1 / 41

ABORTION The Right to Choose versus The Right to Life

ABORTION The Right to Choose versus The Right to Life. By David Stevens, M.D., M.A. (Ethics) Chief Executive Director Christian Medical Association. Definition.

gezana
Download Presentation

ABORTION The Right to Choose versus The Right to Life

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. ABORTION The Right to Choose versus The Right to Life By David Stevens, M.D., M.A. (Ethics) Chief Executive Director Christian Medical Association

  2. Definition The premature expulsion of the human fetus. It usually refers to an artificially induced abortion caused by surgical or chemical means. A spontaneous abortion is often called a miscarriage.

  3. Embryo/Fetal Development First Trimester • Days after Last Menstrual Period • 18-21: the heart beats • 32: eyes are formed • 38: upper lip formed • 40: brain waves are measurable • 44: arms and legs formed • 48: beginnings of all internal structures present; child is moving • 56: embryo now called a fetus • 63: sucking thumb, teeth forming • 84: cries, feels pain • Most surgical abortions • 49 to 70 days

  4. Fetal DevelopmentSecond Trimester • 13 to less than 28 weeks • 13 - 3 in. & half oz., reflexes active • 14 - fingerprints present • 15 - grasp, grimace, frown, squint • 16 - 6 in. & 6 oz., somersaults, mother feels movement • 17 - hiccups, plays with umbilical cord • 18 - hair and eyebrows growing • 20 - hears/recognizes mother’s voice • 22 - responds to stories, music, etc. • 24 - 1 lb., 85% survival rate • 26 - responds to light, 1.5 to 2 lbs.

  5. Fetal DevelopmentThird Trimester • 28 weeks to Delivery • 28 - 2 lbs. & practicing breathing • 30 - growing rapidly, sleeps 90% of the time, has dreams • 32 - urinates, 4 lbs. • 34 - 5 lbs. 19.5 in, head into pelvis • 36 - 99% survival • 38 - 1,000 times original size, gaining an ounce a day. • 40 - Birth - 7.5 lbs average weight.

  6. Abortion MethodsPreventing Implantation • Morning-After Pill • Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) • Progesterone Only BCPs • Norplant

  7. Abortion MethodsFirst Trimester • Dilatation and Curettage • Suction Aspiration • RU-486 • Methotrexate

  8. Abortion MethodsSecond & Third Trimesters • Saline • Urea • Prostaglandin • D & E • D & X (Partial Birth Abortion) • Hysterotomy

  9. History of Abortion in the USA • 1959 - Model state code developed • 1967 - Colorado passes first liberalized state law • 1970 - New York allows abortion on demand at <24 weeks • 1973 - Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton • 1976 - Human Life Amendment fails in Senate • 1981 - Utah parental notification law approved • 1984 - Reagan Mexico City Policy established • 1989 - Public hospitals not required to provide abortions • 1992 - Planned Parenthood v. Casey Supreme Court ruling • 1993 - President Clinton’s five executive orders • 1996 - President Clinton vetoes Partial Birth Abortion Ban • 2000 - RU-486 approved

  10. Legal MandatesRoe v. Wade & Doe v. Bolton • At any age • For no reason in 1st/2nd trimester; Any reason in 3rd • States can require parent of minor to be notified but must have judicial bypass • States can require informed consent • 24 - 48 hour waiting period • State funding not required unless life of mother, rape or incest

  11. Who Gets Abortions? • 50% have no other children • 44% had previous abortion • 20% married • 20% under 19 years old • 43% of women will have an abortion • 6 times more common in unmarried women • 1% of abortions are for rape or incest

  12. Who Gets Abortions? • Each year, about 1.3 million pregnancies are terminated by abortion in the United States. • Some 2.2% of all women aged 15–44 had an abortion in 1997. • Abortion is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States. • By age 20, one in seven women have had at least one abortion; by age 45, four in 10 have done so. Source: Alan Guttmacher Institute’s 2001b; Henshaw, 1998a

