| Pro-Life or Catholic patients often get | | | | before and during pregnancy may have long lasting |
| recommendations which conflict with their beliefs. | | | | benefits for children. |
| Hope has arrived. | | | | Female Disorders without the Pill Many female |
| Maternal Disorders Abortion for maternal disorders | | | | disorders, such as painful periods, irregular cycles, |
| was obsolete by the early 1950's. A study by | | | | excessive bleeding, ovarian cysts, acne, |
| Cosgrove and Carter[1] in 1944 reported on 67,000 | | | | endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome, etc. are |
| deliveries from 1931 to 1943 at the Margaret Hague | | | | treated with birth control pills. These can now be |
| Maternity Hospital in Jersey City. Only 4 of 67,000 | | | | treated without the pill, using methods based on |
| were thought to require abortion for maternal | | | | natural family planning[5]. Many women have anger, |
| indication. Cosgrove delivered a subsequent 70,000 | | | | depression, irritability, headaches, breast soreness and |
| babies with no 'therapeutic' or maternally indicated | | | | many other problems in the week before their |
| abortions. | | | | menstrual periods (PMS). Understanding the female |
| In 1953 Hefferman and Lynch[2] conducted a postal | | | | cycle through natural family planning, and correcting |
| survey of maternal deaths at hospitals, which did or | | | | the problems which are revealed, is a rewarding |
| did not permit abortion for maternal indication. The | | | | approach that respects life and improves marriage. |
| death rates were not biased by referral patterns: the | | | | The natural family planning approach is so novel, that |
| same diagnoses occurred in the same proportions in | | | | it even leads to a new approach to menopausal care. |
| both groups. At hospitals that did not permit | | | | Pro-Life Fertility Care Many Catholics do not realize |
| abortions, there were 1,469 deaths and 1,680,989 | | | | that assisted reproduction techniques are considered |
| deliveries, for a maternal death rate of 0.87 per 1000. | | | | immoral in the Catholic Church. One patient was |
| At hospitals that did permit abortions, there were | | | | shocked to find, after the birth of her twins, that she |
| 1,558 maternal deaths and 1,574,717 deliveries, | | | | had 24 more human embryos stored in a freezer. |
| yielding a maternal death rate of 0.98 per 1000. | | | | She said, "I can't have 24 more children!" Another |
| Maternal death was lower (0.87/1000) at institutions | | | | patient said that as a pre-requisite to in-vitro |
| that did not allow abortions, than at those (0.98 | | | | fertilization, she had to sign an agreement promising |
| 1000) that did. These studies make a stronger case | | | | to undergo fetal reduction (abortion) if too many |
| since they date from the 1950's. Even the most | | | | embryos implanted (she complied). These examples |
| difficult situations can now be managed without | | | | illustrate a few of the many reasons why in-vitro |
| abortion. | | | | fertilization and most assisted reproduction |
| Fetal Disorders and Preconception Care Abortion for | | | | technologies should be avoided by faithful pro-life or |
| fetal indication often causes spiritual, psychological and | | | | Catholic couples. |
| or physical harm to the mother, and death to the | | | | New methods make ethical fertility treatments |
| baby[3]. Having a baby die is a profound and | | | | available for Catholic or pro-life men and women[6]. |
| unforgettable tragedy for a mother. To add abortion | | | | One couple had been infertile for 19 years, but |
| may make a bad situation worse. Some of my | | | | succeeded with faith, prayer, and surgery. |
| patients have had babies with lethal birth defects. | | | | References 1. Baggot, P.J., Diagnosis and treatment |
| Delivery at term, with supportive family in | | | | of infertility using natural family planning. Rethinking |
| attendance, and holding and loving the baby until it | | | | reproductive medicine. 2001: One More Soul. 2. |
| dies naturally in its mother arms, can be an incredibly | | | | Baggot, P.J., Hard cases do not justify partial birth |
| positive and healing experience[4]. An unforgettably | | | | abortion. Unpublished Manuscript, 2002. 3. Baggot, P.J., |
| tragic experience is then forever linked with an | | | | Little David. Focus on the Family, 2003. 4. Cosgrove, |
| unforgettably loving and healing event. | | | | S.A. and P.A. Carter, A consideration of therapeutic |
| New methods allow the prevention of birth defects | | | | abortion. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1944. 48: p. 299. 5. |
| and miscarriage before conception. These methods | | | | Hefferman, R.J. and W.A. Lynch, What is the status |
| are consistent with pro-life fertility treatments and | | | | of therapeutic abortion in modern obstetrics? Am J |
| natural family planning. Natural family planning charts | | | | Obstet Gynecol, 1953. 66: p. 335. 6. Hilgers, T.W., The |
| may indicate the likelihood for miscarriage before it | | | | medical applications of natural family planning. 1991, |
| happens. Improving nutrition and removing toxins | | | | Omaha, NE: Pope Paul VI Institute Press. |