(To Be aware of your surroundings, To Pay attention to what's going on) Are you "woke" on the issue of women's reproductive rights? The mainstream media claims most people agree: abortion is necessary for women's advancement. Is there proof that abortion empowers women, or is it a band-aid, covering up deeper problems? Society has labeled abortion as an abstract, political topic only those with personal experience can discuss. Even then, this conversation should not extend beyond a woman and her doctor. Is abortion merely a personal choice, or is it a life and death decision with real consequences? Does the choice to have an abortion carry the same weight as deciding between strawberry or chocolate ice cream? To reach an informed opinion on this subject matter, you must uncover all the facts—especially the reality of abortion. "Stay Woke" includes personal testimonies, facts and figures along with informative articles to help you make up your own mind. The topic of abortion is an important one for individuals and society. So we invite you to use this magazine to reach your own conclusion about the value and dignity of human life.
Tell us what you think!
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
1. Since legalization in 1973, abortion has extinguished approximately lives of pre-born babies.1 A. 31.4 million B. 60.5 million C. 7.5 million D. 23.7 million
5. Women between the ages of have the most abortions.5 A. 15–18 B. 20–24 C. 28–32 D. 12–14
2. A developing baby’s heart begins to beat at days.2 A. 21 B. 60 C. 45 D. 30
6. Women who have an abortion are more likely to commit suicide than women who carry babies to term.6 A. Two times B. Four times C. Six times D. Eight times
3. Abortions are legal through the month of pregnancy.3 A. 3rd B. 4th C. 6th D. 9th
7. of women will abort their baby after a prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome.7 A. 12% B. 92% C. 25% D. 30%
feedback@humanlife.org 651-484-1040
4. of women say they felt pressured into their abortions.4 A. 12% B. 15% C. 50% D. 74%
8. Most abortion facilities are located in .8 A. Hospitals B. Medical facilities C. Minority neighborhoods D. Strip malls
Answers on Page 14
Do you agree that “all” human adults should have
equal rights?
If you answered yes, do you think that means there is something the same about us? In other words, if we all have an “equal” right to life, then we must have something in common. Something that demands we treat each other equally. It can’t be size or intelligence, as that comes in degrees. Those characteristics wouldn’t explain a need for equal rights.
SO WHAT IS THE SAME ABOUT US? For lack of a better term, we all have “humanness” in common. That’s something that doesn’t come in degrees. It’s an all-or-nothing kind of thing. We don’t have feathers. We don’t lay eggs. We don’t even share the same beliefs. But we are all human. And if being human is what gives us intrinsic value—that clarifies a lot. It explains why all adult humans have an equal right to life, even though we have so many differences. It also explains why things like racism and sexism are wrong. Those things focus on a surface difference, but don’t get to the core of our question. It ignores the things we have in common. You might have an alternative explanation for an adult human’s equal right to life. It might include equal rights for all “living beings” or limiting the rights of non-adult humans. Too many of these explanations have major consequences. For instance, they might require an equal right to life for other beings (such as animals like squirrels who don’t have the same type of “equalness”) or deny the right to life of another human such as a newborn.
So if we all have humanness in common, should humans at all stages have equal rights? Even the child in the womb? A special thanks to The Equals Rights Institute for their input on this article. Visit: equalrightsinstitute.com Throughout this publication we have presented arguments from those who support the “prochoice” stance and followed up with a well reasoned pro-life response.
“My body, my choice!” A fetus is not part of a woman’s body, but a completely separate human beings with his/her own unique DNA. If a child in the womb is a developing human being, should another person really have the right to kill her? Abortion is a violent act (see p. 8). Does a pregnant woman have the right to dismember a child inside her body? Is it okay for a doctor to suck the baby out of the womb with a machine? Society shouldn’t encourage anyone to engage in this type of extreme violence.
humanlifealliance (HLA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a culture in which all human life, from the process of fertilization to natural death, is respected and cherished.
Distribution of HLA’s compelling informational materials to high school and college students, medical and community organizations around the world have reached 227.4 million people in all 50 states, in 88 countries and on all seven continents over the past 29 years. Human Life Alliance 1614 93rd Lane NE Minneapolis, MN 55449
humanlife.org
humanlife.org 651-484-1040 Social
Page 3
DISORDER IN THE COURT THE TWO CASES THAT MADE ABORTION LEGAL January 22, 1973 was a deadly day in the history of U.S. federal law. It was on that date ROE VS. WADE legalized abortion and DOE VS. BOLTON provided for abortion on demand for the entire 9 months of pregnancy. The two women who were the plaintiffs in the two cases never had an abortion, each became pro-life and fought against the millions of killings that were committed in their names.
