Did You Know...
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1 out of 3 babies conceived in America is killed by abortion. That's over 1.5 million babies per year, over 4,000 per day, 1 every 20 seconds. In more than 14 metropolitan areas, abortions outnumber live births.
(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Controls — Abortion Surveillance Report, May 1983)
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It is legal in America to have an abortion through the full nine months of pregnancy.
(U.S. Supreme Court decisions, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton, 1/22/73)
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The unborn has a beating heart at 24 days. Brainwaves and unique finger prints can be detected at 43 days. The skeleton is complete and reflexes are present by 6 weeks. Changes after the 10th week are primarily changes in size. All the child needs to become a healthy newborn is time and nourishment.
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10% of abortions are late abortions (after 12 weeks). 1% are done after 21 weeks, approximately 15,580 annually. Only 1-3% of abortions are done for reasons of rape, incest, fetal abnormalities, or the health of the mother.
(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Controls — Abortion Surveillance Report, May 1983)
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Approximately one-third of those getting abortions are teenagers, one-third are age 20-24, and the remaining one-third are over 25. 76.9% of women getting abortions are unmarried. 58% have no previous children.
(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Controls — Abortion Surveillance Report, May 1983)
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In the United States, approximately 35% of abortions are repeat abortions.
(A. Guttmacher Institute, Issues in Brief, vol. 1, no. 9, October 1981)
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39 women died from illegal abortion in 1972, the year before Roe v. Wade.
(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control, Abortion Surveillance, November 1980)
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A husband has no legal right to stop his wife from aborting their child. In most states, the parents of a minor have no right to stop or even know about the abortion of their grandchild.
(U.S. Supreme Court decision, Planned Parenthood v. Danforth, 7/1/76)
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Most Americans believe the majority of abortions performed in this country should not be legal.
(Boston Globe, 3/31/89) -
Since 1973, the same year abortion was legalized in America, child abuse has increased over 500%.
(National Center of Child Abuse and Neglect, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
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2 million couples are waiting to adopt babies.
(National Committee for Adoptions, Washington, D.C.)
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The risk of a pregnancy developing outside the womb (e.g., tubal or ectopic pregnancy) is roughly doubled for women who have had one abortion, and multiplied up to four times for women with 2 or more previous abortions.
("Ectopic Pregnancy and Prior Induced Abortion," Ann Aschengrau Levin, et. al., American Journal of Public Health, March 1982, p. 253.)
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According to a study done at John Hopkins University, pelvic infection, a common complication that can lead to infertility, has been reported in up to 5.2% of first trimester abortions and 18.5% in second trimester abortions.
("Culture and Treatment Results in Endometritis Following Elective Abortion," Burkman, et. al., American Journal OB/GYN, vol. 128, no. 5, pp. 556-559)
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Damage to the cervix has been reported in up to 5% of women who undergo first trimester abortions. This injury can lead to bleeding, miscarriage and premature births in later pregnancies.
("Effects of Termination on Subsequent Pregnancy," John A. Richardson, Geoffrey Dixon, British Medical Journal, 1976, pp. 1303-1304)
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Miscarriage is significantly more common following abortion, almost doubled for women with one induced abortion, but no prior deliveries, and tripled after 2 or more abortions.
("Association of Induced Abortion with Subsequent Pregnancy Loss," Ann Aschengrau Levin, MS, The Journal of the American Medical Association, June 1980, pp. 2495-2499)
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The Supreme Court struck down laws requiring doctors to inform women of abortion risks.
(Supreme Court decision, Thornburg v. American College of Obstetrics and Gynocology, 6/11/86)
ARGUMENTS USED TO DEFEND ABORTION
What about the cases where the child is handicapped or deformed?
Since when has it become a capital offense to be less than perfect? What about deformities that are detected after birth... shall we kill these babies too? What if a 10 year old gets a disease that leaves him blind or deformed, or how about a retarded adult, should we kill them too? Just how perfect does one need to be before he is allowed to live?
What about the cases of rape and incest?
First of all, rape practically never results in pregnancy, due to the trauma involved. Over 97% of all abortions are performed strictly for personal convenience. What the mother needs is loving support, not added guilt. It's a strange sort of justice that would kill an innocent child for the crime of its father. One violent act does not condone another, God can grant the woman a love for the child or she could place it for adoption. Think about this: if you found out tomorrow that you were a product of a rape or incest, would you wish your mother had aborted you?
