means the odds of winning an ACP claim are boosted. Lawyers may consider Texas to be fertile grounds for ABC/APB law suits; (ABC = Abortion Breast Cancer, APB = Abortion Pre-term Birth) ******* [ www.tdh.state.tx.us "A Woman's Right to Know" (page 17)] ******* To see the overwhelming evidence for the APB medical risk, visit www.jpands.org/vol8no2/rooney.pdf and for an excellent overall perspective on the health risks of induced abortion, read the book Women's Health after Abortion ( order via www.deveber.org ). ******* Cheers, Brent Rooney (Research Director),Reduce Preterm Risk Coalition Vancouver, Canada ******* email: [email protected] ******* web: www.vcn.bc.ca/~whatsup ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 41 MAKE THE CONNECTION ******* Date: December 3, 2001 ******* News - The Daily Illini Online.htm ******* From: John Hof ******* As a cancer survivor, I testified in support of Senator Patrick O'Malley's resolution (SR 8) calling for an investigation of the abortion-breast cancer link. Twenty-eight of 37 studies published since 1957 found increased risk (www.AbortionBreastCancer.com). Gubernatorial hopeful Corinne Wood, a breast cancer spokeswoman, testified women should remain in the dark about the research because those who've had abortions would feel "guilty." What does she think women have to feel guilty about? ******* Breast cancer rates climbed 40 percent since legalization in 1973. Isn't it odd that American women weren't told then that scientists were studying evidence that abortion induces breast cells to become vulnerable to cancer? ******* Medical experts agree abortion causes breast cancer in a second way yet women aren't being told that either. Endocrinologist Joel Brind said, "Research shows that even a one year's delay of the first full-term pregnancy results in an increased risk of death from breast cancer about 10 times greater than the death rate associated with childbirth, which has been estimated by the American Medical Association at 9.l maternal deaths per 100,000 live births." Married women shouldn't postpone a first full-term pregnancy for this reason. ******* The first tobacco study was published in 1928, but it was 1966 before Congress required warnings on cigarette packages. Must we repeat the same mistake? Abortion has been aggressively marketed, like tobacco. The industry's politicians, paid experts and supporters have struggled, like tobacco executives, to suppress the truth for almost a half-century. ******* Karen Malec, president, Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 42 TEXAS WARNS OF ABORTION-CEREBRAL PALSY LINK ******* From: [email protected] and WorldNetDaily ******* Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 06:26:42 EST ******* Texas becomes 1st state to tell women of procedure's connection to disease. ******* Posted: December 30, 2003 1:00 a.m. Eastern � 2003 WorldNetDaily.com ******* The state of Texas is now informing women considering an abortion that the procedure boosts the risk of delivering a future baby with cerebral palsy. ******* According to the Reduce Preterm Risk Coalition in Vancouver, Canada, Texas is the first state in the nation to officially make such a warning. ******* A state law, the Woman's Right to Know Act, requires all doctors to make available certain information to women contemplating an abortion. Included is the booklet "A Woman's Right to Know," published by the Texas Department of Health, which contains the warning about cerebral palsy and other diseases for which premature babies are at high risk. ******* "Some large studies have reported a doubling of the risk of premature birth in later pregnancy if a woman has had two induced abortions," the booklet reads. "The same studies report an 800 percent increase in the risk of extremely early premature births for a woman who has experienced four or more induced abortions. Very premature babies, who have the highest risk of death, also have the highest risk for lasting disabilities, such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, lung and gastrointestinal problems, and vision and hearing loss." ******* Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during fetal development or during infancy. It affects movement and posture. ******* The Texas booklet also mentions the established link between abortion and breast cancer: ******* "Your chances of getting breast cancer are affected by your pregnancy history. If you have carried a pregnancy to term as a young woman, you may be less likely to get breast cancer in the future. However, you do not get the same protective effect if your pregnancy is ended by an abortion. The risk may be higher if your first pregnancy is aborted." ******* As WorldNetDaily reported, scientists authoring a study examining a variety of physical and psychological consequences associated with abortion have recommended women be informed about the abortion-breast cancer link. ******* Dr. John M. Thorpe, an epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina's School of Public Health, and his colleagues called for physicians to inform women about increased breast cancer risk associated with induced abortion and about the existence of research examining abortion as an independent risk factor for breast cancer. ******* "A young woman with an unintended pregnancy clearly sacrifices the protective effect of a term delivery should she decide to abort and delay childbearing," wrote the authors. "Thus, we conclude that informed consent before induced abortion should include information about the subsequent risk of preterm delivery and depression." ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 43 BRITISH GOVERNMENT: TWO WOMEN DIED AFTER TAKING RU 486 ABORTION DRUG ******* Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2004 02:19:50 EST ******* From: "Steven Ertelt" ******* London, England (LifeNews.com) -- Over the weekend, the British government announced that two women died after taking the dangerous abortion drug RU 486, also known as mifepristone. Melanie Johnson, a British public health official, admitted that the Committee on Safety of Medicines has received information about two women who died following using the abortion drug, which has been legal in the U.K. since 1991. Johnson made the information available in a reply to an inquiry from Jim Dobbin, a member of the British parliament from the Labor Party and the chairman of the Parliamentary all-party Pro-Life group. She said the committee had received two reports of "suspected fatal reactions in association with the use of Mifegyne [RU-486]." No other information about the women's deaths was made available, including when the women died. Nuala Scarisbrick of the British pro-life group LIFE believes it is likely that the abortion drugs caused the women's deaths and that other deaths may not have come to light yet. "I hope this tragic news serves as a warning to women about just how dangerous these powerful drugs are," Scarisbrick said in a statement. ******* http://www.lifenews.com/intl43.html ******* For news updated throughout the day, visit www.LifeNews.com ********************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 44 ELLIOT INSTITUTE: MORE STUDIES DOCUMENT ABORTION'S DANGERS ******* Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 22:12:14 -0800 ******* From: "Elliot Institute News" ******* Springfield, IL -- The evidence that abortion has negative effects on women, men, siblings, and society grows with every passing year. The most comprehensive and current resource for tracking the latest medical findings on abortion complications is the ongoing bibliography "Detrimental Effects of Abortion: An Annotated Bibliography with Commentary." ******* The 2003 supplement to "Detrimental Effects of Abortion" is now being made available to the public free of charge. The supplement contains 59 new entries covering studies on topics such as depression, psychiatric hospitalization, substance abuse, repeat abortions, cancer, ectopic pregnancy, reproductive complications, and other problems after abortion. Included in the supplement are summaries of the latest Elliot Institute studies that have been published in peer- reviewed medical journals. ******* The complete 2001 edition of "Detrimental Effects of Abortion" is a 336-page bibliography with more than 1,200 entries to studies related to abortion complications and abortion decision-making. The first supplement was published in the fall of 2002. Both supplements, which add about 10 percent to the number of entries in the main volume, are available as free downloads from ******* "Those who download the supplements will quickly see why 'Detrimental Effects of Abortion' should be in every library in the country," said Amy Sobie, a spokeswoman for the Elliot Institute, which is the publisher of the series. "Many women considering an abortion rightly wonder what it involves and will look for books in their school or community library. 