The Irish experience - and the scientific evidence - tells us that women are safest where abortion is not provided as an answer to a crisis pregnancy. An abortion Bill brought before the Dáil (Parliament) falsely claimed that abortion was beneficial to women.
Our SAFER WITHOUT ABORTION campaign gathered women from throughout Ireland to send a powerful message.
We send letters to every elected representative and Senator explaining that women are safer without abortion.
Then we held colourful, high-profile public events attended by hundreds of women calling on politicians to defend the right to life of unborn children during the debate on the abortion Bill.
In the debate that followed we were glad to see that many politicians had heard and understood our message. The abortion Bill was defeated.
Most women are never informed of the very serious risks associated with induced abortion.
Do you know that:
Woman can and do die from so called safe, legal abortion. Even under the best medical conditions, an experienced practitioner performing a routine abortion can puncture the uterus, the bowel or the bladder causing excessive bleeding, infection and possible death.The medical journal JAMA reported that “complications following abortions performed in free-standing abortion clinics are one of the most frequent gynaecological emergencies encountered.”
A Scandinavian study covering 6 different countries found that “induced abortions make up 20-35% of all maternal mortality”. Causes of maternal mortality arising specifically from induced abortion range from haemorrhage (heavy bleeding), infection to embolism (blood clots) and Cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle).
Diana Lopez aged 25; died February 28th 2002 in Los Angeles, California following an abortion in the Los Angeles Planned Parenthood abortion clinic. The L.A. Coroner’s office found she “bled to death after her cervix was punctured during an abortion.” (Source The Los Angeles Times) She is one of many.
Abortion carries significant risk of uterine laceration or perforation i.e. tearing or piercing of the womb. This can cause severe and excessive bleeding in a woman and can also cause her womb to rupture during labour in a subsequent pregnancy. Normally a woman’s cervix is rigid and tightly closed. In an abortion, the cervix must be stretched open with great force to gain access to the foetus. This can tear the cervical muscle or damage the wall of the womb. This damage permanently weakens the cervix and can lead to pre-mature birth in a later pregnancy.
Abortion can be a major factor in the development of disease, particularly Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (P.I.D.). The most common symptoms of P.I.D. are pelvic pain and fever. More serious symptoms include inflammation of the fallopian tubes and abscesses (infectious growths). These abscesses can rupture, causing a life threatening surgical emergency. When bacteria enter the body, they cause infection and disease. In an abortion, the cervix is forced open allowing easy access for bacteria and other disease-causing organisms to enter.
Women experience varying degrees of emotional distress after abortion. A recent Canadianstudy found that 35% of women who had abortions made visits to psychiatrists as compared to 3% who had not had abortions. Post Abortion Syndrome is a type of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Women who suffer from P.A.S. report various symptoms including flashbacks, nightmares, severe depression and anxiety and avoidance of things that remind them of the abortion.
After abortion a number of behaviours have been observed which threaten a woman’s health and ability to cope. These post-abortion behaviours tend to be self-destructive and can include suicide. In 1995, a study undertaken in Finland on 600,000 women, established that the suicide rate in the year following childbirth and the suicide rate in the year following abortion were dramatically different. The study found that women who had an abortion were 6 times more likely to commit suicide than women who had given birth to their babies.
