Abortion

1
Abortion

• Lawyers Christian Fellowship
• 20 November 2006

2
Beginning of Life Issues

• Abortion
• Contraception
• Artificial reproduction
• Designer babies
• Embryo research
• Cloning
• Gene therapy

3
Abortion contradictions

• The healthcare system has departments of fetal
  medicine, while also providing facilities and
  staff to perform abortions
• The law allows abortion for abnormalities right
  up to term, but many babies born after only 23
  weeks of pregnancy now survive
• We encourage people to consider adoption, but
  abortion is so widely accepted and available that
  there are few babies to adopt

4
Abortion contradictions

• We pass equal opportunity laws but work hard to
  ensure that babies with disabilities are screened
  out before birth
• At the same time as we are reducing the status of
  life before birth, medical technology is
  literally changing our view of the fetus

5
Abortion in the UK The facts

• UK law permits abortion of healthy babies up to
  24 weeks
• Babies suspected of having a disability can be
  aborted up to birth
• 6,231,033 babies have been aborted since the
  Abortion Act 1967 became law
• More than 200,000 babies are aborted in Britain
  each year one in every four pregnancies

6
How many is 6,231,033?

• More than 10 of the entire UK population
• More than the combined populations of Birmingham,
  Bradford, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chester,
  Derby, Edinburgh, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool,
  Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northampton,
  Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield
• 5 times the UK casualties in two World Wars

7
More specifically

• Early abortion figures have tripled since 1967
  and continue to rise
• More than 600 babies are aborted every day
• More than 3,000 a year are killed after 20 weeks
• Disabled babies can be aborted up to birth
• More than 450 babies were aborted in 2004 for
  having Downs Syndrome

8
Abortion worldwide

• 55 million abortions per year
• Major demographic changes with falling
  birth-rates in Eastern Europe/ Former USSR
• Major changes in sex ratios in India/China

9
95 of abortions occur between

• Seven weeks

10
and 20 weeks

• Half way through pregnancy
• Four weeks short of viability

11
Why are abortions done?

• 95 of abortions are performed on Ground C, which
  exempts a doctor from prosecution for performing
  an abortion (before the 24th week) if
•  
• continuance of the pregnancy would involve
  risk, greater than if the pregnancy were
  terminated, of injury to the physical or mental
  health of the pregnant woman

12
Public opinion is changing

• Nine out of ten MPs want the abortion law to be
  under CONTINUOUS review in light of advances in
  medical science
• 63 of MPs support a reduction in the six-month
  upper age limit
• Nearly two-thirds of the public want the
  six-month upper age limit reduced now

13
Public opinion is changing

• More than three-quarters of women support a
  reduction in the six-month upper age limit
• Public opinion poll finds that 81 of those who
  expressed an opinion believe that ways should be
  found of reducing the 200,000 abortions performed
  each year in Britain
• Even some in the abortion industry accept that
  change must happen

14
Why is public opinion changing?

• Developments in medical science have increased
  our understanding of how babies develop in the
  womb
• The abortion of a baby at 28 weeks for cleft
  palate shocked the nation
• Newspapers and TV have revealed the abuse of
  teenagers by a cash-driven abortion industry
• Stories of abortion survivors in the media

15
Why is public opinion changing?

• Questions are regularly raised in Parliament
  concerning abortion clinics that harm women with
  bad practice
• Increasingly, evidence reveals that many women
  suffer from depression after abortion
• Extensive research shows that after abortion a
  mother has an increased likelihood of subsequent
  premature births

16
Late Abortion

• 100 late abortions per year since 1991
• Recent case at 26 weeks for cleft palate
• Joanna Jepson
• Downs Syndrome

17
Human development

• Six weeks
• Twelve weeks
• Eighteen weeks

18
Life before birth on the media

• Prof Stuart Campbells ultrasounds
• Front page news
• Walking in the womb
• Yawning on video