Court Case
Court Case
Roe v. Wade1
Doe v. Bolton2
What it Caused
What it Caused
Legal Abortion
Abortion on Demand
Plaintiff/Mother
Plaintiff/Mother
Norma McCorvey “Jane Roe”
Sandra Cano “Mary Doe”
Fate of Her Child
Fate of Her Child
Carried to Term & Adopted
Carried to Term & Adopted
Norma McCorvey
"Abortion has been founded on lies and deception from the very beginning. All I did was lie about how I got pregnant. I was having an affair. It all started out as a little lie. I said what I needed to say. But, my little lie grew and grew and became more horrible with each telling. It was good for the cause. It read well in the newspapers."3
Image credits and citations on page 15
Entire 9 Mo. of Pregnancy
Sandra Cano
“I am against abortion. I never sought an abortion. I never had an abortion. Abortion is murder. For over 20 years, and against my will, my name has been synonymous with abortion. The Doe vs. Bolton case is based on deceit and fraud. I never participated in this case. The Supreme Court had already made up their minds. They didn’t care what was in the affidavits. I never wanted to be a part of this.”4
I had been with my boyfriend (now my husband) for only a year; he was 18 and in his freshman year at college. I was only a sophomore in high school. I was going to have an abortion, but I decided not to go through with it – I was more terrified of what would happen to me during the procedure than of giving birth. I decided to keep her. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Taylor. I graduated from my high school with a 3.85 GPA and now I’m attending college, where I made the Dean’s List last semester, and am majoring in psychology. I want to let people know that just because you become pregnant and have a child does not mean that you can’t accomplish the things you always wanted to do, or fulfill your goals. Having a child makes it a lot more difficult, but it is so fulfilling. I still cry when I think that I could have taken such a precious thing away—her life. I do not believe that I have the right to take a life, nor do I believe that a child should suffer because of someone’s irresponsibility. If a 15-year-old girl can take responsibility to strive and achieve her goals and dreams, anyone can.
Pregnant
“I consented to sex, not pregnancy.” When reproductive organs are used, it shouldn’t come as a surprise when reproduction occurs. If you’re not ready for parenthood, maybe you’re not ready for sex. There isn’t an undo button.
Pro-abortion feminism has been damaging to women’s empowerment. Most of these feminists frequently express a weak view of women with regard to the abortion decision. They insist that women should be shielded from the biological facts and moral issues surrounding abortion, implying that women are too fragile to handle the truth. A new misleading language has been adopted in order to distract women from the reality of abortion’s impact on their mental and physical health and on what it does to their preborn babies. Phrases like “reproductive health,” “products of conception” and “right to choose” are rhetoric that serve the purpose of covering up important facts deemed too “offensive” or “upsetting.” This is a disservice to women, who have a right to know and the strength to deal with all the facts when facing a crisis pregnancy decision. True feminism is about respecting women for their uniqueness and this includes their unique ability to give life. When women feel they must undergo an invasive and traumatic “procedure” in order to be “equal” politically, socially and in the workplace—can we really call this feminism? One feminist writer stated, “A woman wants an abortion as an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg.”1 The need to abort in order to achieve “equality” does not liberate women but instead, implies that women must adopt the characteristics of men, people who cannot become pregnant, in order to compete in a man’s world. Abortion is a symptom of sexism within our society—it is not the cure. Abortion, in the final analysis, works to the advantage of the exploitative male.2 Abortion liberates men from sex without consequences and responsibility, under the guise of “support for women’s rights.” By accepting abortion, women have accepted their own oppression. Feminists should be working for a society that supports the unique life-giving capacity of women by providing them with the resources they need and deserve, so that no woman feels driven to abortion. We should not settle for anything less. By Sarah Hudson
humanlife.org
Page 5
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS
6
TIMES HIGHER
1
FOR PREGNANT WOMEN
10
SUICIDE RATES FOR THOSE
TIMES HIGHER
2
FOR TEENAGE GIRLS
WHO ABORT
65
DEPRESSION AND DESPAIR
Compared to women who gave birth, women who are common after aborted were abortion.
more likely to be at risk of long-term clinical depression.3
PHYSICAL COMPLICATIONS Cardiac Perforation arrest of the uterus Hemorrhaging Major unintended surgery
Convulsions Infection
Cervical laceration Endotoxic shock
Undiagnosed ectopic (tubal) pregnancy
Uterine rupture Death4
FUTURE RISKS
Read countless women’s stories about the aftermath of abortion:
SILENTNOMOREAWARENESS.ORG
WOMEN WITH PREVIOUS ABORTIONS HAVE A
Women who abort not only put their own lives and health at risk; they also endanger the lives of their current and future children.
144%
Women who abort are more likely to experience future ectopic pregnancy, infertility, hysterectomy, stillbirth, miscarriage and premature birth than women who have not had abortions.5
Elevated likeliness to physically abuse their children.6
60% 44%
Higher risk of miscarriage.7 Increased risk of breast cancer.8
DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID Since I had already enlisted in the Air Force, I thought I had to have an abortion in order to make something out of my life. My best friend drove me to the abortion clinic. It was like an assembly line. When the ultrasound was being performed, I asked to see it, but this wasn’t allowed. So much for “an informed decision.” Then I asked how far along I was. I was told I was nineand-a-half weeks pregnant. That hit me hard. I started doubting and wanted to talk to my friend, but I wasn’t allowed to do that either. When it was my turn, the nurse told me that I was going to feel some discomfort,
like strong menstrual cramps. The truth is that the abortion was more pain than I’ve ever felt in my life. It felt like my insides were literally being sucked out of my body. Later, I went into shock. After the abortion, I attempted to make up for it by trying to get pregnant again. I wanted my baby back, but I never got pregnant again. I don’t know if I can ever have another baby. I named my baby. Later I found out this is part of the grieving process. Two-and-a-half years later, I ended up in the hospital with bulimia. I felt that no one had punished me for what I had done, so I was punishing myself. I was obsessed with women
who were pregnant and my life was in shambles! I was suffering from what I’d call post-abortion trauma. When I was 21 years old, I received help from a woman who was involved with prolife activism. I went through a program called “Conquerors.” Not only did I experience forgiveness, but I was also challenged to help others. I answered the challenge and started sidewalk counseling. There is a healing process that comes from getting involved in the pro-life movement. I talk to youth groups and students and share my testimony. To them and to you, I plead, “Please don’t make the same mistake I did.”