  13. Annual Number of Abortions Per 1,000 Women Aged 15–44 Source: Henshaw, 1998b

  14. Abortion Rates in Western Industrialized Countries Source: Henshaw et al., 1999a (1996 data)

  15. Reasons for Abortion • Wants to postpone childbearing: 25.5% • Wants no (more) children: 7.9% • Cannot afford a baby: 21.3% • Having a child will disrupt education or job: 10.8% • Has relationship problem or partner does not want pregnancy: 14.1% • Too young; parent(s) or other(s) object to pregnancy: 12.2% • Risk to maternal health: 2.8% • Risk to fetal health: 3.3% • Other: 2.1% Source:Bankole, Akinrinola; Singh, Susheela; Haas, Taylor. Reasons Why Women Have Induced Abortions: Evidence from 27 Countries. International Family Planning Perspectives, 1998, 24(3):117&#8211;127 & 152 As reported by:The Alan Guttmacher Institute Online.

  16. Abortion by Gestational Age Source: Alan Guttmacher PP (Koonin et al., 1997 data)

  17. Who Provides Abortions?

  18. The Unregulated Abortion Industry • States can: • Ban abortion after viability • Require parental consent with judicial bypass • Set waiting periods of 24-28 hours • Require informed consent • Keep records • Almost no states regulate abortion clinics like other outpatient surgical facilities. • States cannot prohibit any abortion technique.

  19. Abortion Fallacy #1Abortion is Painless • The majority of women report moderate to severe pain during an abortion. • No pain 1.8% • Hardly any 4.8% • A little 11.1% • Medium 20.8% • Quite a bit 34.2% • Severe 27.4%

  20. Abortion Fallacy #2Abortion is Safer than Childbirth • Complications: • Perforated Uterus • Pelvic Inflammatory Disease • Future miscarriages • Placenta previa • Breast cancer risk increased • Ectopic pregnancy increase • Death • Abortion complications are underreported.

  21. Abortion Fallacy #3Every Child Is A Wanted Child • Child abuse quadrupled between 1977 and 1993. • Illegitimacy tripled between 1970 and 1993. • The number of abortions doubled between 1972 and 1993. • 43% of women will have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old.

  22. Abortion Fallacy #4No Post Abortion Syndrome • 1.4% of women reported symptoms within 2 years of their abortion (Arch. of Gen. Psych. 8/2000). • 1.4% is only the tip of the iceberg, but equals 560,000 women since 1972. • 20% reported clinical depression. • 31% would not do it again. • Women paid to participate in study: 15% wouldn’t participate and 50% wouldn’t allow follow-up interview.

  23. Post Abortion Syndrome Archives of Gen. Psychiatry Study During the one-year follow up interview: • Sample included 854 women. • 60% had “experienced emotional distress” after their abortions. • 16% said it was severe distress. • 70% said they would never consider abortion again if they faced an unwanted pregnancy. • Negative feelings increased with time. • 17% experienced physical problems such as bleeding and pelvic infections due to the abortion. That is a much higher rate than abortion providers admit.

  24. Selling Baby Parts Fees for Services Scheduled • Exposed in ABC-TV’s 20/20 • Health Revitalization Act of 1993 • Allows fetal tissue research • Requires • Separate consent • No alteration of timing or method of abortion • Abortion in accordance with state law. • Congressional investigation went nowhere--practice continues.

  25. When Does Human Life Begin? • Science says that human life begins at fertilization. • The one-cell embryo is genetically unique and the first state of the self-directed development of each embryo. • The law recognizes that human life begins at fertilization.

  26. What is a Person? • Continuous growth begins at one-cell embryo stage • No morally relevant break • Humans maintain their ontological identity • Personhood does not depend on abilities, but essence

  27. Developmental Markers of Personhood are Arbitrary and Capricious • Fertilization • Implantation • Hormonal Signals • Miscarriage Rate • Twinning • Brain Development • Ability to feel pain or other sensations • Quickening • Viability • Birth

  28. Other Arguments • There is an inherent right to life. • The ethical principle of autonomy prohibits depriving someone of life. • If personhood is “bestowed,” it can be taken away.