19
Abortion survivors

• Stories of botched abortions
• Stories of babies born alive after abortion
• Gianna Jessen

20
History of abortion

• Practised in most societies at some level for
  many centuries
• Legalised abortion on a massive scale a 20th
  century phenomenon

21
Hippocratic Oath

• I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if
  asked nor suggest such counsel nor in like
  manner will I give a woman a pessary to produce
  abortion

22
Declaration of Geneva

• I will maintain the utmost respect for human life
  from the time of conception, even under threat, I
  will not use my medical knowledge contrary to the
  laws of humanity
• I will maintain the utmost respect for human life
  from its beginning even under threat and I will
  not use my medical knowledge contrary to the laws
  of humanity
• (Changes 1948-1994)

23
International Code of Medical Ethics

• A doctor must always bear in mind the obligation
  of preserving human life from conception. (1949)
• A doctor must always bear in mind the obligation
  of preserving human life. (1983)

24
The Declaration of Oslo (1970)

• There is a 'diversity of attitudes towards the
  life of the unborn child'
•  
• 'Where the law allows therapeutic abortion to be
  performed... and this is not against the policy
  of the national medical association' then
  abortion 'should be performed' in circumstances
  'where the vital interests of the mother conflict
  with those of the unborn child'.
•  
• This declaration lays the framework for doctors
  to perform abortions if their 'individual
  conviction and conscience' allowed it and the law
  and the national medical association were not in
  disagreement.

25
Changing Abortion Policy 1948-2000

• 'I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce
  abortion.' Hippocratic Oath
• 'I will maintain the utmost respect for human
  life from the time of conception even against
  threat...' The Declaration of Geneva (1948)
• 'The spirit of the Hippocratic Oath can be
  affirmed by the profession. It enjoins... the
  duty of caring, the greatest crime being
  destruction in the co-operation of life by
  murder, suicide and abortion' BMA Statement
  (1947)

26
Changing Abortion Policy 1948-2000

• The child deserves 'legal protection before as
  well as after birth'. The UN Declaration of the
  Rights of the Child (1959)
• 'Therapeutic abortion' (may be performed in
  circumstances) 'where the vital interests of the
  mother conflict with those of the unborn child'.
  Declaration of Oslo (1970)
• 'I will maintain the utmost respect for human
  life from its beginning...' The Declaration of
  Geneva (amended 1983)
• 'Abortion is a basic health care need.' RCOG
  (2000)

27
Philosophical Shift C17-C20

• Theism
• Humans are created and morals are revealed
• Deism
• Humans are created and morals are discovered
• Atheism
• Humans have evolved and morals are discovered
• Existentialism
• Humans have evolved and morals are chosen

28
Christian Principles

• The Sanctity of Life - Human beings are made in
  the image of God (Genesis 127, 96, Exodus
  2013) abortion involves killing a human being
• Marriage is the proper context for sex (Genesis
  224) 82 of abortions result from sex outside
  marriage
• The strong should make sacrifices for the weak
  (John 1334-45 Galatians 62) abortion is an
  abuse of the weak by the strong

29
Sanctity of Life

• No discrimination on the basis of sex, race,
  social standing (Gal 328) and age (Mt 1914)
• Protection for the vulnerable poor (Pr
  2222-23), widows and orphans (Ex 2222-24),
  aliens (Ex 2221), handicapped (Lv 1914), slaves
  (Ex 212-6) and elderly (Lv 1932)
• Life before birth (Is 491 Je 15 Jb 108-9,
  18-19 Gn 2522-23 Ps 229,10, 515, 716,
  11973 Ec 115 Is 442,34 Ho 123 Mt 118 Lk
  115, 41-44)
• Over 60 references to conception

30
Psalm 13913-16

•  13 For you created my inmost being        you
  knit me together in my mother's womb.
•  14 I praise you because I am fearfully and
  wonderfully made        your works are
  wonderful,        I know that full well.
•  15 My frame was not hidden from you        when
  I was made in the secret place.        When I
  was woven together in the depths of the earth,
•  16 your eyes saw my unformed body.        All
  the days ordained for me        were written in
  your book        before one of them came to be.

