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Volume 19, Number 4
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July/August 2008
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Abortion Sank Irish Lisbon Treaty?
Not long ago, the Irish in a referendum rejected the Lisbon Treaty. Many reasons were given. However, a major recent poll turned up that 58% of those who voted against it, believed that it would make abortion more likely to be legalized in Ireland. This being true, a second vote,
if it is held, holds little promise for approval.
Nepal - Now More Abortions
The new government in Nepal, which has replaced its previous monarchy, intends to introduce RU 486 for wide spread use in this mountainous country. They also intend to develop and
use the manual vacuum aspirator as a back-up for incomplete abortion.
Ecuador - New Constitution
Ecuador’s Special Assembly, elected to draft a new Constitution, has recommended to the nation that the new Constitution eliminates protection for the unborn.
This has been challenged by a public referendum set for late September.
Luxembourg Legalizes Euthanasia
Its Parliament has voted 30 – 26 to legalize euthanasia.
This makes it the third country in Europe to allow such legalized killing.
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Obama Would Kill Born Infants
While in the Senate of the state of Illinois, Obama spoke to legislation requiring care for infants born alive after a failed abortion attempt. Obama voted against such care, and in favor of allowing or causing the death of the infant. Your editor suggests that it is one thing to legalize killing infants in the womb, it is much worse to kill them during delivery (partial birth abortion), and it is completely outrageous to
kill them after they are born, but that is where Senator Obama is.
El Salvador Condemns Abortion
All 84 members of this Congress have signed a petition condemning abortion as an “abominable crime.” The petition states, “Every human being’s life should be protected and respected from the
moment of conception until natural death.”
Hugh March in Sao Paulo
Movement in Defense of Life sponsored a large march in the streets of Sao Paulo. Tens of thousands of
people marched to protest the suggested law that would legalize abortion.
Women - Dying?
Mr. Jorge Serrano Limon, President of Mexico’s National Pro-life Committee, says that officials have only acknowledged one of eight known maternal deaths due to abortion, and that over 6,000 babies have been killed by abortion
since it was legalized in Mexico City one year ago.
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Portuguese Doctors Capitulate
After months of conflict, a Portuguese Medical Society has bent under government pressure to allow abortion in their ethical code. They are doing this by no longer specifying when human life begins. Their statement now says, “That while there is consensus on the end of life, there is no consensus on its beginning … and we … have no intention of determining it.” Each doctor now must make his own ethical determination. Your editor notes that this is an astonishingly incorrect statement to be made by physicians, those who above all, know that there is an absolute scientific consensus on when life begins. It is at the time of fertilization.
This is simple, basic biology and embryology.
Canada, Pill Sold Over the Counter
In May, Canada’s National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities announced that the abortifacient morning-after-pills can be sold over the counter without a doctor’s prescription or a pharmacist oversight. Other countries now allowing this include Norway,
the Netherlands, Sweden, and India.
Psychiatrists Warn That Abortions Cause Problems
England’s Royal College of Psychiatrists has stated that abortion businesses should tell women that abortion presents numerous mental health risks, and stated that abortion shouldn’t be done unless women are counseled on these possible risks. The abortionist “should assess for mental disorder and for risk factors
that may be associated with subsequent development of problems.”
British Women Regret Abortions
A British pro-life group placed ads in women’s magazines asking their reaction today to past abortions. Over 82% of the women who responded, “deeply regretted their abortion decisions” while 26% had “few or no” regrets. Even among these who said that it was “the right thing” at that time;
many said they would not want to do it again.
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British Doctors Oppose Assisted-Suicide
By a 2-1 margin, licensed physicians in England oppose legalizing assisted-suicide. This is good and bad news as the percentage
opposed had been higher in previous years.
India - Missing Girls
The British Parliament in a recent investigation discussed “Disappearing Daughters.” It states that there are an estimated 35 million missing girls in India. On an average, there are now 800 girls born for every 1,000 boys, with the number as low as 300 in Punjab. Sex selection abortion is technically illegal in India, but with ubiquitous use of ultrasound scans used to reveal the sex of the unborn child, and the pressure on woman to produce sons rather than daughters,
the situation continues to deteriorate.
Islam May Abort Rape Victim
A high seat of Sunni Islamic learning has issued an edict that women who become pregnant because of rape must abort their children. This edict should be binding authority in most of the Middle East,
but much less so in the West.
Sydney Youth Day a Boost for Pro-Life
World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia’s final tally revealed 110,000 international pilgrims from 170 countries, in addition to 113,000 local pilgrims. In this sparsely populated country, this was the largest number ever assembled in one place. Pope Benedict’s week-long trip there ended with thousands of extra people attending, the number totaling 400,000.
It is thought that his visit will have major pro-life repercussions.
U.S. Foreign Aid Bill Cleansed of Pro-Abortion Funding
The huge Foreign Affairs HIV/AIDs Bill finally passed the U.S. House of Representative after being cleansed of pro-abortion riders. The present bill continues funding for abstinence prevention,
anti-sex trafficking, and allows funding for faith-based groups.
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Philippines - Induced Abortions
The Guttmacher Institute, a branch of Planned Parenthood, has publicly estimated that there were 473,000 induced abortions in the Philippines in the year 2000. Criticizing this number as being wildly inaccurate, leaders of the pro-life movement there arrived at an alternative estimate of 25,000 using one method and 20,000 using another.
Guess which numbers received international press attention.