'Detrimental Effects of Abortion' will catch their attention and quickly show them what the medical literature really reveals, before it is filtered or distorted by poor-choice advocates." ******* Entries in the book and supplements include summaries of key research findings to assist women, men, families, students, speakers, pro-life activists, medical and mental health professionals, clergy, and post-abortion counselors to quickly understand the most current literature and find the most relevant sources for more complete information. ******* The editor of "Detrimental Effects of Abortion," Thomas W. Strahan, recently died from a heart attack. The second supplement includes a tribute to Strahan by noted post-abortion researcher Dr. David Reardon, who calls Strahan a "hidden giant" because of his contributions to documenting the harm abortion has done to women, men, children and society. ******* Readers can find more information on the complete printed or electronic versions of "Detrimental Effects of Abortion" and download both supplements at ******* Learn more about post-abortion issues at our web site: http://www.afterabortion.org ******************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 45 MAN REAPS WHAT HE SOWS (Major Industrial Nations Unprepared for Coming Population Aging and Labour Shortage - The long-term price of aborting, contracepting, sexual revolution culture) ******* From: [email protected] ******* Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 03:51:42 EST ******* DAVOS, Switzerland, January 28, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A new report by the World Economic Forum in partnership with Watson Wyatt Worldwide has once again confirmed the coming population crisis that is to affect industrialized nations. The International Pension Readiness Report, released in time for the January 21-25, 2004 World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, underscores the disastrous effect that falling fertility rates are having throughout most of the world. Although a world-wide phenomenon, low fertility rates and a consequent decrease in labour force growth are especially alarming among industrialized nations. ******* Whereas the South-East Asia and Indian labour force will continue to grow in the next 30 years, the EU will see a decline in the labour force population from 208.7 million in 2000 to 151.2 million in 2050. During the same period, meanwhile, the number of people over the age of 60 in the EU will climb from 82.1 million to 125.1 million. Japan, with one of the world's lowest fertility rates, would have to increase its immigration rate 11-fold in order to maintain its labour force population. ******* The pension systems of the major industrialized nations will also be undermined, as a decimated labour force population combined with increased numbers of retirees cripples the countries' ability to afford pensions. For example, active workers in Italy will be outnumbered by retirees by 2030. ******* As for economic productivity, the EU's share of total global output will shrink by nearly half from today's 18 percent to ten percent in 2050, whereas Japan's share would decline by half from eight percent to four percent in the same period. ******* Richard Samans of the World Economic Forum said that "Economic output is determined by labour force growth and productivity rates. In countries with significant projected labour shortages, the supply of goods and services may not meet demand and standards of living." ******* Some of the solutions proposed in the report include: increased immigration; an extension of the retirement age; encouraging more women and younger workers to enter the workplace; and the export of capital and labour to other parts of the world where there are larger labour forces. ******* Sadly, no suggestion is made for incentives to encourage couples to have larger families. Nor is the abortion issue mentioned. In Canada alone since 1970, enough children have been killed through abortion to populate the city of Toronto. This figure does not take into account the much larger number of chemical and intrauterine abortions induced through the birth control pill (also an abortifacient) and intrauterine devices. ******* Sylvester Schieber, director of research at Watson Wyatt and co-author of the report, said that "[These] demographic changes present enormous challenges for developed countries." ******* See the detailed, full Watson Wyatt report at http://www.watsonwyatt.com/news/featured/wef/ ******* Read the related LifeSiteNews.com coverage of one incentive for an increased birth rate in Italy at: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/dec/03120307.html ******* Also read the related LifeSiteNews.com newsbyte which reveals that the number of people age 65 and older in the world has more than tripled over the past half-century at: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2001/dec/011217.html ******************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 46 MATERNAL MORTALITY 3 TIMES HIGHER AFTER ABORTION - AJOG STUDY ******* Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2004 22:43:14 UT ******* From: "Elliot Institute" ******* 13-YEAR POPULATION STUDY IN PUBLISHED IN TOP OB/GYN JOURNAL ******* Springfield, IL -- A study of pregnancy-associated deaths published in the latest issue of the "American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology" (AJOG) has found that the mortality rate associated with abortion is 2.95 times higher than that associated with pregnancies carried to term. The study included the entire population of women 15 to 49 years of age in Finland between 1987 and 2000. The researchers linked birth and abortion records to death certificates. ******* The annual death rate of women who had abortion in the previous year was also 46% higher than that of non-pregnant women. Women who carried to term had a significantly lower death rate than non-pregnant women. Non-pregnant women had 57.0 deaths per 100,000, compared to 28.2 for women who carried to term, 51.9 for women who miscarried, and 83.1 for women who had abortions. The authors, led by Mika Gissler of Finland's National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, concluded that pregnancy contributes to a healthy effect on women. ******* The study also revealed the difficulties involved in identifying direct and indirect effects of pregnancy on subsequent deaths. An examination of deaths from natural causes that were identified as "not pregnancy related" revealed that women who had abortions were significantly more likely (1.7 times) to die from natural causes that were not attributed to pregnancy on the death certificates. They were also 6.3 times more likely to die from violent causes. ******* This is the second record-based study to be published in the last eighteen months to show that the death rates following abortion are significantly higher than those associated with birth. The other study, published in the a "Southern Medical Journal," linked death records to Medi-Cal payments for births and abortions for approximately 173,000 low income Californian women. In that study, the researchers discovered that women who had abortions were almost twice as likely to die in the following two years and that the elevated mortality rate of aborting women persisted over at least eight years. # # # Citing: ******* Gissler M, Berg C, Bouvier-Colle MH, Buekens P. Pregnancy-associated mortality after birth, spontaneous abortion or induced abortion in Finland, 1987-2000. Am J Ob Gyn 2004; 190:422-427. ******* Reardon DC, Ney PG, Scheuren F, Cougle J, Coleman PK, Strahan TW. Deaths associated with pregnancy outcome: a record linkage study of low income women. South Med J 2002 Aug;95(8):834-41. ******************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 47 ABORTION CONTRIBUTES TO INCREASED SUICIDE RATES AMONG YOUNG WOMEN ******* Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 11:46:52 EST ******* From: "Steven Ertelt" and "LifeNews.com Report" ******* Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A disturbing new report from the National Institute of Health finds that not only are girls and young women more likely to think about committing suicide, they're much more likely to follow through. Dr. David Reardon, director of the Elliot Institute, says abortion is partly to blame for the increase. "Given the fact that more than half of all women having abortions are under the age of 25, and more than 20 percent of women having abortions are teenagers, the increased suicide rate among teens and young women is sadly not a surprise," Reardon said. An Elliot Institute study published in August 2003 edition of the Southern Medical Journal found that women who had abortions were seven times more likely to commit suicide than women who gave birth. ******* http://www.lifenews.com/nat359.html ******* For news updated throughout the day, visit www.LifeNews.com ******************************************************************************************************************* ******* item 48 SWEDEN: TRAGIC RU 486 DEATH ******* From: "John Hof" ******* Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2004 10:26:46 -0800 ******* ----- Original Message ----- ******* From: "Pro-Life E-News" ******* Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 9:27 AM ******* A young woman has died recently from an RU 486 abortion in the Swedish west coast city of Uddevalla. ******* She was seven weeks and two days pregnant and is reported to have chosen to have a RU 486 abortion. One week after the meeting with the gynecologist, she returned to the hospital to take three 200 mg Mifegyne pills. Two days later she returned and received two 0,2 mg pills of Cytotec (Misoprostol) ******* She took the "medicine" at 8.25 am. She was reported to have been very tired, felt sick and slept most of the time. Bleeding started in the afternoon at 3 pm and the patient received pain medication. At 4.30 pm the patient was able to return home after a "big blob" had "come out". A follow-up visit one month later was scheduled as she left the hospital. ******* Two days later a nurse tried to contact the woman by phone, but failed. Six days later, the woman was found dead in her home. The country coroner's report concluded that she had died as a result of blood loss following a chemically induced abortion. ******* These facts are excerpts from a report by the National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden. The Board also wrote in their report, "A young woman bled to death as a direct consequence of the treatment." ******* The National Board of Health and Welfare has so far declined to provide information about her exact age. ******* For further information regarding the case, please contact the National Board of Health and Welfare. Phone: +46 8 555 530 00. The Board may be contacted at [email protected]. Their website (English menu) can be found at http://www.sos.se/sosmenye.htm ******* For pro-life comments on abortion in Sweden, contact Johan Lundell, Executive Director of JA till Livet +46 18 12 71 09 (JA till Livet office) +46 707 88 06 88 (cell phone) [email protected]/Johan Lundell, JA till Livet ******* JA till Livet ******* Box 6525 ******* S-751 38 Uppsala ******* phone: +46 18 12 71 09 ******* fax: +46 18 12 55 34 ******* E-mail: [email protected] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Copying of this material is free for non-commercial educational and research use. Unless explicitly stated, copyright of this material is owned by the author and/or sponsoring organization, and/or newswire services. *********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 49 15 YEAR OLD DETROIT GIRL DIES FROM BOTCHED SECOND TRIMESTER ABORTION ******* From: [email protected] and http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/mar/04031102.html ******* Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 ******* DETROIT, MI, March 11, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A 15-year-old in a Detroit suburb died January 8 as a result of a second trimester abortion. News of the death has not been published anywhere except a minor mention on a local Fox station. ******* Dr. Leigh Hlavaty performed an autopsy on 15-year-old Tamia Russell on January 9. Dr. Hlavaty told a local registered nurse and pro-life activist who contacted LifeSiteNews.com that the girl's death was caused by "uterine infarction with sepsis due to status second trimester abortion." She ruled the death as "normal." The doctor explained, "I ruled it normal because these complications are expected with this type of abortion." ******* The case is complicated by the fact that Russell's boyfriend was 24 and in Michigan that constitutes statutory rape. Moreover, the boyfriend's sister took Russell in for the abortion without the knowledge of Russell's parents. Michigan law requires parental notification for abortions for minors under 18. ******* Tamia's family told Fox that they did not even know their daughter was six months pregnant. The family is outraged over the incident and are blaming the abortionist at the Woman Care Clinic in Lanthrup Village for their daughter's death. Michigan pro-life activist Ann Norton told LifeSiteNews.com that the abortionist in question is Alberto Hotari. ******* Local police, and the attorney general are reportedly investigating the case however phone calls to the local police department were not returned by press time. Michigan Right to Life told LifeSiteNews.com they are following the case closely. ******* LifeSiteNews.com called the Woman Care Clinic to ask for a comment. After being put on hold for an excessive period of time, a woman who did not wish to be named said, "I'm sorry to tell you that because of all the privacy rules in effect, we cannot reveal any information." *********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 50 SWEDISH TEEN BLEEDS TO DEATH AFTER USING RU 486 ABORTION DRUG ******* Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 ******* From: "Steven Ertelt" and "LifeNews.com Report" ******* Stockholm, Sweden (LifeNews.com) -- Another teenager has died as a result of taking the dangerous RU 486 abortion drug, this time in Sweden. Just months after California teenager Holly Patterson died following taking the abortion pill, an 18 year-old Swedish girl has bled to death after receiving the drug at a local hospital. The girl, from western Sweden, was seven weeks pregnant at the time, and was given the abortion drug, which is called Mifegyne in the Scandinavian country. Unlike in the case of Holly Patterson, the Swedish girl was kept at the facility for eight hours for observation to make sure no excessive bleeding occurred. Patterson was given the abortion drug by a Planned Parenthood facility to take at home with no medical supervision. Two days later, a nurse attempted to check up on the teenager but could not reach her. Six days later, authorities