Induced Abortion Increases Risk of Premature Birth and Cerebral Palsy Part One of Two

Editor's note. Be sure to read Part Two, which are excerpts from Bobby Schindler's moving  remarks to the Proudly Pro-Life Awards Dinner.

Further evidence that abortion exacts a long-term toll comes from a study in the October edition of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. Calhoun, Shadigian, and Rooney reviewed the medical literature available in English and conclude that a prior induced abortion increases the risk of subsequent "excess pre-term births" by 31.5%.

In addition, building on previous research that investigated the relationship between low-birth children and cerebral palsy (CP), the authors conclude that in 2002 1,096 very-low-birth-weight children suffered from CP because of their mother's prior abortion.

Calhoun, Shadigian, and Rooney estimate that the direct health care costs of abortion-related pre-term babies is a staggering $1.2 billion.

Such linkages are not new. Writing elsewhere, Rooney has pointed out, "The connection between abortion and premature birth has been acknowledged as far back as 1967, when abortion supporter Dr. Malcom Potts wrote that 'there seems little doubt that there is a true relationship between the high incidence of therapeutic abortion and prematurity. The interruption of pregnancy in the young (under 17) is more dangerous than in other cases.'"

A moment's reflection bears out why abortion is the culprit. The trauma of abortion can result in an incompetent cervix, uterine adhesions, and infection, to name just three direct physical consequences.

By way of background, Dr. Byron Calhoun is an obstetrics and gynecology professor at West Virginia University. Dr. Elizabeth Shadigian is an obstetrician and gynecologist at the University of Michigan. Brent Rooney is the research director for the Reduce Preterm Risk Coalition in Vancouver.

The authors have firm recommendations. "All women, especially those facing a crisis pregnancy, deserved to be informed of the substantial impact that an induced abortion in the current pregnancy has on the next pregnancy and the entire family," the researchers conclude in a paper titled, "Cost Consequences of Induced Abortion as an Attributable Risk for Preterm Birth and Impact on Informed Consent."

National Right to Life News has run many stories illustrating the latest research on the connections. To take just one example, there is "AGI Report Misrepresents Science on Abortion and Women's Mental Health." www.nrlc.org/news/2006/NRL06/AGIReport.html.

In addition, National Right to Life has two excellent fact sheets available on its website that document the physical and the psycho-social complications of abortion. They are www.nrlc.org/factsheets/FShurtswomenrRefs.pdf & www.nrlc.org/news/2007/NRL02/NewFactsheet.html.

There is also more detail in "Is Abortion Safe?" found at www.nrlc.org/abortion/ASMF/index.html#Physical_Complications.

Near the end of their paper, Calhoun, Shadigian, and Rooney write, "A careful history of induced abortion needs to be part of every new pregnant patient encounter in any setting." Truer words were never spoken.

Please send any comments you may have to Dave Andrusko at daveandrusko@hotmail.com.

Part Two