BREAST CANCER (2A)
Prof Cuzick J., University of London, Statistics in Medicine, Vol. 23, Issue 7, 2002
Brind J. et al, "Induced Abortion as an Independent Risk Factor for Breast Cancer, a comprehensive review and meta-analysis”, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 50: 481-496, 1996
Dr Simone C. E., “Breast Health: What you need to know,” 1995, Avery Publishing, TN USA, 1995, Page 147
Lipworth L. et al, "Abortion and the Risk of Breast Cancer: A Case-control Study in Greece,” International Journal of Cancer 61: 181-184, 1995
Daling J. R., Malone K. E., Voigt L. F., White E., Weiss N. S., "Risk of Breast Cancer among young women, relationship to induced abortion," Journal of National Cancer Ins5.titute 1994 Nov (2); 86 (21): 1584-92
(27 studies that link abortion to breast cancer)
Segi M., Fukushima I., Fujisaku S., Kurihara M., Saito S., Asano K. et al, “An epidemiological study of cancer in Japan,” GANN 48, Supplement (April 1957):1-43
Watanabe H., Hirayama T., “Epidemiology and clinical aspects of breast cancer,” (translation of Japanese title), Nippon Rinsho 1968 Aug; 26(8); 1843-1849
Dvoirin V., Medvedev A. B., “Role of Women’s reproductive status in the development of breast cancer,” Methods and Progress in Breast Cancer Epidemiology Research, 1978, Moscow: Oncology Science Centre of the USSR Academy of Sciences 1978, p 53-63
Pike M. C., Henderson B. E., Casagrande J. T., Rosario I., Gray G. E., “Oral contraceptive use and early abortion as risk factors for breast cancer in young women”, British Journal of Cancer 1981 Jan;43(1):72-6
Nishiyama F., “The epidemiology of breast cancer in Tokushima Prefecture,” Shikou Ichi 1982; 38:333-43
Brinton L. A., Hoover R., Fraumeni Jr. J. F., “Reproductive factors in the aetiology of breast cancer,” British Journal of Cancer 1983 Jun; 47(6):757-762
Le M., Bachelot A., Doyon F., Kramer A., Hill C., “Oral contraceptive use and breast and cervical cancer: preliminary results of a French case-control study”, Hormones and Sexual Factors in Human Cancer Aetiology, eds. Wolf, J-P and Scott J S, 139-47, Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1984
Hirohata T., Shigemitsu T., Nomura A. M., Nomura Y., Horie A., Hirohata I., “Occurrence of breast cancer in relation to diet and reproductive history: A case control study in Fukuoka, Japan,” National Cancer Institute Monograph 1985 Dec:187-190
Rosenberg L., Palmer J. R., Kaufman D. W., Strom B. L., Schottenfeld D., Shapiro S., “Breast cancer in relation to the occurrence and time of induced and spontaneous abortion,” American Journal of Epidemiology 1988 May; 127(5): 981-989
Luporsi (1988) “unpublished” and referenced in British Journal of Cancer 72-744-51.
Rohan T. E., McMichael A. J., Baghurst P. A., “A population based case-control study of diet and breast cancer in Australia,” American Journal of Epidemiology, 1988; 128(3): 478-89
Ewertz M., Duffy S. W., “Risk of breast cancer in relation to reproductive factors in Denmark,” British Journal of Cancer 1988 Jul; 58(1):99-104
Howe H. L., Senie R. T., Bzduch H., Herzfeld P., “Early abortion and breast cancer risk among women under age 40,” International Journal of Epidemiology 1989 Jun; 18(2):300-304
Laing A. E., Demanais F. M., Williams R., Kissling G., Chen V. W., Bonney G. E., “Breast cancer risk factors in African-American women: the Howard University Tumour Registry experience,” Journal of the National Medical Association 1993 Dec;85(12):931939
Laing A. E., Bonney G. E., Adams-Campbell L. et al, “Reproductive and lifestyle factors for breast cancer in African-American women,” Genetic Epidemiology 1994;11:285-310, p 300
Andrieu N., Clavel F., Gairard B., Piana L., Bremond A., Lansac J., Flamant R. et al, “Familial risk of breast cancer and abortion,” Cancer Detection and Prevention, 1994, 18(1):51-55
Daling J. R., Malone K. E., Voigt L. F., White E., Weiss N. S., “Risk of breast cancer among young women: relationship to induced abortion,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1994 Nov(2); 86(21):1584-92
Lipworth L., Katsouyanni K., Ekbom A., Michels K. B., Trichopoulos D., “Abortion and the risk of Breast Cancer: A case-control study in Greece,” International Journal of Cancer 61, 1995, Apr 61(2):181-184
Bu et al, American Journal of Epidemiology, 1995, 141:S85 (abstract)