discovered the girl at home dead. There is no word on whether the teen lived by herself or with anyone else. ******* http://www.lifenews.com/nat377.html ******* For news updated throughout the day, visit www.LifeNews.com *********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 51 A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT? BY JILL STANEK ******* From: [email protected] ******* Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 04:58:41 EST ******* Dear Friends, ******* Isn't it amazing that women's right to know is trumpeted by everyone for every conceivable surgery except for one -- ABORTIONS. Yet, it is this surgery that results in the most complications, both physical and mental. ******* It is better for women to suffer and die rather than tell them the truth, is the mindset of the abortion industry and their backers -- all those who go by the sugarcoated name of "pro-choice" and it's no secret where they make their home -- the "Party of Death," better known as the Democratic party, which is beholding to the abortion industry for LARGE contributions. ******* Frank Joseph MD ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. http://www.illinoisleader.com/columnists/columnistsview.asp?c=13117 ******* By Jill Stanek ([email protected]) ******* "Consents to abortions in Illinois are appallingly void of substance. Compare an Illinois abortion consent to an Illinois animal surgery consent".... ******* Mothers who abort are twice as likely to have a subsequent pre-term delivery, compared to mothers who carry to term. ******* This is just one of thousands of the detrimental effects of abortion... that some members of the Illinois General Assembly don't want women to know. ******* OPINION -- The Illinois House Human Services Committee held a hearing March 4 on a bill that would have required abortionists to inform mothers of the detrimental effects of abortion. ******* The Woman's Right to Know Act, sponsored by Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Wheaton), failed by a vote of 8-1. Rep. Patti Bellock (R-Westmont) was the sole committee member expressing concern by her vote for the physical and psychological safety of Illinois women. ******* Looking at it objectively, particularly in this day and age when informed consents are priorities in health care, there is no reason for any legislator to say no to full disclosure about abortion unless he or she receives money or help from the abortion industry at election time. ******* Abortion has been legal for over 30 years, so there is a wealth of knowledge of its negative effects if legislators would dare to abandon ignorance for awareness. Studies and statistics indisputably show that abortion harms women from every health angle imaginable. ******* Abortion is also the most common elective surgical procedure performed in the United States. Its nearest competitor is gall bladder surgery. Doctors surgically remove and dispose of about 500,000 gall bladders each year. Abortionists surgically remove and dispose of about 1.3 million babies each year. ******* You'd think legislators would care. But to do so would be to stop scratching the back of the abortion industry. Planned Parenthood, the National Organization for Women, the ACLU, and NARAL all battle "Woman's Right to Know" legislation everywhere it's introduced, and all either control the lucrative abortion industry or financially benefit from it. ******* Consents to abortions in Illinois are appallingly void of substance. Compare this to an animal surgery consent from an Illinois veterinary clinic. Even animal surgical consents are more informative than abortion consents, plus only adults over the age of 18 are allowed to sign them. ******* We care more about the health and safety of Illinois animals than Illinois girls. A 10-year-old in Illinois isn't responsible enough to sign for dog surgery, but according to the Illinois General Assembly she is responsible enough to sign for an abortion. Perhaps that is why abortion consents are so simple - easy for children to read. ******* In states where sane legislators truly care about the health and safety of girls and women, as opposed to the money their abortions bring in, an abortion consent would contain the following information. This comes from the Elliot Institute, located coincidentally in Springfield, a leading authority on the effects of abortion. The Elliot Institute has compiled a 261-page book called The Detrimental Effects of Abortion, which lists hundreds of post-abortion studies and their results. This book has a 24-page supplement of studies completed during 2002 and a 23-page supplement for the year 2003. ******* HIGH RISK OF DEATH ******* Compared to women who carry to term, women who have abortions are: ******* 3.5 times more likely to die in the following year ******* 1.6 times more likely to die of natural causes ******* 7 times more likely to die of suicide ******* 4 times more likely to die of injuries related to accidents ******* 14 times more likely to die from homicide ******* The leading causes of abortion-related maternal deaths within a week of the procedure are hemorrhage, infection, embolism, anesthesia, and undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies. ******* IMMEDIATE COMPLICATIONS ******* About 10 percent suffer immediate complications, of which about one-fifth are life-threatening: ******* infection ******* embolism ******* ripping or perforation of the uterus ******* convulsions ******* cervical injury ******* fever ******* chronic abdominal pain ******* gastro-intestinal disturbances ******* excessive bleeding ******* anesthesia complications ******* hemorrhage ******* endotoxic shock ******* second degree burns ******* vomiting ******* Rh sensitization ******* INFERTILITY AND OTHER REPRODUCTIVE RISKS ******* Placenta previa: After abortion, there is a seven- to 15-fold increase in placenta previa in subsequent pregnancies. Abnormal development of the placenta due to uterine damage increases the risk of birth defects, stillbirth, and excessive bleeding during labor. ******* LABOUR COMPLICATIONS ******* Women who had one, two, or more previous induced abortions are, respectively, 1.89, 2.66, or 2.03 times more likely to have a subsequent pre-term delivery, compared to women who carry to term. Pre-term delivery increases the risk of neonatal death and handicaps. The average hospital charge from delivery to discharge for a premature birth is $58,000, compared to $4,300 for a full-term birth. ******* Women who had one, two, or more induced abortions are, respectively, 1.89, 2.61, and 2.23 times more likely to have a post-term delivery (over 42 weeks). ******* Increased risk of neonatal death and handicapped newborns in later pregnancies. Cervical and uterine damage may increase the risk of premature delivery, complications of labor, and abnormal development of the placenta in later pregnancies. These complications are the leading causes of disabilities among newborns. ******* Ectopic pregnancy: Post-abortive women have a significantly increased risk of subsequent ectopic pregnancies, which are life threatening and may result in reduced fertility. ******* Space does not permit to elaborate on other physical health risks following abortion such as cancer, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, and endometritis. ******* Space does not permit to elaborate on psychosocial risks following abortion such as increased promiscuity, smoking, drug abuse, eating disorders, and a 180% increase in doctor visits for psychosocial reasons. ******* For detailed citations of each of the above listed statistics, go to www.afterabortion.org. ******* Some will say it is incredible that the majority of our state legislators want to bury the truth about abortion. ******* But not really. ******* The bipartisan political combine in Illinois cares nothing about Illinois girls and women, only about power and money, and abortion gives them that. Let's not kid ourselves that pro-abortion legislators care about our right to "choose." They care strictly about keeping the abortion industry happy. ******* _________ What are your thoughts concerning the issues raised in this commentary? Write a letter to the editor at [email protected], and include your name and town. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JILL STANEK became a leader in the Illinois conservative movement when she fought to stop "live birth abortion" after witnessing one as an RN at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. In August 2002, President Bush asked Jill to his signing of the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. In January 2003, World Magazine named Jill one of the 30 most prominent pro-life leaders of the past 30 years. In November 2003, the White House invited Jill to President Bush's signing of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban. Jill continues to press for Illinois to become a state where unborn and newly born babies are safe. Jill is also pro-life coordinator for Concerned Women for America of Illinois and a public speaker around the country. ********************************************************************************************************************** ******* item 52 OPENING THE CASKET ON ABORTION ******* From: [email protected] Add to Address Book ******* Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 ******* By Cody Sain ******* In the summer of 1955, a young man named Emmett Till took a trip to Mississippi to visit relatives. His mother warned him of hostility toward blacks in the South, but he failed to heed her warning. In August of that year, Emmett was beaten and shot to death by two white men, and then his body was thrown in a river. His crime was speaking to a white woman in the grocery store. ******* After the body was recovered, Emmett's mother held an open-casket funeral so everyone could see the heinous crime done to her son. His face and body had been beaten beyond recognition, and he had a bullet hole through his head. This crime and the case that followed are considered by many historians to be a major turning point in the struggle for civil rights. ******* On Monday and Tuesday of this week, there are setups at Rudder Fountain and Academic Plaza by an organization called Justice for All. These setups show graphic, often difficult to look at pictures of aborted fetuses. A common question asked by passers-by is, "Why do they have to show this?" ******* At the University of Colorado-Boulder, a black student asked this question. One of the volunteers told him the story of Emmett Till. The next day he returned, asking for help to defend the pro-life movement. When asked about his sudden change of heart, he responded that Justice for All is simply "opening the casket" on abortion. ******* So, what should be seen once the casket is open? First, one should be able to decide from the pictures if the fetus is indeed an innocent human person. If it is, then the question of how, if ever, it is justifiable to end an innocent human's life must be answered. One must either conclude that there are times when it is OK to end an innocent human life or that abortion is murder and must be stopped. ******* Second, if abortion is nothing more than a simple medical procedure, then the aftermath should not be a problem to look at. If the panels contained pictures of pulled wisdom teeth or of women and men with stitches, although it might seem odd and disgusting, one would not object to this as fiercely as he might the Justice for All demonstration. ******* What is the difference? Having stitches and having teeth pulled are just mere medical procedures, but, as the Justice for All panels show, abortion involves the dismemberment of a human being. Making a trip to the local abortion clinic as being comparable to a trip to the local dentist masks the true reality of abortion; Justice for All's goal is to unmask this illusion and expose this heinous crime. ******* When the movie "Schindler's List" was released, its producers donated copies of it to high schools around the country. Faculty members acknowledged its importance in helping students understand the realities of the Holocaust. Abortion is today's Holocaust. To truly understand the horror of it all, it must be seen. ******* Bob Dylan, in "The Death of Emmett Till," wrote: "If you can't speak out against this kind of thing, a crime that's so unjust, your eyes are filled with dead men's dirt, your mind is filled with dust. Your arms and legs they must be in shackles and chains, and your blood it must refuse to flow, for you let this human race fall down so God-awful low!" These words regarding Till's death ring even clearer when spoken about abortion. The human race has truly reached a new low when it is considered just and a right to kill your own children. ******* It is true that the Justice for All display might cause unimaginable difficulties and emotional stress both for women in crisis pregnancies and those who have had abortions in the past. There are people on hand who are ready to counsel women in need. However, this does not affect the need for the display. In the case of women in crisis pregnancies, they have the right and a need to see what abortion really is. And finally, for post-abortive women (and men), acceptance is the first step to healing. Now is the time to see the truth. Now is the time to act. No longer will the caskets of aborted children be closed. ********************************************************************************************************* ******* item 53 MORE MOTHERS MURDER - By Ken O'Day ******* From: Robert A. Jason ******* Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 ******* If a man murders a child it is called by what it is: murder. He'll go to prison for it for many years, after a murder trial in which he is more likely to be found guilty than a woman would if she had murdered the child under the same circumstances. ******* If a woman murders a child, it is called infanticide. She'll be tried in court for committing infanticide, not for committing murder. She'll very likely be found not guilty, or if found guilty, be let off on a conditional sentence, which, as in the case of Danielle Blais in Montreal, will require her to attend a number of counseling sessions to help her get over the trauma of the crime she committed. But she will most likely, just like Danielle Blais, not be required to be incarcerated to serve a single day of her sentence. Danielle Blais deliberately drowned her 6-year-old autistic son in her bathtub. ******* See also http://www.gargaro.com/infanticide.html for an excellent analysis of the "dehumanization" of infants by society, as promoted by pro-abortionists. ******* The majority of child-murder victims were killed by their biological mothers (70%). Far fewer are killed by their biological fathers (6%). Not one single woman serves time in a Canadian prison for murdering her young child. ******* Infanticide � A growing epidemic . Yet, society is in denial. ******* This Land is our Land - Back Off Government. **************************************************************************************************************** item 54 NEW DETAILS EMERGE IN SHOCKING CASE OF "ABORTED" BABY BORN ALIVE - By Cheryl Sullenger ******* Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 ******* Hialeah, FL � In a case where a baby was reportedly born alive then intentionally killed by abortion clinic workers in July, prosecutions hinge on the results of a soon to be released autopsy report. ******* Facing second-degree murder charges are abortion clinic co-owners Belkis Gonzalez and Siomara Senises, who were working in the clinic on July 20 as an 18- year old girl arrived at the abortion clinic at 9:30 AM to complete a late-term abortion that had been started the previous day. Further details have surfaced as Operation Rescue has obtained a copy of the Dade County search warrant that led to the