HELP AFTER AN ABORTION Rachel’s Vineyard – 24 hour 877-467-3463 rachelsvineyard.org National Helpline for Abortion Recovery – 24 hour 866-482-LIFE (5433) nationalhelpline.org Project Rachel 888-456-HOPE (4673) hopeafterabortion.com "No uterus, no opinion" Men can never be pregnant; however, like all women they still have a responsibility to protect others regardless of their gender. In today’s world, both women and men need to speak against all injustice.
“I’m personally opposed to abortion, but wouldn’t tell someone else what to do.” Would we ever say, “I would never abuse my child but can’t take away someone else’s right to abuse their child?” Or, “Slavery is wrong, but it might be okay for you?” This makes no sense. There is no such thing as freedom to intentionally kill an innocent human being.
humanlife.org
Page 7
0 The Stages &
Day 1 Fertilization
Medical science shows that human life begins at fertilization. Once a sperm fertilizes an egg, a BRAND NEW, unique and WHOLE ORGANISM is created with his or her own DNA. The chromosomes from the parents help determine the new human being’s sex, eye color, skin and hair color, balding, even earlobe attachment. After fertilization nothing new is added or needed to the human except oxygen, nutrition and time.1
1 2
1st Month 1-4 Wks
The first cell divides in two and cell division continues as it travels down the fallopian tube to the uterus. Foundations of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system are already established and by day 21 the heart begins to beat in a regular fashion.2 Muscles are forming and arms, legs, eyes and ears have begun to show.
2nd Month 5-8 Wks
By six weeks, brain waves can be detected.3 The jaw forms, including teeth and taste buds.4 The baby begins to swallow amniotic fluid and sometimes hiccups.5 Fingers and toes are developing and at seven weeks the chest and abdomen are fully formed.6 Swimming in the amniotic fluid, she now looks like a miniature human infant.7,8
3rd Month 9-12 Wks
Unique fingerprints are beginning to form.9 The baby now sleeps, awakens and exercises her muscles. The baby is very active. The gender can be visually determined and family resemblances may appear.10 By the end of the month all the organs and systems of her body are functioning.11
3
4th Month 13-16 Wks
By the end of the fourth month, the baby is 8–10 inches in length and weighs about one-half pound. Her ears are functioning and she hears her mother’s heartbeat as well as external noises like music.12 Lifesaving surgery has been performed on babies at this age.
4 Image credits on page 14
VACUUM ASPIRATION Typically committed : 1st trimester Preborn age: 3-11 weeks old The uterus is emptied by a vacuum or syringe, the baby is torn into pieces as he or she is pulled through the hose. 1,2,3 MOST ABORTIONS ARE COMMITTED HERE4 INDUCTION OR PROSTAGLANDIN Typically committed : 2nd trimester Preborn age: 11-21 weeks old Labor is induced in the 2nd or 3rd trimester. Saline or urea is injected to kill the child in the womb. Digoxin or potassium chloride is directly inserted into the baby’s heart to guarantee the child’s death. Other times the baby is delivered alive and left to die. 5
5th Month 17-20 Wks
If a sound is especially loud, the baby may jump in reaction to it. Thumbsucking has been observed during the fifth month.13
5
6
Growth of a
CHILD in the Womb The Brutality of Surgical Abortion Procedures
The "Products of Conception Room"
…in an abortion facility is where workers sift through the aborted baby’s mangled body parts.11,12 To avoid excessive bleeding or serious infection, no fetal tissue can remain inside the mother.13
“My official title at the mill was ‘health worker.’ I did various duties....which included helping during the abortion and checking to make sure all the parts of the baby were there in the collection jar afterwards. I will never forget, in the second-trimester abortions, holding those little feet up to a chart on the wall to make sure of the age of the baby.” –DINA MADSEN, HEALTH WORKER
DILATION AND EVACUATION (D&E) Typically committed : 2nd trimester Preborn age: 11-21 weeks old The abortionist tears the baby's body apart with forceps. The spine is snapped, the skull is crushed and the remains are sucked out. 6,7,8,9
6th Month 21-24 Wks
Oil and sweat glands are functioning. She grows rapidly in size and strength while her lungs become more developed.14
9th Month 33-36 Wks VIABLE PREBORN BABIES AT THIS STAGE ARE ABORTED IN 3RD TRIMESTER ABORTIONS FOR ANY REASON (APPROXIMATELY 13,000 A YEAR IN THE US).10
7th Month 25-28 Wks
The baby can now recognize her mother’s voice. She exercises by stretching and kicking. She uses the senses of hearing, touch & taste. She can even look around with open eyes.15
7
8th Month 29-32 Wks