Newcomb P. A., Storer B. E., Longnecker M. P., Mittendorf R., Greenberg E. R. and Willett W. C., “Pregnancy termination in relation to risk of breast cancer”, Journal of American Medical Association, 1996 Jan;275(4):283-7
Rookus M. A., Van Leeuwen F. E., “Induced abortion and risk of breast cancer: reporting (recall) bias in a Dutch case-control study,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1996 Dec4; 88(23); 1759-1764
Brinton L. A., Daling J. R., Liff J. M., Schoenberg J. B., Malone K. E., Stanford J. L., “Oral contraceptives and breast cancer risk among younger women,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1995 Jun7;87(11):827-835
Talamini R., Franceschi S., La Vecchia C., Negri E., Borsa L., Montella M. et al, “The role of reproductive and menstrual factors in cancer of the breast before and after menopause,” European Journal of Cancer 1996, 32A(2):303-310
Melbye M., Wohlfahrt J. et al, “Induced abortion and the risk of breast cancer,” New England Journal of Medicine 1997, 336:81-85
Palmer J., Rosenburg L., Rao R., Zauber A., Strom B., Warshauser M. et al, “Induced and spontaneous abortion in relation to risk of breast cancer (United States),” Cancer Causes and Control 1997; 8:841-849
Marcus P. M., Baird D. D., Millikan R. C., Moorman P. G., Qaqish B., Newman B., “Adolescent reproductive events and subsequent breast cancer risk,” American Journal of Public Health 1999; 89(8):1244-7
Lazovich D., Thompson J., Mink P., Sellars T., Anderson K., “Induced abortion and breast cancer risk,” Epidemiology 2000;11:76-80
http://www.newsmax.com/archive...
CERVICAL, OVARIAN AND RECTAL CANCER (2B)
Brock K. E., Berry G., Brinton L. A., Kerr C., MacLennan R., Mock P. A. et al, "Sexual, reproductive and contraceptive risk factors for carcinoma-in-situ of the uterine cervix in Sydney," Medical Journal of Australia 1989 February 6; 150(3): 125-30
La Vecchia C., Negri E., Franceschi S., Parazzini F., "Long-term impact of reproductive factors on cancer risk," International Journal of Cancer 1993 January 21; 53: 215-9, p 127
Schwartz S. M., Weiss N. S., Daling J. R., Newcomb P. A., Liff J. M. , Gammon M. D. et al, "Incidence of histologic types of uterine sarcoma in relation to menstrual and reproductive history,” International Journal of Cancer, 1991 September 30;49 (3):362-7
Parazzini F. et al "Risk of Invasive and Intraepithelial Cervical Neoplasia", British Journal of Cancer, 59:805-809
Stewart H. I. et al "Epidemiology of Cancers of the Uterine Cervix and Corpus, Breast and Ovary in Israel and New York City," Journal of National Cancer Institute, 37(1):1-96
McPherson C. P., Sellers T. A., Potter J. D., Bostik R. M., Folsom A. R., "Reproductive factors and risk of endometrial cancer. The Iowa Women's Health Study,” American Journal of Epidemiology, 1996 June 5, 143 (12):1195-202 p 1195
Negri E. et al., “Incomplete Pregnancies and Ovarian Cancer Risk,” Gynaecologic Oncology 47:234-238, 1992
Levin et al, "Association of Induced Abortion with Subsequent Pregnancy Loss,” Journal of the American Medical Association 243:2495, 1980
Albrektsen G., Heuch I., Tretli S., Kvale G., "Is the risk of cancer of the corpus uteri reduced by a recent pregnancy? A prospective study of 765,756 Norwegian women,” International Journal of Cancer; 1995, May 16; 61 (4):485-90, p 485
Kvale G., Heuch I., "Is the incidence of colorectal cancer related to reproduction? A prospective study of 63,000 women," International Journal of Cancer, 1991, February 1; 47 (3):390-5, p 392
UTERINE PERFORATIONS (2C)
Mittal S., Misra S., "Uterine Perforation following Medical Termination of Pregnancy by Vacuum Aspiration," International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 23:45-50 (1985)
Kaali et al, "The frequency and management of uterine perforations during first trimester abortions," American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1989 August, 161(2):406-408
White M. et al, “A case-controlled study of uterine perforations documented at laparoscopy,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 129:623, 1977
Leibner E. C., "Delayed presentation of uterine perforation," Annals of Emergency Medicine, 1995 November; 26(5): 643-6
Frank P. et al, "The Effect of Induced Abortion on Subsequent Fertility," British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 100: 575, 1993