discovery of the badly decomposed body of a female baby in the later stages of gestation. ******* According to the affidavits used to obtain the search warrant, an anonymous caller notified police that a baby had been born alive at a Hialeah, Florida, abortion clinic, but was intentionally killed by Gonzalez and Senises. The first search of the clinic on July 22 yielded no remains. However, the mother�s medical records were impounded along with a blood sample obtained from a pink recliner in the recovery room where the young mother allegedly gave birth. ******* Mother tells police her baby was born alive ******* The affidavit indicated the baby�s mother, referred to as the �Complaintant,� was interviewed by police and told them that she gave birth at approximately 2:30 PM on July 20 after spending over five hours in labor at the clinic without having seen a doctor. ******* According to the affidavit, �The Complaintant observed the baby moving and gasping for air for approximately five (5) minutes. The staff began screaming that the baby was alive; at which time, Ms. Belkis Gonzalez cut the umbilical cord, threw it into a red bag with black printing. Ms. Gonzalez then swept the baby, with her hands, into the same red bag along with the gauze used during the procedure.� ******* It should be noted that neither Gonzalez nor Senises are licensed medical doctors. ******* Caustic chemical speeds decomposition ******* On July 28, during a second call, the informant told police that the baby�s body had been placed in a red plastic biohazard bag along with the caustic chemical chloride and tossed onto the roof of the clinic for the expressed purpose of causing the accelerated decomposition of the body in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence of the crime. The body lay on the roof for eight days in the sweltering Florida summer sun. ******* During that call, the informant indicated to police the baby�s body had been retrieved from the roof and was then inside the clinic. Police arrived with a search warrant and discovered by dead baby�s remains. ******* Autopsy awaited ******* Authorities await the autopsy findings that could prove the actual age of the baby and if indeed the child was born alive. In Florida, it is illegal to do abortions in clinics after 24 weeks when the baby is considered to be viable. Clinic personnel say the baby was 22 weeks gestation, but at least one pro- life source who has been closely following this case believes that the baby could have been much older based on the reported weight of the remains discovered at the abortion mill. If the baby is found to have been older than the 24-week limit, additional charges of illegal late-term abortion could be added. ******* Also anticipated in the autopsy report is any physical evidence that the baby was born alive, such as the presence of air in the lungs. However, due to the severe decomposition of the body, results may not be conclusive. ******* Possible BAIPA prosecution ******* In addition to charges of second degree murder and possible illegal abortions, Gonzalez and Senises may face the first ever prosecution under the Federal Born Alive Infants Protection Act, (BAIPA) a law passed to protect babies born alive during abortions. ******* Abortionist MIA ******* As for the abortionist who was supposed to be on duty that day, it is uncertain what charges might face him. According to reports, Haitian immigrant Pierre Renelique was contacted by Senises when the patient reported to the clinic at 9:30 AM complaining of discomfort. He never answered his page in the five ensuing hours prior to the baby�s birth. Reports are conflicting as to whether he ever showed up at the clinic that day. ******* �We have seen cases in other states where this behavior would be considered patient abandonment. If that is the case, Renelique should loose his medical license,� said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. ******* Fading from memory ******* But pro-lifers worry that the best evidence in the case has been destroyed and are concerned that the mother�s word and that of the informant may not be enough to convict Gonzalez and Senises in a court of law. ******* Police seem interested in seeing this case move forward, indicating that the clinic workers should have called for an emergency transport and sent the baby to the hospital, but prosecutors are not so sure. At issue may be the baby�s gestational age. Assistant State Attorney Kathleen Hoague told reporters, �There are lots of questions that medically I don't have the answer to yet. You're talking about a fetus that could be aborted legally.� ******* �In the end, it really does not matter how old the baby was,� said Newman. �If she was born alive, as the mother and the police informant say she was, then that baby deserved every protection under the law that any other person has, regardless of her age. The only difference would be the extra criminal charge if she had passed 24 weeks.� ******* �I don�t understand why there would be any equivocation in this case,� he continued. �If a litter of puppies had been tossed in a bag and thrown up on a roof to die, no one would rest until the perpetrators were brought to justice.� ******* In the meantime, public outrage over the incident has cooled. ******* �It will be tragic if these people walk,� said Newman. �This case, while shocking to the public when it was first reported, is already fading from the public�s memory. That little baby girl, who lived for five precious minutes, deserves better than to have her murder swept under the rug and forgotten because the manner of her birth is controversial.� ******* Back in business ******* Meanwhile, A Gynecologists Diagnostic Center, located at 3671 West 16th Ave. in Hialeah, where the incident occurred, remains closed by authorities pending further investigation. However, the same individuals, Gonzalez, Senises, and Renelique, continue to operate at another abortion mill just 3 miles away. ******* �Why close one abortion mill in the interest of public safety, then allow the same people to continue to engage in the exact same activity just down the street? This whole ordeal hasn�t slowed them down at all, and I think that reflects a failure in the system that is supposed to protect the public from dangerous practitioners,� said Newman. �These people are just laughing at law enforcement right now. They are getting away with murder, and they know it.� ******* Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro- life Christian organizations in the nation. Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates. ******* Operation Rescue email: [email protected] phone: 800 705-1175 web: http://www.operationrescue.org ********************************************************************************************************* ******* item 55 THE "A" WORD by Anne Marie Owens, National Post�Saturday, May 05, 2007 ******* How did abortion, that most contentious of issues, become one that is simply not discussed publicly? ******* When several thousand anti-abortion demonstrators gather on Parliament Hill next week, as they do every year at this time, their protest is likely to be largely ignored, as it is every year, by most politicians and the media. The annual silent treatment could be explained away by the frequency of protest marches on Parliament, if the reaction was not such an apt reflection of the state of the abortion debate, such as it is, in Canada. ******* While the American squabbles between the religious right and the pro-choice movement spill over into the mainstream, the Canadian abortion debate is largely reserved for the fringes. But does the silence in the middle, which is typically put down to complacency, really signify that most Canadians consider the abortion debate pretty much over? ******* Complacency is certainly not what is conveyed by the recent debate that ensued when abortion was raised in the pages of the otherwise staid Canadian Medical Association