The baby swallows a gallon of amniotic fluid per day and often hiccups.16 The baby’s kicks are stronger and mom may be able to feel an elbow or heel against her abdomen.17
Gaining one half pound per week, the baby is getting ready for birth. The bones in her head are soft and flexible to help with her journey down the narrow birth canal.18 Of the 45 generations of cell divisions before adulthood, 41 have already taken place. Only four more come before adolescence. 90 percent of a person’s development happens in the womb.19
8
9 humanlife.org
Page 9
BAD CHEMICALS HOW THE
ABORTION PILL WORKS 6
RU-48
BURDEN OF PROOF Former Abortion Center Workers Reflect on the
REALITY OF
1 Progesterone is the hormone that is needed to maintain the uterine lining which provides oxygen and nutrients for the baby.1
2 Mifeprex/Mifepristone (RU486) blocks the action of progesterone. Without it, the baby dies.2
ABORTION e find th ork w old to t d e n r a e s knes “We w ver a e n w e er e n’s woma e women w s.” Th ative on it. altern MER y n a , FO R O R given E N RY
“The pictu re of the b aby on th bothered e me more than anyth ultrasound staff could ing else. T n’t take it he . Women having ab who were ortions w ere never see the u allowed to ltra that if the sound . . .because we y so much as heard th knew they would e heartbe n’t want to at, have an a bortion.” – JO S E P H R A N DA L L, M FO R M E R A B O R T IO .D . N IS T
EL RA H OUNS –DEB ION C T R O AB
“I am d certain eeply troub le t 60,00 y that I ha d by my o wn in ve in 0 dea cre fac th doubt in my s. There is t presided asing no lon from over m in d the ve t g ry ons hat human er serious et of p li regna fe exists ncy.” M.D.
–BER NA F O R M R D N AT H A ER A B O RT N S O N IONI ST
“It’s a lie when they tell you they’re doing it to help women, because they’re not. They’re doing it for the money.”
3 24-48 hours later the second pill, Cytotec (or Misoprostol), is taken, causing uterine bleeding (sometimes profuse) and strong contractions to expel the baby.3
4 The mother is told to miscarry at home or a hotel over a toilet. If she were to look closely, she would see her dead child. Even at only 7 weeks, she is likely to see his or her fingers & toes.4
–NITA WHIT TEN, FORM ER
“I fou ABOR TION COUN SELO R nd mu ch dis involv tress ed no in t to of the babie nly the wo he clinic, b men. s who saline ut it Is w s saw t olution us ere born b aw the pai he ed n u heads bits of fee for late-te rned from t, bits the rm ab and b o o o and fe lt pain dies of the f hands, th rtions. I e man little p .” g eople – PA U . I saw led LA SU , and I have TC L I pain “I have been there FFE, formed FO R M seen these totally ER C LINIC ten weeks... WO R K babies as early as ER , or with ing ss mi with the leg seen the ve ha I . off ad their he little rib cages . . .“
FO RM ER –D EB RA HE NR Y, SE LO R UN CO AB OR TI ON
Twenty-four women were killed from the Mifeprex Abortion Pill and thousands have been injured according to the FDA. In total, the number of adverse events from 2000 to 2018 is now 24 deaths, 97 ectopic pregnancies, 1,042 hospitalizations, 599 blood transfusions, and 412 infections (including 69 severe infections), with a total of 4,195 adverse events reported.5
Changing your mind? There's Help. 1-877-558-0333 abortionpillreversal.com
People are having too many babies! Is this
TRUE?
In reality, the population has increased because people are living longer, not because they are having "too many kids."
7
People Are Living Longer L
6 5
Birth
4
er
In 1950 life expectancy for the average person worldwide was 45 years old. Based on projections, in 2050 the average person will live until 77.1 In the same 100 year span, the average woman will have gone from having 5 births to 2 births.2
8
Millions will starve to death!
sP
These are the attitudes that promoted the idea that overpopulation is a real problem and that abortion is the solution.
overPOP ULATION W
3 2
1950
1970
1990
Countries that are losing people 3
Do We have Enough Able Bodied Adults? Maintaining sufficient workers to share the economic burden of providing Social Security and medical care for the elderly proves crucial to a population that exhibits increased life expectancy.6
elderly to working adults 2019-26 Per 100
2030-42 Per 100 2050-49 Per 100
“You can’t keep going with a completely upside-down age distribution...you can’t have a country where everybody lives in a nursing home.” 7
o ma n
p if e e x
80
n cy ecta
( Years )
60
And Women Are Having Less Kids 2010
70
2030
2050
50 40 30 20
Just to maintain its population, a nation’s fertility rate must be at least 2.1 children per woman.4 Highlighted here are the countries below that rate.5
According to the U.N., 7,725,860,000 people will live on the Earth in 2020.8 If we were to give every person on the planet a 31 x 31 ft. plot of land to live on, we would need 266,320 Square miles. Texas has 268,596 square miles.9
Can We Feed Everyone?