Nemec D. et al, "Medical Abortion Complications", Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Vol. 51 No 4 p 433-436
CERVICAL LACERATIONS (2D)
Molin et al, "Risk of damage to the cervix by dilation for first trimester induced abortion by suction aspiration," Gynaecological and Obstetric Investigation 1993; 35(3):152-4
Zlatnik F. J. et al, “Radiological appearance of the upper canal in women with a history of premature delivery,” Journal of Reproductive Medicine; 34(8):525-30
Schulz K. et al, “Measures to prevent Cervical Injuries during suction curettage abortion,” The Lancet, May 28 1983, pp 1182-1184
PLACENTA PRAEVIA (2E)
Anath C. V. et al, "The Association of Placenta Praevia with History of Caesarean Delivery and Abortion: A Meta Analysis," American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 177: 1071, 1997
Barrett et al, "Induced Abortion: A risk factor for Placenta Praevia," American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 141:769, 1981
Hutchinson F., “The relationship between placenta praevia and history of induced abortion,” International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, May 2003, 81(2):191-8
PREMATURE BIRTH (2F)
Martius J. A. et al, "Risk Factors Associated with Preterm and Early Pre-term birth, Univariate and Multivariate Analysis of 106,345 Singleton Births from the 1994 State-wide Perinatal Survey of Bavaria,” European Journal of Obstetrics Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology 80 (2):183-189, 1998
Potts M., "Legal abortion in Eastern Europe,” Eugenics Review, 58-59:232-250, 1967
Luke B., "Every Pregnant Woman's Guide to Preventing Premature Birth," 1995, New York, Times Books, p 32
See pages 55 and 56 of “Women’s Health After Abortion” by the De Veber Institute for Bioethics and Social Research, Toronto, Canada, 2002
Funderburk S. et al, "Suboptimal Pregnancy Outcome with Prior Abortions and Premature Births,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sept 1976, p 55-60
ECTOPIC PREGNANCY (2G)
Syverson et al, “Pregnancy related mortality in New York City 1980-1984: Causes of death and associated risk factors,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, February 1991, 164 (2): 603-8
Chung et al, "Induced abortion and ectopic pregnancy in subsequent pregnancies,” American Journal of Epidemiology, 115 (6):879-87, p 884
Barber H., "Ectopic Pregnancy, A Diagnostic Challenge,” The Female Patient, Vol. 9, p 10-18
Michalas et al, "Pelvic surgery, reproductive factors and risk of ectopic pregnancy: A case controlled study,” International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1992, 38(2):101-5, p 101
Parazzini et al, "Induced abortions and risk of ectopic pregnancy,” American Journal of Epidemiology, 1995, 10(7):1841-4
PELVIC INFLAMMATORY DISEASE (2H)
Levallois et al, "Prophylactic antibiotics for suction curettage abortion: results of a clinical controlled trial," American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 158(1):100-5 p 100, 1998
Sorenson et al, "A double-blind randomized study of the effect of erythromycin in preventing pelvic inflammatory disease after first trimester abortion,” British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1992 May, 99(5):434-8
“Women’s Health After Abortion” by the De Veber Institute for Bioethics and Social Research, Toronto, Canada, 2002, p 66
Nielson et al, "No effect of a single dose of Olofaxcin on post-operative infection rate after first trimester abortion - A clinical controlled trial,” Acta Obstetrica et Gynecologica Scandanavica, 1993 October, 72 (7):556-9
Barbacci et al, "Postabortal endometritis and isolation of chlamydia trachomatis,” Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1986 November, 68(5):686-90
Sawaya et al, "Antibiotics at the time of induced abortion: the case for universal prophylaxis based on a meta analysis,” Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1996 May, 87 (5 pt 2): 884-90
MATERNAL MORTALITY (2I)
Laurie D. Elam Evans et al “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly report”, Nov 28 2003, Volume 52, No SS-12. Division of Reproductive Health, National centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Abortion Surveillance in the United States 2000.
