DFLA: Abortion & Pregnancy

From the DFLA newsletter:

DFLA ENCOURAGED BY MAYO CLINICS FINDINGS

DFLA is carefully noting the findings of a physician who works for the prestigious Mayo Clinic.  Dr. W. Harms, a Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief, says abortions can cause women problems with subsequent pregnancies.

Canadian researcher Brent Rooney says the information is important for women who are considering abortions because a weak cervix can lead to premature birth in subsequent pregnancies and that can lead to problems for future unborn children, such as cerebral palsy. When the 'gate' (i.e. cervix) to a woman's womb is weak (i.e. 'incompetent cervix'), it will open too early during the pregnancy leading to a preterm birth," he explained. "Thus, when [Harms] admits that surgical abortions can weaken a women's cervix, [he] implicitly conceded that surgical abortions boost the risk of a 'preemie' having cerebral palsy." Although such a risk is rare, Rooney says it is important given that one in every 410 children born in the United States are later diagnosed with the condition.

In 2007, Rooney teamed up with Dr. Byron Calhoun and Dr. Elizabeth Shadigian to release a study that showed that 1,096 newborns under 32 weeks' gestation who had cerebral palsy, was caused by their mother's prior abortion(s). Under DFLA's Pregnant Women's Support Act, this and other valuable information could be provided to women who are considering an abortion.  The hope is that when women and families are facing an unplanned or crisis pregnancy that they will have the facts that will help more women carry their pregnancy to term.

And we need to make sure that there are programs that will help these women carry their babies to term. With growing Republican sentiment to abolish welfare programs, many women will feel more pressure to abort their babies and that is the last thing we want. We want to make sure these women have the support they need to bring their babies to term and to care for them.