Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Preterm birth is a serious global problem—but its link to abortion is ignored

Nov. 17 was World Prematurity Day. New global estimates indicate that, as Eve Lackritz of the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth explains, "important gains have been made for nearly all causes of child death, except one in which progress has remained nearly stagnant: newborn mortality."

Preterm birth is not only the leading cause of newborn mortality. It is now the leading cause of all under-five deaths. About 3,000 children die each day from complications of prematurity, and those who survive are much more likely to have cerebral palsy or other health problems.

But the international community and media coverage have failed to acknowledge a significant risk factor for premature delivery. A wealth of worldwide research has established that induced abortion substantially increases the risk of preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies. For example, a 2009 systematic review published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found that a history of one induced abortion increased the risk of preterm birth by 36 percent and increased the risk of low birth weight by 35 percent. The increased risks greatly escalated with additional abortions—to 93 percent and 72 percent, respectively. Another 2009 systematic review, in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, concluded that abortion raised the risk of birth before 32 weeks' gestation by 64 percent. A 2013 study in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada showed "a significant increase in the risk of preterm delivery in women with a history of previous induced abortion."

The prevalence of abortion undeniably contributes to the problem of newborn mortality (as well as to cerebral palsy and other disabilities). Abortion doesn't just take the lives of human beings in utero—it leads to the deaths of already-born babies too.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

U.N. marks 25th anniversary of Convention on the Rights of the Child

The following news release was issued on Nov. 19, 2014.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — On Nov. 20, 1989, the United Nations General Assembly affirmed the dignity and rights of all children by adopting the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Events marking the 25th anniversary of the recognition of those rights will be held Thursday at the United Nations in New York.

As nations celebrate their accomplishments in establishing legal rights and protections for the world’s children, the unmet needs of multiple millions of young human beings must be prioritized in order to secure their safe and hopeful future. A new literature piece, "Celebrating the Rights of the Child," details areas in which the rights of children still are not honored or defended.

"On the 25th anniversary of this landmark human rights treaty, we should celebrate our progress on behalf of the youngest members of the human family while also acknowledging the ways in which the rights of children remain unprotected," said Scott Fischbach, Executive Director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Global Outreach (MCCL GO), a U.N.-accredited non-governmental organization. Fischbach will be in New York for Thursday's U.N. events.

The first 1,000 days of a child's life—from conception to the second birthday—dramatically shape his or her prospects for survival and future well-being. Lives can be saved by improving the quality of care during labor, childbirth and the days following birth, including essential newborn care. Prenatal care and nutrition and optimum breastfeeding are also important to ensure healthy development.

Tens of millions of abortions occur around the world each year, and countries that protect unborn children face pressure to legalize the procedure. This is a profound injustice. The Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms that, quoting the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, "the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, before as well as after birth." All children, born and unborn, deserve protection.

The Convention calls for securing the rights of each child "without discrimination of any kind." But sex-selective feticide—when abortion is performed solely on the basis of the unborn child's sex—is a massive problem in areas where culture and tradition favor boys over girls, including parts of Asia, Southeast Europe and the Caucasus.

"Great progress has been made in the past 25 years on behalf of children," said Fischbach. "But many still suffer. All children, born and unborn, male and female, have an equal dignity and right to life. They deserve our respect, protection and care."

MCCL GO is a pro-life NGO global outreach program of the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Education Fund with one goal: to save as many innocent lives as possible from the destruction of abortion. Learn more at www.mccl-go.org.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Will 1 in 3 women have an abortion?

Abortion advocacy organizations often say that 1 in 3 women will have an abortion in her lifetime. In fact, a whole campaign is based on that statistic.