Journal. The flood of letters from people on both sides that followed -- some of it apparently the result of orchestrated campaigns, but much of it not -- was so vociferous that it prompted the journal to publish in its latest issue a clarification of its policy on abortion and a call for a halt to the letter-writing. ******* Beneath the surface of what is often regarded as a sort of national sense of complacency about abortion, there is considerable evidence of confusion, passion and an intensity of opinions. ******* "If you write about abortion, just watch what happens," warned Dr. Paul Hebert, editor-in-chief of the national medical journal. Ever since his publication ran a guest editorial last July urging doctors to continue ensuring access to abortions, there have been letters and e-mails that now number in the several hundred. ******* "Just like for the rest of society, abortion is a very polarizing issue among physicians ? Both sides are just as emphatic about the issue." So polarizing in fact, that the journal's latest issue, released last week, featured a piece from the CMA's executive director of ethics attempting to clarify the organization's position on abortion. ******* "We received a large number of letters in response to the editorial ? with particular regard to the CMA's policy on induced abortion. We asked the CMA to assist our readers by clarifying their position using a casebased example, which they have provided here," the article explained. ******* "You are dealing with extremes of opinion on this, but it is not the fringes," Dr. Jeff Blackmer, the association's director of the office of ethics, said in an interview. ******* The letters, from both sides, were heartfelt but reasoned, not fanatical. ******* "The differences about the ethics of abortion are deep, and those differences should not be minimized," said a letter co-written by Dr. James Read of Winnipeg, and Dr. Beverley Smith of Toronto. "That there are health professionals who may feel bullied into compliance is disturbing," they wrote, referring to doctors feeling pressured to make referrals or even perform abortions despite their personal opposition to it. ******* In an opposing letter, Andree Cote, director of legislation for the National Association of Women and the Law, argued that "in the face of the demonstrated resistance of individual doctors to offering adequate abortion services in most institutions and regions across Canada, the medical profession has a collective responsibility to ensure access to this procedure." ******* What is so surprising about this recent medical journal debate is not so much the tone or details of the arguments but that such an open and free-flowing discussion on this topic is happening at all. For any number of reasons, that is not generally the case in Canada. ******* In the past several months, three major American newsmagazines -- Time, Newsweek and the New York Times Magazine -- have each devoted cover stories to various aspects of the abortion debate in that country. One featured a gripping image of four model fetuses held in a delicate hand above a headline that read, "The Abortion Campaign You Never Hear About." Another has an odd-looking fabric doll above the headline, "Is There a Post-Abortion Syndrome?" The cover stories, and the debate within the country, are virtually unimaginable here in Canada. ******* Part of the reason for the cross-border difference in the abortion debate is the much greater clout of the religious right in the U.S., which constantly pushes the issue. Another key difference is legislative and legal. Although the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision legalized abortion in the U.S., state legislatures often attempt to impose restrictions on access. There are also continued court challenges, including the one that led to the recent Supreme Court decision that upheld the ban on partialbirth abortions, or late-term abortions. ******* Rebecca Cook, an expert in reproductive law, says Canada's 1988 Supreme Court decision really defined the framework for the way the abortion debate would unfold in this country, and explains, in part, how many Canadians feel the issue has been framed in a way that is in line with significant cultural and societal differences from the situation in the United States. ******* "We have certain principles in our health care system--fairness, transparency, accountability, accessibility," said Prof. Cook, Chair in International Human Rights Law at the University of Toronto's law school and an editor of the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics. "But there is also the whole issue of looking at abortion as an equality issue, which defined how the issue was considered," in a way, she maintains, that allows many Canadians to feel comfortable with the situation. ******* But there is more to it than that. In the many years that have passed since abortion was decriminalized in Canada, the debate has gradually become the domain of the extremes on either side. What got squeezed out in that din of dramatically opposing views was any sense of a middle ground. ******* "Abortion is not on the agenda in Canada for the mainstream in Canada and has not been for a very long time," said Darrell Bricker, president and chief operating officer of public affairs for Ipsos-Reid. But he says this sense that the majority do not want to reopen the issue is often incorrectly taken to mean that there is consensus on the issue in Canada. ******* "Is there consensus? No, the opinions are all over the map. And you'd be wrong to see this as a consensus in favour of abortion under any circumstances." ******* His organization has not done any specific polling on abortion since 2000. The issue has been raised in other surveys, such as the one in February, 2006, shortly before Stephen Harper became Prime Minister, to assess what issues might bring down the minority government. ******* In that survey, 50% of Canadians said they would not support bringing down the government if they tried to pass a law that limits a woman's access to abortion; but 45% said they would be in favour of bringing down the government on such an issue. ******* The polling done in 1988 and 2000 compares attitudes about when abortion should be permitted: only when a woman's life is in danger, only in certain circumstances, or whenever a woman wants one. It showed slight increases in support for abortion on demand (from 36% in 1988 to 41% in 2000) and for abortion in certain circumstances (39% to 41%) and a slight decrease in the percentage who support abortion only in the most extreme, life-saving circumstances (23% in 1988 and 17% in 2000.) ******* When Environics surveyed Canadians about their attitudes toward abortion last fall, they found that about a third each of Canadians supported the view on one end of the spectrum that human life should be legally protected from conception on and, on the other end, that it should be protected only from birth on. Another third think it should be protected prior to birth, but some months after conception. ******* According to the survey, conducted for the anti-abortion group LifeSite, 31% said protection should begin from conception on, 23% said after three months of pregnancy, and 10% said after six months of pregnancy; another 30% think human life should receive legal protection only from the point of birth. ******* What is most compelling about all of these numbers, and most surprising considering the way the abortion issue is typically framed in Canada, is that they are not at all conclusive. As Mr. Bricker says, "it's not like 100% are in favour of abortion on demand ? There are a lot of lines being drawn on this issue." ******* He equates it to the Canadian stance on same-sex marriage, where what is often spun as widespread support actually reflects myriad gradations of approval under certain conditions. ******* So why then has the abortion issue become a relative non-issue in Canadian