“Although occasionally people do move from a pro-life to pro-choice position, they do so at far lower numbers than the other direction. According to a recent Zogby poll, “22% said they were less in favor of abortion today than they were a decade ago. About half that number said that they were more in favor of it.”
Jerry Zremski, “Attitudes Becoming More Negative on Abortion,” Buffalo News (New York) November 25, 2002 A -1
Quoted in The Cost of Choice: Women Evaluate the Impact of Abortion by Erika Bachiochi (San Francisco, CA: Encounter Books, 2004 pgs 114-115
Relatively few surgical abortions take place before six weeks. Some RU486 abortions do, but most abortions done in the United States are still done through surgical means.
About 60% of all abortions take place between six and eight week or earlier. Rounded: 60% of all abortions adds up to 2,400 abortions at this stage a day
20% of abortions happen in the ninth or 10th week of pregnancy. Rounded: 20% of abortions at 9-10 weeks adds up to 800
abortions a day
3,200 a week
12,800 a month
153,600 a year
The availability of abortion has spawned another business. Mainly, the selling of organs and body parts of aborted babies to research labs.
Technically, it is against the law for any clinic to sell fetal remains for money. The NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 saw to this. The act makes it unlawful “to knowingly acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer any human fetal tissue for valuable consideration if the transfer affects interstate commerce.”
However, many abortion clinics are able to get around this law. In the paper “Arguments Against Fetal Tissue Trafficking” the author explains how clinics circumvent the law.
“. . . The research institutes and the abortion clinics have joined with a third party, the fetal tissue wholesaler. The fetal tissue wholesaler pays the abortion clinics a “site fee” to place employees, known as “procurement agents,” who collect various body parts of the aborted fetuses as soon as the abortion process is finished and ship them to various research institutes. By having free access to all the desirable fetal tissue, these agents take the body parts that are requested to various research laboratories and government agencies.
The wholesaler is technically renting the space to harvest the body parts rather than paying for the tissue itself. The abortionist then “donates” the tissues to the wholesalers. At the other end of the transaction, the wholesaler will “donate” the fetal material to researchers but bill them for the cost of retrieval. Thus the business deal is complete.“
An example of this is found in a book called “Lovejoy: A Year in the Life of an Abortion Clinic.” It is not a pro-life book. Instead, it is intended as a balanced work of reference.
7 week old baby in a petri dish – ready to be dissected for his organs
From Lovejoy: A Year in the Life of an Abortion Clinic (New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1996) by Peter Korn. (p 236-237) From the author’s observation:
“Although the operation is over, the fetus is still a matter of concern. This patient, like most, has signed an extra consent form allowing the extracted material to be used for medical research. Rhonda, a medical assistant who also works for a biological supply company, takes the surgical tray in another room where she uses a plastic colander to strain out the blood, leaving only the separated parts of the fetus. These she places in a glass dish, taking a moment to measure one of the feet against a transparent plastic ruler to establish exact gestational age. Earlier in the day she received her regular fax detailing what body parts are needed by which researchers around the country. The researchers specify preferences for age and, in some cases, sex. Liver, spleen, pancreas, and brain are the organs most often requested…”
Planned Parenthood also has a reference to donating fetal tissue on their website. Under the heading of “Donating Fetal Tissue for Medical Treatment and Research.”
“Decisions about donating human tissue are never taken lightly or made easily. Most agree that such decisions reflect generosity, courage, and the hope that some humanitarian good may come out of an unintended pregnancy.”
Note that the word “donating” is used. The woman is “donating” the tissue. Planned Parenthood implies that no money will be involved in the “donating” of fetal organs and parts. Yet Planned Parenthood makes money due to the method listed above. This is possible because the NIH Revitalization Act exempts “reasonable payments associated with the transportation, implantation, processing, preservation quality control, or storage of human fetal tissue” allowing a loophole so that everyone can make money -except the woman involved.
One e-mail transmission, made public by American Life League, was intercepted and published:
“Human embryonic and fetal tissues are available from the Central Laboratory for Human Embryology at the University of Washington. The laboratory, which is supported by the National Institutes of Health, can supply tissue from normal of [sic] abnormal embryos and fetuses of desired gestational ages between 40 days and term.
Specimens are obtained within minutes of passage and tissues are aseptically identified, staged and immediately processed according to the requirements of individual investigators.
Presently, processing methods include immediate fixation, snap fixation, snap freezing in liquid nitrogen, and placement in balanced salt solutions or media designated and/or supplied by investigators. Specimens are shipped by overnight express, arriving the day following procurement. The laboratory can also supply serial sections of human embryos that have been preserved in methyl Carnoy’s fixative, embedded in paraffin and sectioned at 5 microns. Inquiries are directed to Alan G. Fantel, Ph.D., Department of Pediatrics RD-20, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.”