  29. What Does the Bible Teach About the Unborn? • Each person is made in God’s image (Gen. 1:27). • ‘Yeled’ - the Hebrew word for the unborn. • Job was the same person before he was born (Job10:8-12). • God controls development and numbers our days. Jeremiah - known in the womb. • The Hebrew - “Brephos” • John recognizes Jesus as the Son of God three weeks after his conception. • Child sacrifice is condemned throughout scripture. • (Leviticus 18:21, 20:1-5, Deuteronomy 12:31) • Exodus 21:22-25 states that there is punishment for someone who causes a miscarriage intentionally.

  30. Inherent Rights in Conflict • Inalienable rights • Life • Liberty • Pursuit of happiness = property • Rights in Conflict • Mother’s liberty versus the child’s life • How resolve rights conflicts

  31. What Does the Public Think? • Pro-life - 59% • 12% Prohibit always • 12% Only to save mother’s life • 35% Save life, rape, incest • Pro-Abortion Rights - 41% • 27% Through third month only • 7% Only till baby is viable • 7% Any reason and any time • 53% - It has hindered relationship between men and women • 78% - Causes emotional trauma • 70% - Abortion is not necessary for women to pursue career goals

  32. The Unwanted Child • The worth of an individual is not dependent on whether the child is wanted. • Every child is wanted by someone. • Over 2 million couples have infertility problems. • There are not enough children to meet adoption needs.

  33. The “Goods” of Abortion? • Avoids Dangers of Illegal Abortions • Prevents Overpopulation • Prevents Suffering of Disabled Child • Prevents Child Abuse

  34. Economic Impact of Abortion • Reduced size of economy • Enormous Social Security problem • Reduced standard of living • Changed social makeup because of need for immigration

  35. The Hard Cases • Rape & Incest • Rare: < 0.1% of pregnancies • Not child’s fault - two wrongs don’t make a right • Children of rape - Ethel Waters • Abortion doesn’t heal • Life of the Mother • Extremely rare • Save one life rather than lose two • Would still be legal if convenience abortion banned • Handicapped Child

  36. Prochoice Fallacies • Prolifers are antichoice • All choices are not permissible. • Freedom to choose must add “to choose what?” • Prolifers don’t care about mothers • There are more crisis pregnancy centers than abortion clinics • Prolifers are violent • Very rare, prolifers oppose

  37. Answering the Arguments 1. “It’s a decision between a woman and her doctor. 2. “It is unfair to minorities to restrict abortion.” 3. “Every child needs to be a wanted child.” 4. “You can’t legislate morality.” 5. “It’s okay because it is legal.”

  38. Prochoice Strategies • Oppose recognizing the preborn as persons. • Oppose any and all restrictions on abortions. • Demonize prolifers. • Obtain government funding. • Keep prolifers out of judicial and legislative positions. • Influence the young. • Control the media.

  39. Strategies for Change • Incrementalism • Change public opinion • Provide alternatives • Love abortion victims and providers • Work to get prolife people in government and courts • Keep tax money from subsidizing abortion industry

  40. Helping Women Who Have Aborted“There are two victims to abortion-one dead and one damaged.” • The remedy for guilt/denial is forgiveness • We have all sinned - Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:2 • The penalty for sin is death - Proverbs 14:12 , Romans 6:23 • Jesus Christ paid the penalty - John 3:16 • God forgives every sin if we repent • 1 John 1:9, Romans 8:1 • Our duty is to accept his forgiveness • Luke 7:47-50, 1 Timothy 1:15-16 • Forgiveness must be followed by right choices - Matthew 6:14-15

  41. Resources • Adoption - Bethany Christian Services (616-459-6273) • Post Abortion Counseling - Project Rachel (414-769-3391) • Education • National Right to Life (202-626-8800) • Life Issues Institute - (513-729-3600) • Focus on the Family ( 719-531-3400) • Christian Medical Association (423-844-1000) • www.cmda.org • Concerned Women for America (202-488-7000) • Legal Issues - Christian Legal Society

More Related