public debate, with flareups such as the one that emerged in the medical community extremely rare? ******* One key reason, Mr. Bricker says, "is that the forces that would want change have not organized themselves in a way that is conducive to having this issue opened up again." ******* It is not, on either side, for lack of trying. ******* If the organizers of the 10th March for Life are right, more than 5,000 anti-abortion activists are likely to descend on Parliament Hill next week for their annual campaign lobbying for dramatic legislative change. ******* Yet there will likely be no televised images of the demonstration and only sparse coverage from the mainstream media of an event that those on the other side of the debate typically characterize as a gathering of a couple hundred radicals from the fringe. ******* The campaign's media liaison, Wanda Hartlin, is accustomed to hearing the complaints of members frustrated each year by the resounding silence of media coverage of their key public awareness exercise. ******* "I don't think the media is that interested in religious topics and the media sees this as a religious topic," she says. "I don't think the media is ignoring us. I think you take us from a different direction ? ******* "We call ourselves pro-life. The media calls us anti-abortion. The pro-choice people call us anti-choice." ******* She believes that the reluctance to engage in a national debate about abortion is a quintessentially cautious and polite Canadian response to a volatile issue: "It's a place where people don't want to go. Abortion has touched many lives. A lot of people say it's too close to home, it's too sensitive," she said. "To get there, people's hearts have to change. It's an emotional issue, it's not an intellectual issue." ******* The March for Life protest on Thursday is the most visible part of the group's ongoing campaign to convince politicians to reopen political debate on abortion and pass legislation that restricts the practice. ******* It is often said that Canada stands virtually alone as a country that has no law governing abortion. ******* Bernard Dickens, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto's law school and vicepresident of the World Association for Medical Law, says both sides tout the no-abortion-law claim, which is "greeted with relief and triumphalism by one side; horror and revulsion by the other." Yet, he says, the assertion is wrong. ******* What was decided by the majority in the 1988 Supreme Court challenge by Dr. Henry Morgentaler, the longtime advocate of abortion rights, was not, Prof. Dickens maintains, a legal vacuum, but rather an acknowledgement that the prevailing system, which required women to get approval from therapeutic abortion committees, was unfair. ******* He says that other countries that have abortion laws have what he calls "exceptional laws, where abortion is the exception to other laws." ******* Canada too had that kind of law after 1969, where what was until then considered illegal was allowed with the approval of a hospital therapeutic abortion committee. That law was overthrown in 1988 when the Supreme Court considered a challenge under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms over the inconsistent availability of the procedure. ******* "Because we no longer have that exceptional kind of law, abortion is now covered by the general law -- laws covering consent to be treated, the law of conscientious objection, and if the abortion is done negligently, there could be remedy under the civil law," he said. "To say there is no abortion law is not correct." ******* He says that once abortion was truly considered a medically required treatment, then, just as in neurosurgery or cardiac care, no law was necessary. What complicates the reaction, of course, is that it is a procedure "rooted in religious, moral and ethical judgment." ******* Prof. Dickens, who has conducted 10-year reviews of abortion regulations worldwide and found a general liberalizing trend, says the morality aspect of abortion is diminishing somewhat but has not at all disappeared. ******* "It is still somewhat of an epithet. Other than Henry Morgentaler, nobody describes themselves as an abortionist. It's not too different from doctors who treat venereal disease -- there are still moralistic undertones to the judgment of the work," he said. ******* The intensity of moral emotion about the procedure was evident in the reactions of physicians to the guest editorial in their medical journal. ******* In their essay "Abortion: Ensuring Access," law professors Sanda Rodgers and Jocelyn Downie misstated what turns out to be a key aspect of the Canadian Medical Association's moral compromise on this issue: the physicians' conscientious objector status and the referral of patients desiring an abortion. ******* The CMA's abortion policy, which has been in place since 1988 and is reviewed annually, requires that physicians in no way impede patients from accessing abortion but does not force them to provide the necessary referral. ******* "It is a small distinction but it's absolutely crucial," said Dr. Blackmer, the organization's ethics officer. "For those who feel strongly on this, the feeling is, 'If I refer the patient, it is the same as performing the act.' " ******* He says that what has been interesting about this latest controversy is that even those who feel strongest about the issue are not pushing to have the policy made any more restrictive, only to ensure the status quo. ******* Dr. Blackmer suggests there are only a few things that would force a re-evaluation of the policy: a huge groundswell from the membership one way or another, a legislative review of the issue by the government, or a significant decrease in access to abortions. ******* "This is a legally sanctioned, medically indicated service, so if it came to a point where we felt people weren't getting access, that could prompt some sort of change," he said. ******* That possibility of resolving the access question may be close at hand. Last month, advocates for access to abortion released a report that said abortion services were less accessible in Canada than they were three years ago. The study found that only 15.9% of Canadian hospitals provide abortion services, a reduction from 17.8% that occurred without any change in official regulations or policies. ******* The issue of access will go before the court again too, when later this month, the Morgentaler Clinic sues the government of New Brunswick over provincial regulations that insist hospital abortions be performed by a gynecologist, be approved first by the gynecologist and another doctor, and does not cover the cost of abortions in clinics. ******* Canada's abortion debate may well be back where it was in 1988, with a court-focused dispute forcing a wider discussion about the disconnection between the avowed accessibility and the reality of access. ******* NATIONALPOST.COM ******* Please log on to Fullcomment.com To Share Your Thoughts On This Feature or cut and paste http://communities.canada.com/nationalpost/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2007/05/05/open-thread-the-a-word.aspx ******* � National Post 2007 *********************************************************************************************************

Links to other sites on the Web

(A4e3a1) abortion types
(A4e3a2) abortion statistics
(A4e3a3) forced abortions
(A4e3a4) primary consequences of abortion
(A4e3a5) Breast Cancer Prevention Institute
(A4e3a6) (A) home page

The following warning is a prophetic message given to me, Frank Wagner, in November of 1974. ******* LISTEN TO THE CRY OF THE ABORTED CHILDREN. THEIR CRY IS NO. THEIR CRY IS A CRY OF TERROR. HEED THEIR CRY. ******* This prophecy is now being fulfilled. ******* For details about the source, meaning and fulfillment of this prophetic message go to ******* http://ca.geocities.com/fwagner4/index.html ******* email me at *** [email protected] ***