Okay, so I didn't get much of a response to the last few articles I posted. But this is something that really bothers me about the pro-life movement - it lies. Oh, not everyone; probably not the majority even. But there are enough of the people that do to really make things that much harder. This article is from the US House of Representatives. Waxman is a Democrat from California so his is going to be a bit biased toward pro-choice; but when a member of Congress leads a federally funded study and finds out about these things, it really should make people thing, despite his bias. Just think of the the percentage of those that lie- 80% of "crisis pregnancy centers" lie to women in order to futher their own ideas about morality and force it on others!
Public Health
Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers Mislead Teens about Abortion Risks
Monday, July 17, 2006 --
A new study released by Rep. Henry A. Waxman finds that federally funded pregnancy resource centers often mislead pregnant teens about the medical risks of abortion, telling investigators who posed as pregnant 17-year-olds that abortion leads to breast cancer, infertility, and mental illness.
87 percent of the centers reached by investigators provided false or misleading information about abortion. Under the Bush Administration, pregnancy resource centers, which are also called “crisis pregnancy centers,” have received over $30 million in federal funding. The new report assesses the scientific accuracy of the information they provide. Female investigators, who posed as pregnant 17-year-olds seeking advice about an unintended pregnancy, telephoned the 25 pregnancy resource centers that have received capacity-building funds from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Twenty of the 23 centers reached by the investigators (87%) provided false or misleading information about the health effects of abortion. According to the report:
The centers provided false and misleading information about a link between abortion and breast cancer. There is a medical consensus that induced abortion does not cause an increased risk of breast cancer. Despite this consensus, eight centers told the caller that having an abortion would in fact increase her risk. One center said that “all abortion causes an increased risk of breast cancer in later years," while another told the caller that an abortion would “affect the milk developing in her breasts” and that the risk of breast cancer increased by as much as 80% following an abortion.
The centers provided false and misleading information about the effect of abortion on future fertility. Abortions in the first trimester, using the most common abortion procedure, do not pose an increased risk of infertility. However, seven centers told the caller that having an abortion could hurt her chances of having children in the future. One center said that damage from abortion could lead to “many miscarriages” or to “permanent damage” so “you wouldn’t be able to carry,” telling the caller that this is “common” and happens “a lot.”
The centers provided false and misleading information about the mental health effects of abortion. Research shows that significant psychological stress after an abortion is no more common than after birth. However, thirteen centers told the caller that the psychological effects of abortion are severe, long-lasting, and common. One center said that the suicide rate in the year after an abortion “goes up by seven times.” Another center said that post-abortion stress suffered by women having abortions is “much like” that seen in soldiers returning from Vietnam and “is something that anyone who’s had an abortion is sure to suffer from.”
False and Misleading Information Provided by Federally Funded Pregnancy Resource Centers
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6 comments:
It's nice to see an article with info from a federally funded investigation, rather than one 'side' or the other. The whole concept of the United States is freedom to choose, whether it's religion, education, voting, etc....if people force their beliefs on others, are they true americans in the most basic aspect of being an american? This goes for ALL choices....including abortion and religion. Those two topics are horribly intertwined and quite possibly will never be separated, which is unfortunate. It would be nice if the pro-lifers would think for themselves, and rather than condemn EVERY one who gets an abortion, maybe think about the cases singly, rather than as a group lumped together. More later, maybe. Hugs.
nice use of all caps in that comment. definitely added to it. hugs.
i didnt read the article, sorry, but I feel that I must defend the prolife movement by pointing out that the pro-choice one lies also. No one is perfect. The prolife movement put a billboard up in LA that Planned Parenthood wanted removed because it showed a fetus at a certain level of development. And they were getting too many calls from women wanting to know if that was true because they had been told their baby was just a blob of cells at that point. I wish I could access that article right now, but I'm on someone elses computer. And I'll sign my name.
First comment came from her big sister, Judy. Just forgot to sign my name, and was in a hurry. Had a horrible weekend, with lots to get done. Sorry. Judy again :)
Ok, I want to know what you all are thinking of the new vaccine for women/girls that helps to prevent cervical cancer. I'm not asking for scientific aspects, because I've gotten plenty of that through articles and classes. I want personal opinions, and why you all feel the way you do. I will (hopefully) be a graduated RN in less than a year, and input from non-medical persons is always helpful.
Judy
the Pro-Life/Pro-Choice movement has reached stagnation. Neither side is willing to budge, so the fringes are resorting to use any means necessary to obtain their goals.
This pretty much happens in any debate of this magnitude, so I'm not surprised.
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