Crutcher M., "Lime 5 - Exploited by Choice,” Denton, Texas, Life Dynamics Inc, 1996, Genesis Publications, Chapter 4
Iffy L., "Second Trimester Abortions,” JAMA, Vol. 249, No 5
Mogilevkina I., Matkote S. et al, "Induced abortions and childbirths: Trends in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Belorussia and the Ukraine during 1970 to 1994,” Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandanavia, 1996 November, 75 (10): 908-11
Atrash H. K., Hogue C. J., "Legal abortion mortality and general anaesthesia,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1988 February, 158(2):420-4
Faro S., Pearlman M., "Infections and Abortion," New York: Elservier, 1992, p 42
Sweet R. L. and Gibbs R. L., "Post-abortion Infection, Bacteraemia and Septic Shock in Infectious Diseases of the Female Genital Tract," 3rd edition, Baltimore, Wilkins & Wilkins, 1995, 363-378
Caraballo V., "Fatal Myocardial Infarction resulting from Coronary Artery Septic Embolism after Abortion Unusual Cause and Complications of Endocarditis,” Annals of Emergency Medicine, 29 (1): 175, January 1997
Stallworthy J. A. et al, "Legal abortion, a critical assessment of its risks,” The Lancet, Dec 4 1971
Cates W. et al, American Journal of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Vol. 132, p 169
Gissler M., Kauppila R., Merilainen J., Toukomaa H., Hemminki E.," Pregnancy associated deaths in Finland 1987-1999,” Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandanavia, August 1997;76 (7):651-7
REQUIREMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT (3A)
Zolese G., Blacker C.V.R., “The psychological complications of therapeutic abortion,” British Journal of Psychiatry, 1992, 160,742-9
Ashton, "The Psychosocial Outcome of Induced Abortion,” British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 87:1115-1122
Badgley et al, "Report of the Committee on the Operation of the Abortion Law,” Ottawa, Canada, Supply and Services, 1977, p 313-321
"The Rawlinson Report: The Physical and Psychosocial effects of abortion in Women (1994). A report by the Commission of Inquiry into the Operation and Consequences of the Abortion Act,” London, HMSO
Official Statement of The World Health Organisation, 1970
POST-ABORTION SYNDROME (3B)
D.S.M. IV, American Psychiatric Association 2000
Zakus G., Wilday S., "Adolescent Abortion Options,” Social Work in Healthcare, 12(4):77, Summer 1987
Speckhard A. C., Rue V. M., "Post-abortion Syndrome, An Emerging Public Health Concern,” Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 48(3): 95-119, 1992
Burkle F. M., "A Developmental Approach to Post Abortion Depression", The Practitioner 218:217, February 1977
Parry B. L., "Reproductive Factors Affecting the Course of Affective Illness in Women,” Psychiatric Clinics of North America 12(1): 207, March 1989
Gsellman L., “Physical and Psychological Injury in Women Following Abortion: Akron Pregnancy Services Study,” Assoc. for Interdisciplinary Research in Values and Social Change Newsletter 5(4): 1-8, 1993
Barnard C., “The Long Term Psychological Effects of Abortion,” Portsmouth: Institute for Pregnancy Loss, 1990
SUICIDE (3C)
Gilchrist et al, "Termination of pregnancy and psychiatric morbidity,” British Journal of Psychiatry, 1995 August, 167(2):243-8
Gissler et al, "Suicides after pregnancy in Finland, 1987-1994, register linkage study,” British Medical Journal 1996 December 7, 313(7070): 1431-4