31
Exodus 2122-25

•  22 If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman
  and she gives birth prematurely but there is no
  serious injury, the offender must be fined
  whatever the woman's husband demands and the
  court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury,
  you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye,
  tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25
  burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise
  (NIV)
•  22If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so
  that her fruit depart from her, and yet no
  mischief follow he shall be surely punished,
  according as the woman's husband will lay upon
  him and he shall pay as the judges determine
  (KJV)

32
The sixth commandment

• You shall not murder (Ex 2013 Dt 517 Mt
  1918 Rom 139)
• Murder (Hb ratsach Gk phoneuo)
• The intentional killing of an innocent human
  being (Ex 2112-14 Lv 2417-21 Nu 3516-31 Dt
  194-13)
• Distinguished from the killing of guilty human
  beings in Holy War (Dt 2010-18), capital
  punishment (over 20 offences) and self-defence
  (Ex 222,3)

33
Secular Principles

• Quality of life - Taking human life is justified
  if it is of low quality and constitutes a burden
  to others
• Autonomy - The right to exercise sexual and
  reproductive freedom and make moral choices
  according to our own personal values
• Compassion The avoidance of suffering
• Relativism Each person can choose their own
  values

34
Christian responses

• Quality of life Human life is precious by
  virtue of being human and regardless of its
  quality. The strong should protect the weak
• Autonomy We are not free to make choices which
  violate the reasonable freedoms of others
• Compassion abortion is a actually potent cause
  of suffering for both mother and baby
• Relativism There are universally recognised
  values, like sexual purity and the sanctity of
  life, which all should respect

35
The key question

• What is the unborn child worth and what
  circumstances justify it being killed?

36
Arguments against abortion

• Isn't the fetus only a potential human being?
•  
• How can a non-sentient being have value?
•  
• Don't women have a right to choose?
• Won't refusing abortion simply mean that women
  and children suffer?

37
Arguments against abortion

• Surely we can't return to the days of back street
  abortionists and abortion tourism?
• What about abortion for rape?
• What about abortion for fetal handicap?
• What about abortion to save the life of the
  mother?

38
Isnt the fetus only a potential human being?

• Isnt it rather a human being with potential or
  a potential adult?
• The fetus is both human and alive and therefore a
  human being
• The key question is what value we give that being

39
How can a non-sentient being have value?

• Human value is not based on human
  characteristics such as consciousness, awareness,
  age, size or ability to communicate but simply on
  being human
• To kill a child in the womb is to discriminate on
  the basis of non-morally relevant characteristics
  like age, location or degree of consciousness

40
Don't women have a right to choose?

• Autonomy has limits and we cannot make choices
  which limit the reasonable freedoms of others
• The fetus is not part of a womans body but a
  genetically distinct human being

41
Won't refusing abortion simply mean that women
suffer?

• Women who abort are 3.5 times more likely to die
  within the year than women who have normal
  births this includes deaths from suicide (seven
  times), accidents (4x) and natural causes (1.6x)
  (Finnish study 1987-1994)
• Mental illness is a contraindication to abortion
  (Royal College of Psychiatrists) and depression
  and psychiatric admissions are higher after
  abortion than normal birth
• There is an acknowledged link between abortion of
  the first pregnancy and breast cancer (Brind,
  2005)
• Abortion increases the risk of subsequent pelvic
  infection and infertility

42
Post-abortion syndrome

• Much more common if previous mental illness,
  religious background and ambiguity about
  abortion.
• Abortion does not end all the problems it often
  just exchanges one set for another (Francis
  Schaeffer)