When commenting on the problem of starvation, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states, “the world currently produces enough food for everybody, but many people do not have access to it.”10 Additionally, in their paper “Unlocking the Water Potential of Agriculture,” they state; “FAO has maintained consistently that, on the basis of availability of suitable land for rainfed and irrigated agriculture, enough food could be produced for the much larger human population predicted for 30 years from now.”11 The solution to starvation is more agriculture, not less people! humanlife.org
Page 11
18 percent of American couples 1
ADOPTION I COULDN’T HANDLE WONDERING ABOUT MY BABY THE REST OF MY LIFE. With an open adoption, you have the opportunity to always know how your baby is doing. If you want, you can choose a family who will keep in touch with you through pictures, letters, email, websites, phone calls, or even visits. The contact arrangement of your adoption can change over time with your comfort level. Your baby can know who you are and how she was given a life through your loving choice of adoption. I CAN’T TELL MY FAMILY You can make a confidential adoption plan and hide your pregnancy. Only the adoption professionals you trust, the adoptive family you choose and the loved ones you include will know about your pregnancy and your plans. If needed, you could even relocate temporarily to keep your situation private.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OPEN ADOPTION: 800-923-6784 LifetimeAdoption.com
If you’re not ready or able to be a parent, adoption can be a positive solution for you and your baby. You can research adoption without obligation and find out that adoption isn’t “giving your baby away.” Learn the facts about OPEN ADOPTION.
I DON’T WANT SOMEONE I DON’T KNOW TO RAISE MY BABY. With open adoption you can choose from dozens of approved families waiting to adopt. You can get to know the family or families you like before your baby is born and decide how you want to keep in touch after the adoption. You can even plan future visits with your baby and the adoptive family, if you would like.
Pregnancy Resources 24/7 Help
I CAN’T AFFORD THIS PREGNANCY Adoption services are FREE to you. If your insurance doesn’t pay for medical care, you can get your pregnancy-related expenses covered through the adoption process. When choosing adoption, it is also possible to get help with other expenses during pregnancy, if allowable by your state law.
Option Line (English and Spanish) 800-712-HELP (4357) Text "helpline" to 313131 optionline.org
Pregnancy Hotline 800-848-LOVE (5683) nationallifecenter.com
Birthright (24/7) 800-550-4900 birthright.org
“I’d rather abort than give my child to an adoption agency where they’ll be abused in foster care!” The idea of preventing child abuse by executing potential victims is like trying to eliminate wife-beating by executing all married women. Many options exist for children in need of a new family—including open adoption and safe haven laws. It’s unrealistic to assume all or most unplanned pregnancies would end with an abused child in foster care.
I DON’T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE FATHER OR WORRY ABOUT HIS ROLE IN THE BABY’S LIFE. With adoption you can totally separate from your baby’s father and provide a positive father figure for your baby’s future. Your baby’s father could also participate in the adoption process, if you agree, and can take part in future communication with the adoptive family you choose, even if you don’t want to stay in touch.
Get a free book for women facing unplanned pregnancy at: FreeAdoptionBook.com
Blacks and Hispanics in the USA are targeted and have higher abortion rates than others... These two Groups only make up
31% 53%
...and yet they comprise
% of Population in the U.S.3
of the U.S. Population
of all Abortions in the 1 country.
Not ready for a child right now 63% 13
18
2
Black Hispanic Other
6
61
Asian
White
% of Abortions in the U.S.4
Community
2
Abortion
Money Other Health 59%
29 YRS 30-3 209
23% 8% 7% 28%
YRS
Causes of Death 44% in the Black
Why women get abortions5
Ages of Women Who Get6
56%
Abortions
All Others
40+
28
25
3
Black Hispanic Other
...a week-long horror of a rollercoaster ride when my then-fiancée found out she was pregnant. She asked if I’d like to do the nursery in a Warner Brothers or Disney theme. My first thought was, “Oh NO! NO!!!!!!” I was terrified. I immediately regretted that conversation we had at the very beginning of our relationship—that we would never get an abortion should she become pregnant. Now I was stuck. I wanted an escape hatch. I wanted out ...any way out. Although I said I would support her, I was really trying to find that escape hatch. Telling my parents was hard. My father encouraged us to have the baby; my mom cried, not knowing “whether to be happy or sad” for us. Her parents were worse. After we told them the news,
5
39
Asian
White
her father demanded that we “take care of this” because he didn’t want there to be unseemly appearances in his family. I had found my escape hatch. Even though I argued fiercely with him before we left, once we were alone I started gently emphasizing her father’s positions. What would everyone say? Are we really ready for this? What about the wedding? What about our plans? I didn’t think of the baby...not really. Not then. I was in a panic and I wanted out and that was the way I was playing it.
O UP T S 4%
R 19 Y10%
The child would be about 13 or 14 years old now. When I look at our two children, I know there ought to be three. I don’t know if the baby was a boy or a girl. I keep thinking it was a girl, probably because my wife wanted one so badly. Although I still struggle with depression and guilt, I eventually found forgiveness. My wife is not ready to take that step. So I must continue to try and help her bear that burden and make up for the crucial time I failed her.
I don’t remember how I finally changed her mind—it took about a week, but I did it. I remember being with her at the clinic, with one of her friends, smoking outside and then driving her home thinking, “Thank God it’s over!”
humanlife.org
Aaron
Page 13
FOR THE “HEALTH” OF THE MOTHER? Today, people insist abortion must remain legal to ensure the health of the mother at all stages of pregnancy even through the third trimester of development and up to birth. This is simply false. Former abortionist and practicing Ob-Gyn Dr. Anthony Levatino states, “You never need a late term abortion to save a woman’s life.”1 Dr. Levatino explained, “I was faculty at the hospital for nine years, and I saw hundreds of cases of really severe pregnancy complications—cancers, heart disease, intractable diabetes out of control, toxemia of pregnancy out of control. And I saved—in those nine years—I saved hundreds of women from life-threatening pregnancies… by delivery, either induction of labor or caesarean section, delivering the baby. And I always tell people, in all those years, the number of babies that I had to—that I was obligated to deliberately kill in the process—was zero. None.”2 The most common late-term abortion procedure is dilation and evacuation or D & E. This procedure takes two, three or more days to complete.