Reardon D., “Aborted Women Silent no More,” Chicago, Loyola University Press, 1987, p 129
Reardon D., "The Abortion/Suicide Connection,” The Post-Abortion Review, Summer 1993; 1(2); p1
Morgan et al, "Suicides after pregnancy, Mental health may deteriorate as a direct effect of induced abortion,” British Medical Journal, 1997 Mar 22, 314 (7084); 902-3
Reardon D., Ney P. G., Scheurer F. J., “Suicide Deaths Associated with Pregnancy Outcome: A Record Linkage Study of 173,279 low income American women,” Archives of Women’s Mental Health 2001, 3 (4) Supplement 2:104
ALCOHOL / DRUG ABUSE (3D)
Brende et al, "Fragmentation of the personality associated with post-abortion trauma,” Newsletter of the Association for Interdisciplinary Research in Values and Social Change, July/August 1995, 8 (3):1-8, p 6
Speckhard A., "The Psycho-Social Aspects of Stress Following Abortion,” Kansas City MO; Sheed & Ward, 1987, p 51
Drower et al, "Therapeutic Abortion on Psychiatric Grounds, Part I, A local study,” South African Medical Journal 1978 October, 54 (15): 604-8
Reardon D., “Substance abuse subsequent to abortion, American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 26(1):61-75, p 61, February 2000
Lydon et al, "Pregnancy decision making as a significant life event: a commitment approach,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1996, 71(1):141-51
Levin A., "Association of Induced Abortion with Subsequent Pregnancy Loss,” Journal of the American Medical Association, 243:2495-2499, June 27, 1980
Tori Thomas, "Sequelae of Abortion and relinquishment of child custody among women with major psychiatric disorders,” Psychological Reports, 1999 June, 84 (3 pt 1); 773-90
M.A. Blais et al, "Pregnancy: Outcome and Impact on Sympomatology in a Cohort of Eating-Disordered Women,” International Journal of Eating Disorders 27:140-149, 2000
RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS (3E)
De Veber Institute for Bioethics and Social Research, Toronto, Canada, "Women's Health after Abortion", p 217, 2002
Ney P. G., “Post-abortion Survivors Syndrome,” Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 38 (8): 577-578, Oct 1993
Rue V., "Post-Abortion Trauma,” Lewisville, Texas, Life Dynamics, 1994, p 28
Sherman et al, "Women and Loss: Psychological Perspectives,” New York, Praeger, 1985:98-107
Barnett et al, "Partnership after induced abortion: a prospective controlled study,” Archives of Sexual Behaviour, 1992 October, 21 (5):443-55
Teichman et al, "Emotional distress in Israeli women before and after abortion,” American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1993 April, 63 (2):277-88
Raphael B., "The Anatomy of Bereavement,” New York, Basic Books, 1983
Mattinson J., "The effects of abortion on a marriage,” Ciba Foundation Symposium, 1985, 115:165-77
Brown et al, "Prolonged grieving after abortion; a descriptive study,” Journal of Clinical Ethics, 1993, 4 (2), 118-23 p 120
The majority of Irish people are against abortion. That’s always been a major problem for the abortion industry.So now they’re using fear to promote abortion by falsely claiming that abortion is needed to save women’s lives. But that’s simply not true.
Here are the facts:
We should protect our pro-life laws because they protect both mother and baby.