Philippine Struggle Continues
With the aid of untold amounts of money from overseas groups, legislation called The Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2007 is being debated in the Philippine Parliament. It would create a new “Commission on Population.” This would “encourage” families to have only two children. It would promote abortifacient drugs, including the IUD and the pill. It would require all public and private health care providers to provide surgical sterilization. It would require mandatory “age appropriate” sex education, starting in the 5th grade and running through high school. In effect, it would allow Planned Parenthood type sexual permissiveness across this Catholic nation. The bishops there have protested strongly, stating that this would create a culture of death. Its president, Gloria Arroyo, does oppose this. One bishop has issued a pastoral letter stating that politicians who support this are forbidden to receive Holy Communion within his diocese, stating that the use of the phrase, “reproductive health” would, in effect, allow abortion on demand nationwide.
Let’s watch this closely.
Medecins sans Frontieres is Pro Abortion
Sometimes known as Doctors without Borders, this organization claims to follow the Hippocratic Oath. However in December 2005, it stated that, “In cases of sexual violence, it could be a matter of giving antibiotic treatment to combat a sexually transmitted infection, giving prophylactic treatment to prevent HIV infection, providing medicine to avoid pregnancy (morning-after-pill), and performing an abortion…” Such a position definitely does not follow this ancient Oath,
which specifically forbids a doctor to kill his patient.
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Boycott of McDonald's
Due to its recent public and aggressive support of homosexual groups pushing same sex marriage, a boycott has been instituted against the McDonald’s restaurant chain.
Pro-family groups initiating the boycott, not surprisingly, have been accused of “hate.”
Spain - Aids National Suicide
The Spanish Socialist Worker’s Party is planning a national law that will guarantee that abortions can be paid for as part of the Social Security Services to any women. They call this equity and want universal access. Probably the last thing that Spain needs is to kill more of its babies, as it is now averaging less than 1.2 babies per woman in her life time, while Muslim immigrants continue to have large families. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that it won’t take too
many years before Euro-Caucasian Spaniards are a minority in Spain.
Alternative to Amnesty International Exists
Since Amnesty International (AI) has come out full-fledged for abortion, millions of people are looking for an alternative group that does the good things AI has been doing. There is a Christian group, Action by Christians against Torture, a registered charity in Britain and Ireland. It is affiliated with the International Federation against Torture based in Paris. It has no policy on abortion. For those who are committed to human rights, but feel that they cannot remain active in AI, this would be worth investigating.
For information contact: Eleanor Newland at uk.acat@gmail.com.
Europe "Baby Hatches" Are Available
These are common, particularly in the Catholic countries of Europe. These allow a mother to leave her newborn in the care of modern medical facility without identifying herself. When placed in such a hatch, a sensor alerts workers that a baby has arrived. In Germany, babies are cared for eight weeks, during which time the mother can return and claim her child without any legal repercussions. If she does not return, the child is put up for adoption. However, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has stated in a draft resolution that this is not an answer,
rather abortion is.
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Progress with New Stem Cells
Research with induced pluripotent stem cells conducted in the last six months since they were first produced has progressed into growing functioning heart and blood cells. This is a first, as differentiation into the three types of cardiovascular cells that are needed to repair heart and blood vessels has been achieved. \
Publishing in the medical journal, Stem Cells, Dr. Robb MacLellan stated, “I believe these IPS cells address many of the short comings of
human embryonic stem cells, and are the future of regenerative medicine.”
Stem Cell Treatment for Eyes?
In animal experiments, adult stem cells have shown a remarkable ability to target and repair damaged blood vessels in the eye. This is a key problem in diabetic eye disease and in macular degeneration. Now the Pfizer Company will be funding a new adult stem cell treatment by funding the creation of a San Diego biotech company named EyeCyte. It will be developing stem cell treatments.
Researcher Martin Freelander stated, “It is unbelievable,
these cells know where to go and they target the site of injury.”
IPS Cells Now to Treat ALS?
Researchers at Harvard and Columbia Universities have used the new pluripotent stem cells to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig Disease). This was done using the new technique of transforming skin cells into these IPS cells without having to kill five-day old embryos.
Watch this one closely; it may be a landmark advance.
Canada - Largest March Ever
This year’s Canadian March for Life was the largest ever. Aggregating over 10,000 attendees across the country,
it was noted that with each passing year there is a higher percent of enthusiastic young people attending.
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Anencephalic Child Survives for Twenty Months
Born in November 2006, an infant girl in Rio de Janeiro was anencephalic, i.e. had only a brain stem, no upper lobes. Such babies are usually either born dead or survive only a few hours, occasionally days. This little girl lived for one year, eight months, and twelve days, and then died of complications due to pneumonia.
She became the center of heated discussion in Brazil on whether or not to allow abortion in such cases.
Oral Contraceptives - 44% Increase in Breast Cancer
The Journal of the Mayo Clinic in October 2006 analyzed international studies between 1980 – 2002. This meta-analysis found an increase risk for breast cancer of 44% in premenopausal women, who took oral contraceptives prior to their first pregnancy, compared to women who had not.
Twenty-one of the twenty-three studies examined showed this increased risk.
Australia Contraception Failures
Flinders University Professors have found that 70% of women seeking abortions in Australia had been using birth control. Thirty-six per cent had used condoms and over 28% the pills.
This is a 2/3 failure rate and still we are told these artificial methods are reliable?
Abortion Equals More Preemies and More Die
Canada’s National Center for Health Statistics has released new statistics. Babies born too small, and too soon, now account for one-third of all infant deaths. Premature babies die more often than full-term babies. Thirty-two per cent of U.S. births under 32 weeks, it states, are due to the mother having had a prior abortion, and overall, previous aborted women are one and a half times more likely to
deliver babies less than 33 weeks gestation, who then have a higher death rate.
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www.internationalrighttolife.com
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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
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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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