“No one wants an abortion like she wants an ice cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion like an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg.” —Frederica Mathewes Green A woman arrives at her first appointment to have laminaria inserted to dilate the cervix. She will then leave the center, go home or to a local hotel and return after the cervix is fully dilated. This allows the abortionist room to insert forceps or other tools into the uterus. The abortion is then completed by crushing the skull, tearing apart and removing the baby’s body. Approximately 12,000 – 13,000 late-term abortions (20+ weeks gestation) take place in the U.S. each year.3 That’s twice the number of AIDS deaths annually.4
“The child won’t have a good quality of life.” Why assume children born from unplanned pregnancies will have the worst possible future and end their lives? We have not (yet) legalized killing toddlers living in unhealthy environments. Instead, we try to help these children and their families. We should strive to eliminate the suffering, not those who suffer.
Quiz Answers from Page 2: 1. B • 2. A • 3. D • 4. D • 5. B • 6. C • 7. B • 8. C
CITATIONS Take The Quiz 1 “Number of Abortions - Abortion Counters.” Number of Abortions in US & Worldwide. Web. | 2 Moore, Keith L, Persaud, T.V.N. The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology 6TH Ed. W.B. Saunders, 1998. Print. | 3 “Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973).” Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973). Web. | 4 Coleman, Priscilla K. “113 Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 22 Number 4 Winter 2017 Women Who Suffered Emotionally from Abortion: A Qualitative Synthesis of Their Experiences.” Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, vol. 22, no. 4, 2017, p. 115., www. jpands.org/.| 5 “Characteristics of U.S. Abortion Patients in 2014 and Changes Since 2008.” Guttmacher Institute. Web. | 6 Gissler, M. “Suicides After Pregnancy in Finland, 1987–94: register linkage study”, Hemminki, Elina, research professor, Lonnqvist, Jouko, research professor BMJ 1996; 313 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.313.7070.1431 (Published 07 December 1996). Web. | 7 Mansfield C, Hopfer S, Marteau TM. “Termination rates after prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, spina bifida, anencephaly and Turner and Klinefelter syndromes: a systematic literature review. European Concerted Action: DADA (Decision-making After the Diagnosis of a fetal Abnormality)” Prenatal Diagnosis. 1999 Sep;19(9):808-12. Review. Web. | 8 “Facts About Abortion, Protecting Black Life, Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the country, targets African Americans by locating 62% (approx. 2 out of every 3) of their abortion facilities in black communities.” Life Issues Connector, October 2012. Web. Brown, Judie. “Abortion and Racism in America.” June 28, 2013. Web. Disorder In The Court 1 “Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973).” Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973). Web. | 2 Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179 (1973).” Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179 (1973). Web. | 3 Testimony of Norma McCorvey, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Federalism, and Property Rights of the Senate Judiciary Committee, 105th Congress, 2nd Session, 1/21/98. | 4 http://www.euthanasia.com/roedoe.html (quoted from LeBoeuf, CHATTANOOGA FREE PRESS, 3/24/97). | Image Credits: By Lorie Shaull - Norma McCorvey (Jane Roe) and her lawyer Gloria Allred on the steps of the Supreme Court, 1989, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56413039 |Justice Foundation - Sandra Cano. Is Abortion Empowering? 1 Frederica Mathewes-Green (contemporary writer and feminist) Policy Review Magazine.│2 Feminist Susan Maronek, excerpted from Pro-life Feminism: Different Voices edited by Gail Grenier Sweet. No Harm Done? 1 Gissler,M, Karalis, E, Ulander, V.M. “Suicide rate after induced abortion decreased in Finland after Current Care Guidelines” The European Journal of Public Health, DOI: First published online: 31 October 2014. Web. | 2 Garfinkel,B. et al. “Stress, Depression and Suicide: A Study of Adolescents in Minnesota,” Responding to High Risk Youth (University of Minnesota: Minnesota Extension Service, 1986). | 3 Cougle, Jesse R., Reardon, David C., Coleman, Priscilla K. “Depression associated with abortion and childbirth: a long-term analysis of the NLSY cohort.” Med Science Monitor 2003; 9(4): CR105-112 ID: 4701 Published: 2003-04-23. Web. | 4 “Abortion Risks: A list of major physical complications related to abortion” Afterabortion.org. Web. | 5 Ibid. | 6 Coleman, P.K., Maxey, C.D., Rue, V.M., Coyle, C.T. “Associations between voluntary and involuntary forms of perinatal loss and child maltreatment among low-income mothers.” Acta Paediatrica. 