But it's not accurate. Secular Pro-Life has put together a new website, Not1in3.com. The website explains:
The study most activist groups cite in order to justify the "1 in 3" statistic is Changes in Abortion Rates Between 2000 and 2008 and Lifetime Incidence of Abortion, published in 2011 by Dr. Rachel K. Jones and Dr. Megan L. Kavanaugh. ... The lifetime abortion rate given by the study is approximately 3 in 10, not 1 in 3. But the authors caution us that even the lower figure of 3 in 10 may be overstated ...
Moreover, given the recent declining abortion numbers, the 30 percent figure is clearly obsolete:
Abortion statistics are always a few years behind. That's why the Jones & Kavanaugh study, which was published in 2011, contained an analysis of data only as recent as 2008. It wasn't until three years after the study was published that reliable numbers were available through 2011. In 2014, Dr. Jones revealed the stunning news: between 2008 and 2011, abortion rates plummeted to the lowest level recorded since Roe v. Wade.

The 2011 study's prediction that 3 in 10 American women would have an abortion came with an important caveat; it only applied if American women were "exposed to prevailing abortion rates throughout their reproductive lives." There were almost 165,000 fewer abortions in 2011 than there were in 2008.

The positive trend shows no signs of stopping. Although reliable post-2011 abortion statistics are not yet available, we know that dozens of abortion businesses across the country have closed in the last three years due to a combination of decreased demand and pro-life legislation.
So it is likely that significantly fewer than 1 in 3 women will have an abortion.

Of course, more than a million abortions still occur in the United States each year—it is the leading cause of human death. But the prevalence of abortion should not lead us to accept it, as abortion advocates apparently think. It should lead us to work to protect the unborn, meet the needs of pregnant women, and care for those who have been detrimentally affected by abortion—so that the impact of abortion in American culture will continue to diminish.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Maximize your pro-life impact on Nov. 13

Thursday, Nov. 13, is Give to the Max Day in Minnesota.

Beginning at midnight and all day Thursday, donations to MCCL through GiveMN.org will be doubled, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000. Donation activity also boosts MCCL's chances to win a cash prize from GiveMN.

Your generous gift will expand our pro-life educational work and help save lives. Use MCCL's GiveMN fundraising page to make a secure credit card gift. (Donations to the MCCL Education Fund are tax deductible.)

Nov. 13 is the day to maximize your impact for life. Thank you for your support!

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Vote for life on Nov. 4: What you need to know before you head to the polls

Before you vote on Nov. 4, consider what is at stake.

Abortion is the leading cause of human death in Minnesota (almost 10,000 deaths annually) and the United States (almost 1.1 million). The candidates we elect to public office will affect our laws and policies in ways that influence the incidence of abortion. Unborn lives are on the line.

In the race for governor, incumbent Mark Dayton faces pro-life challenger Jeff Johnson. Dayton has vetoed seven different pro-life measures, single-handedly preventing those lifesaving bills from becoming law.

In the U.S. Senate race, pro-lifer Mike McFadden is running against incumbent Al Franken, who has earned a zero percent pro-life voting record. In a narrowly divided Senate, the success or failure of federal abortion-related bills may depend on one or two seats.

Also on the ballot are candidates for the Minnesota House of Representatives and the U.S. House. Use MCCL's Voter's Guide to check the races in your own districts to see which candidates have committed to voting pro-life. You can find your district numbers at MNVotes.org.

Here are some other helpful links:

MCCL General Election Voter's Guide (where the candidates for governor, Congress, the state Legislature and other offices stand on right-to-life issues)
Additional information about voting
How pro-life laws save lives
Can pro-life voters reasonably support pro-choice candidates?

The race for governor:
Comparison flier: Jeff Johnson v. Mark Dayton
Mark Dayton's record on protecting human life: Veto, veto, veto (etc.)
Tina Smith: Dayton running mate, former abortion industry leader
Dayton supports licensing dog breeders, yet rejects any oversight of abortion facilities

The race for U.S. Senate:
Comparison flier: Mike McFadden v. Al Franken
Al Franken's record: Advocating unfettered abortion until birth
Franken-sponsored bill would nullify most limits on abortion

Justice requires that the law protect the equal dignity and right to life of every member of the human family, especially the most vulnerable. Elections play a huge and necessary part in working toward that goal.

Please use this information to learn about the candidates and the stakes, and share it with others. Then vote on Nov. 4!