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International Right to Life Federation,
Inc.
Vol. 17 No. 5
(September/October 2006)
Bulgarian Abortions
In 2001, there were 750 abortions for every 1,000 births. Forty percent of women have had an abortion compared to 20-30% in other industrialized countries. Their Cabinet is studying strategies to reduce the number of abortions.
Baby Trafficking in Athens
The Independent has reported that pregnant Bulgarian mothers are being offered 20,000 euros per newborn in Greece. There is a great demand for adoptable children. Last year 53 children were offered publicly for adoption, more than 500 couples applied.
Brazil - Pro-life Poll
Several months after the government backed down on supporting a bill to legalize abortion. A poll was published in Sao Paulo. Sixty-three percent favored the current law that bans abortions, except for life of the mother and rape. Only seventeen percent want the law changed, while eleven percent want a total ban on all abortions, including life.
Poland - A Tougher Law?
Currently the Polish law forbids abortion except for assault rape, incest, and life. There is a move in this country to eliminate these exceptions. Polish President, Lech Kaczynski, has announced that he opposes the change.
African Health Ministers Reject Abortion
These ministers, gathered in Mozambique, rejected an attempt to include abortion in a continental policy on reproductive health and rights. A draft version, which included "unsafe" abortion as a cause of maternal mortality, was defeated.
Asian, African and South American Nations Most Pro-Life
In a major new poll by the PEW Research Firm, the poll found that abortion in the US was always justified 5%, sometimes justified 46%, and never justified 45%. Polling "Christians" in other countries found that Brazil was 4%, 16%, and 79%. In Chile, the split was 4/23/71 and Guatemala divided into 3/10/85. Kenya broke down to 0/11/88 with Nigeria 1/4/94. South Africa rated 8/16/73, with the Philippines being 0/3/97. South Korea was 0/45/54.
Australia - Using More Deadly Drug Combo
Because regulations make the use of RU486 very cumbersome, a number of doctors in Australia are using a different combination, that of methotrexate, a cancer drug, and Cytotec, a prostaglandin used for stomach ulcers. They are using these together in the first three months of pregnancy. This combination is almost as affective as RU486 but far more dangerous, as it can produce aplastic anemia, which is uniformly fatal.
Spain: Semantic Gymnastics
In Spain, after the recent legalization of same sex marriage, the National Civil Registry struck the words "mother" and "father" from the first document issued to every newborn by the state. Instead, all birth certificates will now read "progenitor A" and "progenitor B".
Spain - No Euthanasia
The Association of Christian Doctors of Catalonia, Spain, has stated that they "Do not want to be executioners" and that, "Euthanasia is outside the provision of their profession."
Portuguese Vote Scheduled
The Portuguese Parliament approved the Socialist government's proposal to hold a referendum on allowing abortion up to ten weeks of gestation. It will be held in January, and to be valid, half of the registered electors must take part. At present, Portugal allows abortion up to twelve weeks for rape, disability, and danger to maternal health.
Abortion Linked to Premature Birth
We have a new report from a committee of the National Academy of Science. It states that first trimester abortion is linked to an increasing risk of premature birth. We also note an article in 2003 in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons which listed over 60 significant studies reporting the existence of an abortion - premature birth link.
Abortion Causes Premature Birth
The percentage of premature births continues to rise in the United States with one-third of infant deaths now being due to prematurity. Black women abort at a rate three times higher than white women and have been doing so for several decades. They also have three times the rate of very pre-term births. The experts are trying very hard to ignore this association which persists after all attempts to adjust for social and economic differences, but it is staring them right in the face.
British Doctors Oppose Assisted Suicide
A year ago at its annual conference, the British Medical Association reversed its long-standing opposition to assisted suicide and adopted a "neutral" stance on the issue. At its recent annual conference, another vote was taken and opposition to assisted suicide was reestablished by a 2 to 1 vote. This vote puts the BMA in line with the World Colleges of General Practitioners, of Psychiatrists and of Physicians.
UN On Rights Of Persons With Disabilities
This meeting on balance was a pro-life success. This completed four years of negotiations, and finally came down to the wire on round-the-clock proceedings in the last two days, arguing about "reproductive health." The treaty included the right of disabled people to food and fluids, thus denying euthanasia proponents. It reaffirmed in law the inherent value of human life, including the phrase, "dignity and worth." It replaced the ambiguous word "gender" with the word "sex" to prevent advancing the homosexual agenda. Finally, while "sexual and reproductive health" were in the final document, it specifically stated that the phrases did not include abortion.
Illegal Abortions in Argentina?
The federal Attorney General in Argentina has admitted that he lied when he grossly exaggerated the number of illegal abortions in his country. He claimed five hundred thousand annually, and admits now that this was merely an attempt to intimidate and confuse Argentinean people in order to help the decriminalization of abortion. The number he gave was pure fantasy and has no relation to reality.
Russia - Possible Sterility Tax
The Russian Parliament is considering whether to impose a sterility tax on childless Russians as part of a plan to encourage a higher birth rate.
Journal Tells China to Stop Abortions
The New England Journal of Medicine is one of three or four most prestigious medical journals in the world. Its editorial policy has been strongly pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia. Now it has published a report asking China to scrap its one child population policy. The article states that their policy is "outdated." It states, "With the freedoms that have resulted from wealth and globalization, the one child policy seems increasingly anachronistic.and.a relaxation of the one child policy would be desirable." It notes the gender imbalance, 117 males for every 100 females. It notes that China's policy has "helped its economic prosperity but that it is now outdated."