2005 Oct;94(10):1476-83. Web. | 7 Lee,S.J., Steer,P.J.,Filippi, V. “Seasonal patterns and preterm birth: a systematic review of the literature and an analysis in a London-based cohort” British Journal of Medicine, DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2006.01055.x. Web. | 8 Huang Y, Zhang X, Li W, Song F, Dai H, Wang J, Gao Y, Liu X, Chen C, Yan Y, Wang Y, Chen K., “A meta-analysis of the association between induced abortion and breast cancer risk among Chinese females.“ Cancer Causes Control. 2014 Feb;25 (2):227-36. doi: 10.1007/ s10552-013-0325-7. Epub 2013 Nov 24. Baby Developed 1 The Drama of Fetal Development”, American Baby. Jan. 1989. p. 45. Print. | 2 Moore and Persaud, The Developing Human-Clinically Oriented Embryology. 2nd ed. W.B. Saunders Company 1973 p. 310. Print. | 3 Hamlin, H. “Life or Death by EEG,” JAMA. Oct. 12, 1964, p. 113 Print. | 4 Sadler, T.W. Langman’s Medical Embryology. 7th ed., Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins, 1995. p. 341 Print. | 5 deVries, J.I.P. et al, “The Emergence of Fetal Behavior.” Early Human Development. Vol 12. 1985, p. 108 Print. | 6 Mayo Clinic Family Health Book. 3rd ed. Harper Resource, 2003. p. 268 Print. | 7 Valman, Pearson. “What the Fetus Feels.” British Medical Journal. p. 234 Print. | 8 Mayo Clinic Family Health Book. 3rd ed. Harper Resource, 2003, p. 269 Print. | 9 Britt, Robert Roy. “Lasting Impression: How Fingerprints Are Created.” LiveScience, Purch, 2 Nov. 2004, www.livescience.com/30-lasting-impression-fingerprints-created.html. | 10 Flanagan, Geraldine Lux, Beginning Life, DK Publishing, 1996 pp. 59-65. | 11 Cunningham, MacDonald, Grant, Williams Obstetrics. 18th ed., p. 90 & 103 Print. | 12 Flanagan, Geraldine Lux, Beginning Life DK Publishing , 1996 Limited p. 68. | 13 Health & Wellness Resource Center, “Normal Growth of a Baby During Pregnancy.” Clinical Reference Systems Annual. 2001. p.1391. | 14 Gordon, Debra MD. “Pregnancy.” The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. 2nd ed., pp. 26942695. | 15 Ibid. | 16 Ibid. | 17 Ibid. | 18 Ibid. | 19 Sassone, Robert L. “Interview with Prof. Sir A William Liliey.” The Tiniest Humans. Image credits: Month 0 by David Marchal, Months 1-2 by Steven O’Connor M.D. / Month 3 and header image © The Center for Bio Ethical Reform/ Months 4-6 © Life Issues Institute. Baby Destroyed 1 Marshal, Sarah, MD, Rebecca H. Allen, MD, MPH and Kirtly Jones, MD. “Manual and Vacuum Aspiration for Abortion.” Women’s Health. WebMD, 14 Nov. 2014. Web. | 2 Ibid. | 3 Ibid. | 4 Jatlaoui TC, Boutot ME, Mandel MG, et al. Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2015. MMWR Surveill Summ 2018;67(No. SS-13):1–45. DOI: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/ss/ss6713a1.htm. | 5 United States. Cong. House. U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. Testimony of Jill L. Stanek , RN HR 1797, Pain - Capable Unborn Child Protection Act U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice May 23, 2013. 113th Cong. H. Bill. Print.| 6 “An Abortion Doctor Describes a D&E.” ClinicQuotes, 26 Nov. 2014, clinicquotes.com/an-abortion-doctor-describes-a-de/.| 7 Ibid. | 8 Ibid. | 9 Ibid. | 10 “Induced Abortion in the United States.” Guttmacher Institute, 1 June 2019, www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states/. | 11 “Examining Tissue.” Management of Unintended and Abnormal Pregnancy, by Maureen Paul, 1st ed., Wiley-Blackwell, 2009, pp. 149–151. Bad Chemicals: How The Abortion Pill Works 1 “What Is Mifeprex?” Mifeprex - Mifepristone - Abortion Pill - RU486 - Early Option Pill, 2019, www. earlyoptionpill.com/what-is-mifeprex/. | 2 Ibid. | 3 Ibid. | 4 Mayo Clinic Family Health Book. 3rd ed. Harper Resource, 2003. p. 268 Print. | 5 “Mifepristone U.S. Post-Marketing Adverse Events Summary through
Kathleen Dezeeuw’s son, Patrick, was CONCEIVED IN RAPE when she was 16... “I feel personally assaulted and insulted every time I hear that abortion should be legal because of rape and incest,” stated Kathleen. “Having lived through rape and also having raised a child ‘conceived in rape,’ I feel that we’re being used by pro-abortionists to further the abortion issue, even though we’ve not been asked to tell our side of the story.” As traumatic as rape is, abortion does not un-rape the mother. In fact, studies show that most women who become pregnant through rape don’t want an abortion. Patricia, a victim of rape, said, “In my experience, abortion only compounded the trauma and pain I was already experiencing...While it may seem to be the quickest and easiest solution to a painful, humiliating ‘problem,’ abortion is a band-aid approach. For me, the effects of abortion are much more far-reaching than the effects of the rape.”1
What about Rape AND Incest?
