Study: Previous Abortions Linked With Pre-Term Birth and Cerebral Palsy

LifeSiteNews ^ | 10/26/07 | Hilary White

[wagglebee]

VANCOUVER, Canada, October 26, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – An article appearing in this month’s edition of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine concludes that nearly 32 per cent of “very-preterm” U.S. births, that is, before 32 weeks gestation, are due to the mother having had a prior abortion. This information, combined with previous research in the relation between low birth weight children and cerebral palsy (CP), results in an estimated 1,096 children suffering from CP because of their mother’s prior abortion.
 
The 2002 data examines 4,021,726 births, 4,021,726 preterm babies and 72,751 very-preterm babies.
 
The study’s authors, with the Reduce Preterm Risk Coalition based in Vancouver, are Dr. Byron Calhoun an obstetrics and gynecology professor at Western Virginia University, Dr. Elizabeth Shadigian, obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan and Brent Rooney the research director. They concluded that prior induced abortion is a significant risk factor in very pre-term births and cerebral palsy.
 
The research backs up previous findings published in 2006 by Dr. Richard E. Behrman of Stanford University’s Institute of Medicine, that named “prior first trimester induced abortion” as “immutable medical risk factor associated with preterm birth”.
 
Very pre-term babies have much higher than normal risks of suffering medical problems including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, epilepsy, blindness, deafness, lung impairment and serious infections.
 
The estimate combines a study of 58,717 newborns with a birth weight under 1500 grams (3 pounds 5 ounces) most of whom were very-preterm. Calhoun estimated that since 31.5 per cent of children born with very low birth weight are due to prior induced abortions. Approximately 7.7 per cent of children with very low birth weight develop CP, at least 1,096 cases of CP are directly associated with the mother’s prior abortion.
 
The article further estimated a direct cost to the health care system of abortion-related pre-term babies at US $1.2 billion in 2002. This estimate did not include long-term costs for ongoing, often life-long medical expenses and lost income such children will suffer.

The article is listed in the Journal index as:
Cost Consequences of Induced Abortion as an Attributable Risk for Preterm Birth and Impact on Informed Consent
B. C. Calhoun, E. Shadigian and B. Rooney
Induced abortion contributes to significantly increased initial neonatal health costs, >$1.2 billion, and 1,096 excess cerebral palsy cases per year in the United States 
 
Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
1,100 Excess Brain Damaged Babies are Born Yearly in US Due to Previous Abortions
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/apr/04042209.html
 
New Study Confirms Abortion Increases Risk of Future Premature Births
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/apr/05042906.html

[wagglebee]

This means that one-third of very premature births can be avoided by ending abortion.

[wagglebee]

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[wagglebee]

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[TBP]

Choose life.

[JTHomes]

There was another article posted recently about the connection between breast cancer and abortion. Any chance women are being told of these risks by those profiting from the abortions?

[wagglebee]

Abortuaries NEVER tell women of the risks.

[Neidermeyer]

That is why legal action is such a good road for us... no informed consent gives us a win every time one of their customers enters an emergency room...

[theDentist]

I can imagine someone handing this article to Kewpie Couric and suggesting she lead with it.

[coop71]

“Western Virginia University”?????

[wagglebee]

I guess they do more than just play football there!

[coop71]

Not to be snippy, but there is no Western Viginia University. There’s the University of West Virginia, is that the school this article is referring to? I did a cursory check of the obstetrics and gynecology dept., and there is no Dr. Calhoun on staff. Is he in some other dept.?

[mockingbyrd]

It’s actually West Virginia University.

http://search.wvu.edu/search?site=default_collection&client=default_frontend&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=default_frontend&q=Dr.+Byron+Calhoun+&I6.x=9&I6.y=8

[wagglebee]

Actually, there is a West Virginia University, their football team is the Mountaineers.
http://www.wvu.edu/

Here is plenty to back up Dr. Byron Calhoun:
http://www.nifla.org/bio5.asp
http://www.ucomparehealthcare.com/drs/west_virginia/neonatology/Calhoun_Byron.html
http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/charleston/hsc_enews/jul09_2007.pdf
http://www.nrlc.org/news_and_Views/June06/nv060606.html
http://www.ultrasoundcmes.com/

[coop71]

I’m not disputing Dr. Calhoun’s work. He’s a highly respected ob/gyn...it’s the school that I questioned.

[coop71]

LOL. I know what it is. My husband is an alum - both undergrad and one of his graduate degrees. I wonder which is worse...calling it “Western Virginia University” or “University of West Virginia”? Either way, I expected a national publication to get the name correct and was confused when they didn’t.

[wagglebee]

On the school’s website it’s called West Virginia University!

http://www.wvu.edu/

[coop71]

Yes it is...Mockingbyrd was correct. I was questioning the “WESTERN Virginia University”. I looked it up thinking it was an actual school.

[mockingbyrd]

Either way, I expected a national publication to get the name correct and was confused when they didn’t

I agree with you.

[wagglebee]

Okay, I see that now. If it makes any difference, LifeSiteNews is Canadian so that could have something to do with the mistake.

[TigersEye]

This thread will be added to my standard post.

Abortion is not about saving women’s lives!

Studies Find Abortions Have Long-Term Effects

45,951,133

Total Abortions since 1973

------------------------------------------------------------

Why the drop after 1960? (in deaths of women from illegal abortions)

The reasons were new and better antibiotics, better surgery and the establishment of intensive care units in hospitals. This was in the face of a rising population. Between 1967 and 1970 sixteen states legalized abortion. In most it was limited, only for rape, incest and severe fetal handicap (life of mother was legal in all states). There were two big exceptions — California in 1967, and New York in 1970 allowed abortion on demand. Now look at the chart carefully.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Abortion Statistics - Decision to Have an Abortion (U.S.)

· 25.5% of women deciding to have an abortion want to postpone childbearing

· 21.3% of women cannot afford a baby

· 14.1% of women have a relationship issue or their partner does not want a child

· 12.2% of women are too young (their parents or others object to the pregnancy)

· 10.8% of women feel a child will disrupt their education or career

· 7.9% of women want no (more) children

· 3.3% of women have an abortion due to a risk to fetal health

2.8% of women have an abortion due to a risk to maternal health

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So how many women’s lives have been saved by abortion?

Only about 3% of abortions since 1972 were reported to be “due to a risk to maternal health.” A reasonable person would recognize that not all of those cases represent a lethal risk. But let’s say they did. That means that nearly 45 million fetuses were butchered to save the lives of about 1.3 million women. Or put another way; 35 babies are killed to save each woman.

Abortion was legal in all 50 states prior to Roe v. Wade in cases of danger to the life of the woman.

Roe v Wade: FULL Text (The Decision that wiped out an entire Generation 33 years ago today)