British Women Regret Abortions
The British pro-life group, LIFE, placed advertisements in women's magazines to find out what women felt about their previous abortions. Some 250 women replied, eighty-two percent said they deeply regretted the abortion decision, while ten percent said they were pleased. Some added that they had no other alternative and thought it was the right thing at that moment in their lives.
A Crime to Oppose Abortion?
Catholic Cardinal Lopez Trujillo, head of the Pontifical Council for the Family, recently stated, "We fear above all that, faced with current legislation, speaking in defense of life and the rights of the family has become in certain societies a sort of crime against the state as being discrimination against women." He reiterated that women who undergo abortion, along with doctors and nurses who assist and others who consent to abortion are excommunicated from the Catholic Church.
Chinese Gender Imbalance Increases
A new report from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, September 2006 detailed at the rate of births in 2000 was 117 boys to 100 girls. The new rate, as of 2004, is 121 to 100.
Nicaragua Bans All Abortions
It has joined the 34 other nations that make abortion always illegal. Current law had prohibited abortions except for rape, incest, and the mother's life. This new law eliminates those exceptions. The law was a result of an immense effort by many people in this tiny nation. Lead by Dr. Rafael Cabrera, a March for Life was held with twenty thousand people attending. The National Assembly continued to work on a new proposed penal code and some time passed. They then had a second March for Life with fifty thousand people marching. Polls show 71% percent of Nicaraguans were against the exceptions in the current law, and so the debate continued. Legislative discussions on a proposed penal code reached approval, leaving only abortion to be decided. At this time every city was inundated with a massive anti-life publicity campaign through all media outlets. A reactive pro-life campaign began. The National Assembly set October 6th for its final vote on the abortion portion.
Catholic and Evangelical groups called for a major show of support. This time, over two hundred thousand people marched to the National Assembly. Their request: Eliminate the "therapeutic" abortion exceptions from the proposed penal code, and make all abortions illegal. In response to this, the new law was passed eliminating these exceptions. A counter march of less than one hundred pro-abortionists was held by women dressed as witches. The end result was clearly one requested by and supported by the vast majority of people in this small nation.
Teens Cope Well With Unwanted Births
In a recent study in the Journal of Youth Adolescents, Dr. Priscilla Coleman, reports that adolescent girls who abort unintended pregnancies are five times more likely to seek subsequent help for psychological and emotional problems when compared to their peers who carry "unwanted pregnancies" to term. Those who had abortions were three times more likely to report subsequent trouble sleeping, and nine times more likely to use marijuana. These results emerged after eliminating seventeen control variables such as prior mental health, various family factors, etc.
Embryonic Stem Cells Cause Brain Tumors
The University of Rochester, NY in the journal, Nature, reports that human embryonic stem cells, injected into the brains of rats, form cancer. If so, it is obvious that they would have the potential to do the same in humans. The injected cells did take root and grafted successfully, but then began to divide in cancerous tumor fashion. The concern here is that if used in the human brain, as a potential cure for Parkinsons, they could grow wild. It is noted that adult stem cells in similar experiments have not turned into tumors.
Cervical Cancer Now Preventable?
It is well known that the vast majority of cases of cancer of the cervix are caused by an infection by the human papilloma virus. This virus is transmitted sexually. Males are relatively little affected by it, but females are infected and years down the road the result for many a cervical cancer. Now we have a report from the US Food and Drug Administration that a proposed Merck and Company vaccine to protect against cervical cancer is safe and effective.
Another Fraudulent Embryonic Stem Cell Experiment
In the journal, Nature, there was a recent report by Robert Lanza, of Advanced Cell Technology stating that they had created embryonic stem cells, during which the embryo was in no way harmed or destroyed. This was a total fraud. It now comes out that all of the embryos were killed in the process, and none were viable. This makes two ACT "miracle breakthrough" articles that have been withdrawn.
Japanese Cell Breakthrough
In the Journal Cell, 25 August 2006, Japanese researchers detail their successful modification of a mouse skin cell into an embryonic-like stem cell. These were pluripotent. That is, they had the ability to differentiate into any other cell type. This is one to watch closely.
And Now: Kidney Stem Cells
According to an ANSA Italian News Agency reporting on recent research, a team of immunologists has shown that kidney stem cells (adult stem cells from the patient's own kidneys) have been used to repair kidney damage in mice. If this can prove to transfer to humans, it will be a major breakthrough.
Embryonic Stem Cells "No Where Close"
A Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor lecturing in Canberra, Australia, has stated that embryonic stem cell research is "no where close to helping patients." This is because injecting these cells into another human causes tumors and cancers made up of "lots of different kinds of tissues." Since tumor formation is an inherent feature of these cells, "it is possible that the problem will be solved down the road, but it is going to be a very long time coming, if ever."
Marijuana Causes Miscarriages?
Researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville Tennessee recently found that in mice, THC, cannabis's (marijuana's) active ingredient, prevented the implantation of newly conceived mouse embryos in the womb.
J.C. Willke, President,
International Right to Life Fed.
1821 West Galbraith Road
Cincinnati,
Ohio 45239 USA
Phone +1 (513) 729-3600
Fax +1 (513) 729-3636
e-mail:
IRTLF@lifeissues.org
International
Right to Life Fed., International Office
Ruitersweg 35-37 1211 KT Hilversum
The Netherlands
Phone +31 35 624-4352
Fax +31 35 624-9141
e-mail:
info@schreeuwomleven.nl
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