Consider the Source

This is an essay written by Betty DeFazio which was recently submitted to the Post Standard in Syracuse, NY.

On October 11, 2010 Former President Bill Clinton told a Syracuse crowd they should “encourage friends…to think about the facts.” Although this is good to remember, it is equally important to consider the “source.”

For several weeks, an anti-choice group has been picketing in front of Planned Parenthood in Syracuse. That is really not new “news.” What is important, though, is the spread inaccurate information supported by supposed “facts” that are nothing more than distorted nonsense.

Myth #1: “Abortion Causes Breast Cancer” – The American Cancer Society, recognized as an authority on cancer, is unequivocal in their response to this myth. “Induced abortion is not linked to an increase in breast cancer risk.” Further, they clarify “"Early studies of the relationship between prior induced abortion and breast cancer risk were methodologically flawed. More rigorous recent studies demonstrate no causal relationship between induced abortion and a subsequent increase in breast cancer risk."

Myth #2: “Aborted embryos and fetuses are being used for stem-cell research.” This statement couldn’t be further from the truth! According to the National Institutes of Health, “…embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos that develop from eggs that have been fertilized in vitro —in an in vitro fertilization clinic—and then donated for research purposes with informed consent of the donors.” Just a few days ago, the first human study of stem cell research began with a patient who has a spinal cord injury. This research holds enormous hope for those who need treatment.

Myth #3: “Planned Parenthood targets African American women.” Sadly, the fact is African-American women are more likely to be uninsured or under-insured than white women and, as a result, they may lack resources to pay for needed care. For over 85 years, Planned Parenthood has been the provider women turn to. We will continue to trust every African-American woman who comes to Planned Parenthood to make an informed decision based on what she believes is best for her and her family.

Fact: Planned Parenthood works everyday with women from all walks of life to improve the quality of their health care and to help them protect their families through education, preventive care, birth control and life-saving screenings.

Next time you hear one of these myths, consider the facts – and the source.

Mandatory Ultrasound Legislation: The Latest Threat to Reproductive Rights

One of the more recent threats to reproductive rights in the United States is the introduction of mandatory ultrasound laws. The new legislation proposals come under the guise of “informed consent.” Designed to protect patients by giving them accurate information to make decisions about their medical care, informed consent is an important patient protection.

However, some of the new laws require that a woman be required to undergo an ultrasound prior to the abortion and then stipulate how that information is to be used to deter a woman from choosing abortion. The woman must submit to this procedure regardless of her disapproval and disregards medical opinion on the necessity of such testing.

In Louisiana, the “Ultrasound Before Abortion Act” will require that women be offered the opportunity to see the ultrasound image, then hear a description of the image, and receive a print out of the ultrasound. There are no exceptions for victims of rape or incest. While the woman will not be required to accept the photograph from the provider, this does add an extra hurdle that is intentionally insensitive to women who go in for an abortion.

Nonprofit organizations have formed over the last decade to spread the use of ultrasound. According to the Project Ultrasound website, this non-profit group was formed “for the purpose of raising awareness about the effectiveness of ultrasound machines in deterring abortions”. They join with other organizations (such as Focus On the Family’s “Option Ultrasound”) to raise funds to donate ultrasound machines to crisis pregnancy centers across the country.

The use of ultrasound in these campaigns is not a new trend. Anti-choice extremist Dr. Bernard Nathanson, known for his narrating role in “The Silent Scream”, describes ultrasound in the film as the technology to see abortion from the “victim[‘]s vantage point”. The film was hailed by former President Ronald Reagan, distributed to members of Congress, shown on television news, and even the text was read into the Congressional Record.

Despite Planned Parenthood Federation of America efforts to point out the film’s medical inaccuracies and biases, the panel of medical professionals has been largely ignored.

Women who choose abortion understand the complexities involved in making their decision. We must guard against patronizing, intrusive tests that assume women are not well informed and are incapable of making hard decisions.