The former was a copy of e-mail transmission as printed out and mailed to A.L.L. J. Brown, Communique, May 13, 1994, p. 3
The following brochure was obtained from a fetal tissue wholesaler called Opening Lines is presented here.
This is a price list brochure of how much each piece of an aborted baby is worth. This is a real price list obtained directly from Opening Lines.
On an ironic note, many pro-choicers state that fetuses are not human beings or are merely blobs (or as one pro-choicer of my acquaintance said “A smear on a test tube.”) So how is it that laboratories can market organs from aborted babies and experiment on them precisely because they are human? If a fetus is nothing, a product of conception, or cluster of cells, how can scientists obtain human organs from them?
Pro-lifers have also unearthed order forms sent to abortion clinics. One such form quoted British Columbia’s Dr. Vanugram Venkatesh asking for an international Fed-Ex shipment of:
“16-24 week lungs (trachea not required)” to study “molecular mechanisms of fluid reabsorption in human fetal lung.”
The order also said simply, “Bill our account.”
Here is a copied order that one Planned Parenthood clinic received.
Here is an excerpt from an advertisement in the March 1994 NIH Guide. (The National Institutes for Health operate a Laboratory for Embryology at the University of Washington in Seattle that runs a 24- hour collection service at abortion clinics.)
“Department of Pediatrics, RD-20
“Seattle, WA 98195.”
This is an opportunity to make a difference . . . and it can be beneficial to your clinic. . . .
“1) Consultative and Diagnostic Pathology will lease space from your facility to perform the harvesting and distribution of tissue. The revenue generated from the lease can be used to offset your clinic’s overhead.
“2) Consultative and Diagnostic Pathology can train your staff to harvest and process fetal tissue. Based on your volume we will reimburse part or all of your employee’s salary, thereby reducing your overhead.”
The following incident was reported in “When Abortion Fails: The Unborn’s Uncertain Destiny” by Nick Thimmesch (Life Cycle Books)
Dr. Sophie Perry, director of the Department of Pathology at the District of Columbia General Hospital revealed to the press that the staff employees of that department had collected more than $68,000 dollars from commercial firms for the organs of stillborns and dead premature babies, some from “late term elective abortions.” A hospital official later admitted that the earnings were used to buy a television set for the lounge, to cover expenses for physicians attending conventions, and for soft drinks and cookies for visiting professors.”
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An article on abortion recounts the following:
“Fetal skin specimens were used by Dr. Karen Holbrook of the University of Washington, Seattle, and her study of “Fetal Skin Biology” for her work she was granted $239,740 in 1984 to 1985. 60 human fetuses or embryos.”
When asked about how the babies were obtained for research, Dr. Holbrook said:
“Hopefully they are not born alive. It’s better to avoid that. The skin is taken after fetal demise.”
Olga Fairfax, “101 Uses for a Dead (or Alive) Baby” ALL About Issues 1984, 6 – 7
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20/20 did a investigation of Dr. Miles Jones, Missouri pathologist whose company, Opening Lines, procures fetal tissue from clinics and ships it to research labs. The producer went undercover.
“It’s market force. It’s what you can sell it for. If you control the flow, it’s probably the equivalent the invention of the assembly line.”
Says Dr. Miles Jones, Missouri pathologist who wants to open an abortion clinic in Mexico so he can get a greater supply fetal tissue
“While ABC’s program was an eye-opener for many, it failed to air [the investigator]’s eyewitness accounts of babies who were dissected and their organs harvested while still functioning.. In these cases, according to the eyewitnesses, abortions were not performed – instead, babies were born alive in order to procure undamaged fetal specimens.”
“ABC Airs Bogus Report on Fetal Tissue Marketing” Washington: American Life League press release,, March 9, 2000
Quoted in Randy Alcorn “Pro-life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments” (Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishers, 2000) 34-35
******
With no change in the laws, no media coverage, and no public outcry, such practices go on today.
The support of abortion between Republicans versus Democrats:
— If the life/health of the woman is in jeopardy abortion is approved by 90% of Democrats and 90% of Republicans
— If the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest abortion is approved of by 82% of Democrats and 82% of Republicans
— If the woman has low income are cannot afford more children abortion is approved by 48% of Democrats and 41% of Republicans
— If a woman is not married abortion is approved of by 44% of Democrats and 43% of Republicans
— Abortion for any reason is approved of by 40% of Democrats and 36% of Republicans
As you can see, 60% of Democrats support some restrictions on abortion. The margin between rank-and-file Republicans and rank-and-file Democrats on abortion is much narrower than many people think. If you’re pro-life Democrat, or at least a Democrat who feels there should be some restrictions on abortion, you’re in good company.