In the only major study of pregnant rape victims ever done, Dr. Sandra Mahkorn found that 75-to-85% chose against abortion.2 Joan Kemp, a rape crisis center counselor, said, “I am familiar with no case of incest-related abortion that did not make matters worse for the victim.”3 Twenty-five years after the abortion of her child, Edith Young, a 12-yearold victim of incest, agonized that, “The abortion which was to ‘be in my best interest’ just has not been. As far as I can tell, it only ‘saved their [my parents’] reputations,’ ‘solved their problems,’ and allowed their lives to go merrily on.” Studies also show that incest victims rarely ever voluntarily agree to abortion. Instead of viewing the pregnancy as unwanted, the incest victim is more likely to see the pregnancy as a way out of the incestuous relationship because the birth of her child will expose the sexual activity. Researchers David C. Reardon, Julie Makimaa and Amy Sobie completed a nine-year study on pregnancy outcomes of sexual assault victims. As part of their research the authors found that after any abortion, it is common for women to experience guilt, depression, feelings of being “dirty,” resentment of men and lowered self-esteem. These feelings are identical to what women typically feel after rape.
LIFE is the right for every human. Not the privilege of the fortunate, the planned, or the “perfect.” TELL US WHAT YOU THINK We’d like to hear from you Head to social media or email us at feedback@humanlife.org
Abortion only adds to and accentuates the traumatic feelings associated with sexual assault. Rather than easing the psychological burdens, abortion adds to them.
The stories mentioned are just the beginning of what is being exposed surrounding the tragedy of abortion due to rape and incest. Reardon, Makimaa and Sobie identified testimonies from 192 women who became pregnant as a result of rape or incest and 55 children conceived in sexual assault and compiled them in their provocative book, Victims and Victors.4 Pregnancy resulting from sexual assault is actually a contraindication for abortion. Doctors treating a sexual assault victim should advise against abortion precisely because of the traumatic nature of the pregnancy. The testimonies and studies confirm that both the mother and child are helped by preserving life, not by perpetuating violence.
12/31/20188” https://www.fda.gov/media/112118/download, 12 April 2109. Web. Overpopulation 1 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2017). World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision, https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Mortality/. | 2 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2017). World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision, https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Fertility/. | 3 Central Intelligence Agency, 2018, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/theworld-factbook/fields/356rank.html. | 4 “World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision Analytical Report” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division 2004. Web. | 5. Central Intelligence Agency, 2018, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/fields/356rank.html. | 6 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2017). World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision, custom data acquired via website. https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/. | 7 Shorto, Russell. “No Babies?” The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 June 2008. Web. | 8 United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2017). World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision, https://population.un.org/ wpp/Download/Standard/Population/. | 9 "Environment," Texas Almanac, 19 Nov. 2017, www.texasalmanac.com/topics/environment/environment. | 10 “The Millennium Development Goal (MDG).” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2010, www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ERP/docs2010/news2010/Gabuo.doc. | 11 Kijne, Jacob W. “Unlocking the Water Potential of Agriculture.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2003, http://www.fao.org/3/y4525e/y4525e00.htm. Adoption 1 Jones, J. “Adoption Experiences of Women and Men and Demand for Children to Adopt by Women 18–44 Years of Age in the United States, 2002.” 2008, www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_027.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0XbHcJKSuIjQ68PEg86kEOLvOF0ia-rmgvJnm5TprLOraQfAiG3FLFB4s. Table 5. A Numbers Race: 1 Guttmacher Institute. Guttmacher Institute, 26 Apr. 2017. Web. https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states | 2 Ibid. | 3 “U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States.” Census Bureau QuickFacts, 2018, www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RHI725217#RHI725217.| 4 Guttmacher Institute. Guttmacher Institute, 21 Apr. 2016. Web. https:// www.guttmacher.org/report/characteristics-us-abortion-patients-2014#full-article. | 5 Finer, Lawrence B. “Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives.” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Sept. 2005, www.guttmacher.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/pubs/psrh/full/3711005.pdf. | 6 Abortion Surveillance - United States, 2015. Table 3. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Vol 67, No SS-13; 1-45. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, November 23, 2018. Late Term Abortions and a Woman’s Life 1 “A Conversation with a Former Abortionist: Is Abortion Ever Medically Necessary?” YouTube, Live Action, 24 Feb. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysl1tRnk-ig. | 2 ibid | 3 “Induced Abortion in the United States.” Guttmacher Institute, 1 June 2019, www. guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states/. | 4 Xu JQ, Murphy SL, Kochanek KD, Bastian B, Arias E. Deaths: Final data for 2016. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 67 no 5. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/aids-hiv.htm What About Rape and Incest? 1 “The ‘Hard Cases’ of Abortion: A Pro-life Response 2000.” The Family Research Council, 801 G Street, NW Washington, DC 2001. Print. | 2 Mall, David, Watts; Walter F. The Psychological Aspects of Abortion. Stritch School of Medicine. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Washington D.C. University Publications of America, 1979. | 3 “The ‘Hard Cases’ of Abortion: A Pro-life Response 2000” by the Family Research Council, 801 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20001. | 4 Reardon, David C. Makimaa, Julie, Sobie, Amy, Victims and Victors: Speaking Out about Their Pregnancies, Abortions and Children Resulting from Sexual Assault, Acorn Books. January 1st 2000.
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