Who's to say that the fetus is even a person until birth?
Listen to what science has to say. It has been medically proven that the baby's heart is beating 18-28 days after conception. By the 30th day almost every organ has started to form. By 6 weeks he can move his arms and legs. By 43 days his brain waves can be read. By 8 weeks he has his very own fingerprints; he can urinate, make a fist, and he can feel pain. At conception the entire genetic code is present which determines what a person will be like as an adult.
Don't unwanted children usually end up being battered and abused children later on in life?
This is totally untrue. A recent study in California revealed that of 500 battered children, over 90% of them were planned pregnancies. Besides, just because a pregnancy is initially unwanted does not mean that the baby will be unwanted when born. If the parents should desire not to keep the baby, there are hundreds of thousands of couples who are anxious to adopt. Some of these couples have waited 7 years due to the shortage of available babies. Also, abortion adds to child abuse because it cheapens life. In fact, since abortion was legalized, child abuse has risen 500%. Abortion is the ultimate child abuse.
Doesn't a woman have a right to control her own body?
The baby is not part of the woman's body like her heart or lungs. It is a separate person with 46 chromosomes, a separate blood system, and its own unique body parts. Besides, no one has absolute control over one's body by law. For example, a woman may not legally sell her body for prostitution, take narcotic drugs or commit suicide.
You can't impose your morals on everyone else.
Why not? Many laws of our society are "imposed" upon others. For example, it's illegal to steal, to cheat on your income tax, or to yell "fire" in a movie theater. Most every law has a moral basis behind it. The truth is that the abortionists are imposing their morality upon the unborn child.
What about cases when the mother's life is in danger?
This question is just a smokescreen argument to cover up the real issues. Because of improved medical procedures the mother's life is rarely, if ever, in danger. In fact, C. Everett Koop, the former Surgeon General of the United States stated, "In my 36 years of pediatric surgery, I have never known of one instance where the child had to be aborted to save the mother's life."
Abortion is right because it is legal.
Just because something is legal does not make it right. It was once legal to own slaves.
Do you want abortion to be forced once again to the back alley?
Should we legalize heroin because people are dying of overdoses? Should we legalize prostitution to curb the spread of venereal disease? Should we spend tax money to buy the rapist a good clean hotel in which to commit his crime? Just because a person puts themselves at risk does not justify our legitimizing an immoral act.
Most Americans want legalized abortion.
This is only partially true. The vast majority of the American public would allow abortions only for "hard cases" (rape, incest, and severe fetal abnormality), but they would deny abortion for matters of "convenience" (for example, those related to the woman's career or education). The "hard cases" only account for 1-3% of all the abortions performed. Polls that show support for abortion-on-demand often ask, "Do you believe abortion should be illegal under any circumstances?", which skew the results. A recent poll in the L.A. Times showed a majority of the American public agreed with the statements, "abortion is murder" and "abortion is morally wrong."
Abortion is a constitutional right.
Until the Roe v. Wade decision nullified every state law restricting abortion, this "right" did not exist. In fact, the constitution guarantees "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" to every person, and only by denying "person-hood" to the unborn was the Supreme Court able to fabricate this "constitutional right."
Rich women will still be able to get abortions if they are illegal. Poor women will be discriminated against.
The rich also find it easier to cheat on income taxes, abuse drugs and bribe officials. The fact that some will find it easier to break the law does not make the law unfair.
Why don't Pro-Lifers show concern for the women facing unwanted pregnancies?
They do. There are over 4,000 crisis pregnancy centers nationwide that will provide food, housing, medical care, and counseling at no cost to the woman whether she has an abortion, keeps the baby, or gives it up for adoption. Many other local and national agencies also provide similar services.
If abortions are illegal, thousands of women will die.
In 1972, the year before abortion was legalized, only 39 women died from illegal abortions. According to Planned Parenthood, in 1960, before abortions were legalized, 90% of all abortions were performed by doctors. In fact, deaths due to abortions have not declined any more rapidly since 1973. The "thousands" of deaths cited by pro-abortion groups are obviously fabricated.
What would happen to all of the unwanted children if abortion were made illegal?
There are 2 million coupes waiting for babies to adopt, even minority babies and those with medical problems. For example, when Baby Doe was starved to death in Indiana in 1982, eight couples applied to adopt him, even though he suffered from Down's Syndrome.
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