James A. Davis, Tom W. Smith, and Peter V. Marsden “General Social Surveys, 1972 2004 (Chicago: National Opinion Research Center, 2008)
Abortion doctor Tommy Tucker told the Atlanta Journal Constitution in a May 16, 1993 interview:
“We’re perceived as being dirty, underhanded, the lowest echelon of the medical practice.”
Quote provided by Life Dynamics.
Dr. Tucker was later punished by the medical board for botching abortions and causing the death of at least one woman. Read the heartbreaking first hand account of the woman’s death (from one of the clinic workers in the office) here.
From an abortion (latter part of the first trimester)Share on Facebook
According to Abby Johnson, former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic, late term abortions are usually done for elective, rather than medical reasons.
“…it is false to say the women who choose late term abortion do so because of medical reasons. We refered hundreds of women to abort their babies after 24 weeks…not ONE was for medical reasons.”
Clinic worker Luhra Tivis, who worked for notorious late term abortionist Dr. George Tiller, has this to say of his practice:
“From May to November 1988, I worked for an abortionist. He specializes in third trimester killings. I witnessed evidence of the brutal, cold blooded murder of over 600 viable, healthy babies at seven, eight and nine months gestation. A very, very few of these babies, less than 2%, were handicapped…I thought I was pro-choice and I was glad to be working in an abortion clinic. I thought I was helping provide a noble service to women in crisis….I was instructed to falsify the age of the babies in medical records. I was required to lie to the mothers over the phone, as they scheduled their appointments, and to tell them that they were not ‘too far along’ Then I had to note, in the records that Dr. Tiller’s needle had successfully pierced the walls of the baby’s heart, injecting the poison what brought death…one day, Dr. Tiller came up the stairs from the basement, where the mothers were in labor. He was carrying a large cardboard box, and ducked into the employees only area of the office so that he wouldn’t have to walk through the waiting room. He passed behind my desk as I sat working on the computer, and he turned the corner to go around a short hall. He called out for me to come and help him. the box was so big and heavy in his arms that he couldn’t get the key into the lock. So I unlocked the door for him, and , pushing the door open, I saw very clearly the gleaming metal of the crematorium- a full sized crematorium, just like the one’s used in funeral homes. I went back to my computer. I could hear Dr. Tiller firing up the gas oven. A few minutes later I could smell burning human flesh. Mine was the agony of a participant, however reluctant, in the act of prenatal infanticide.”
Luhra Tivis “Where is the Real Violence?” Celebrate Life. Sept/Oct 1994
Note: this article was written before the murder of Dr. Tiller. Violence against abortion providers is morally wrong and hypocritical. The owners of clinic quotes vehemently oppose such actions.
It is the official position of NARAL and other pro-choice groups that these abortions are extremely rare and are only done for dire medical reasons. However, doctors who perform these abortions have admitted otherwise. See the following quotes:
From NARAL president Kate Michelman
“But late-term abortions are only used under the most compelling of circumstances–to protect a woman’s health or life or because of grave fetal abnormality.”
Washington Times, June 16, 1996
And again, elsewhere
The fact is that late term abortions are exceedingly rare. They are performed only when necessary to preserve a woman’s health or life, or when a woman is carrying a fetus with lethal anomalies, many of which would die soon after birth. Again, the fact is that these abortions, these terminations are compelled by life and, life and health reasons and grave fetal abnormalities.”
NARAL News Conference Nov 7, 1995
Occasionally, a pro-choice activist will have a moment of honesty. Here, head of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers admits the following about (D&X) partial birth abortions, performed late in pregnancy:
“When you’re a doctor who does these abortions and the leaders of your movement appear before Congress and go on network news and say these procedures are done in only the most tragic of circumstances, how do you think that makes you feel? You know they’re primarily done on healthy women and healthy fetuses, and it makes you feel like a dirty little abortionist with a dirty little secret. I think we should tell them the truth, let them vote and move on. In the vast majority of cases, the procedure is performed on a healthy mother with a healthy fetus that is 20 weeks or more along. The abortion-rights folks know it, the anti-abortion folks know it, and so, probably, does everyone else.”
Ron Fitzsimmons, Executive Director of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers (NCAP), American Medical News, March 3, 1997.
see the other quotes in this section by doctors who perform late-term abortions and testify that the majority are for elective, nonmedical reasons
Here is a quote by the late famous late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller:
“We have some experience with late terminations; about 10,000 patients between 24 and 36 weeks and something like 800 fetal anomalies between 26 and 36 weeks in the past 5 years.”
Speech to the “National Abortion Federation” April 2-4 New Orleans, LA
(Note: Only 800 out of 10,000 were for fetal “anomalies”)