43
Wont refusing abortion simply mean the children
suffer through abuse and deprivation?

• Most abused children come from wanted pregnancies
• The incidence of child abuse has doubled since
  the Abortion Act came into force
• Most unwanted pregnancies, if not aborted, result
  in wanted children.
• Adoption is always an option and there is lots of
  support for unmarried mothers

44
Surely we can't return to the days of back street
abortionists and abortion tourism?

• Claims of thousands of deaths before the 1967
  Abortion Act were wildly exaggerated
• Most back-street abortions before the Abortion
  Act were performed by doctors
• UK maternal deaths from abortion had fallen to
  less than 20 per year by the time of the Abortion
  Act
• In Poland following a 1993 change in the law
  abortions fell dramatically from 180,000 a year
  to 150 without any increase in maternal deaths

45
What about abortion for rape?

• Rape is an extremely serious crime but
• Pregnancy following rape is extremely rare and
  far less than 1 of abortions are performed
  following alleged rape
• Rape sacrifices a second innocent victim (Should
  the baby die for the crime of its father?)
• In the only major study of pregnant rape victims
  ever done, 75 to 85 chose against abortion

46
What about abortion for fetal handicap?

• Fetal handicap accounts for far less than 1 of
  all UK abortions
• It now extends to viable children with remediable
  conditions (eg cleft palate)
• Over 450 Downs syndrome children (over half the
  total) are now aborted annually
• Why do we tolerate destruction of children with
  special needs before but not after birth?

47
What about abortion to save the life of the
mother?

• Only 0.013 of UK abortions are performed 'to
  save the life of the mother'
• there are no medical circumstances justifying
  direct abortion, that is, no circumstances in
  which the life of the mother may only be saved by
  directly terminating the life of her unborn
  child'. (Irish obstetricians, 1992)
• Of 21 maternal deaths among 74,317 pregnancies at
  the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin from
  1970-1979, abortion wouldn't have saved the
  mother's life in a single case

48
The middle way (John 81-11)

• Prevention of unplanned pregnancy
• Legal protection for the baby
• Care for the mother (CARE Centres Network)
• Promotion of adoption

49
Legal protection for the baby

• Dangers of making things worse (1991)
• Problems with a change solely aimed at bringing
  down upper limit
• Impossibility of an all or nothing approach
  (Poland and South Dakota)

50
Bringing about legal change

• Broad coalitions (Alive and Kicking)
• Prime focus on changing public opinion
• Specific legal interventions (upper limit for
  handicap, separating psych and physical
  indications, accurate recording of complications)
  
• Changing medical opinion guidance of RCOG and
  RCPsych on psychological effects of abortion and
  resuscitation guidelines

51
Specific opportunities

• Private members ballot
• 40th anniversary of Abortion Act October 2007

52
Alive and Kicking

• A powerful alliance of nine organisations
• CARE
• Christian Medical Fellowship
• Comment on Reproductive Ethics
• Evangelical Alliance
• Guild of Catholic Doctors
• Lawyers Christian Fellowship
• LIFE
• ProLife Alliance
• Student LifeNet

53
Alive and Kicking

• Aims and goals
• Our near-term objective is to halve the yearly
  abortions from 200,000 to 100,000 per year

54
Alive and Kicking Aims

• An immediate, substantial reduction in the upper
  age limit for abortion.
• Eliminating discriminatory abortion of disabled
  babies up to birth.
• Proper enforcement of the abortion law as
  originally intended.
• A prohibition of abortions for social
  convenience.
• A Charter of Informed Consent drawn up to ensure
  women are made aware of medical and psychological
  risks associated with abortion.
• A cooling-off period between diagnosis of
  pregnancy and access to abortion.
• Provision of compassionate alternatives to
  abortion
• Increasing support for families with disabled
  children
• Guaranteed regular reviews of the abortion law.

55
Useful addresses

• CARE Centres Network
• (www.careconfidential.com)
• Alive and Kicking (www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org
  )
• Christian Medical Fellowship
• (www.cmf.org.uk)
• Elliott Institute
• (afterabortion.org)