WHO Releases Abortion How-To Guide: Best Methods for Killing Babies

International   |   Bill Poehler   |   Jun 22, 2012   |   4:36PM   |   Washington, DC

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a second edition of “Safe abortion: technical and policy guidance for health systems.” This document is updated from the original 2003 publication and runs 134 pages; it can be found here.

The new document details various methods of killing unborn children and the very best way, as recommended by WHO, to kill them.

“It is a horrific read,” stated Scott Fischbach, Executive Director of MCCL Global Outreach. “Following these guidelines will assuredly kill women and their unborn children, especially in developing nations. Some of the recommendations, WHO admits, are based on ‘low to moderate scientific evidence.’ They are truly reckless and deadly.”

One such recommendation is for a pregnant woman after 12 weeks gestation to self-abort by taking up to five vaginal doses of misoprostol to induce uterine contractions. For a woman who lives in an area without adequate health care to follow this recommendation is simply irresponsible. It is impossible to predict all of the dreadful complications the woman could suffer.

The guidelines include four main topics: estimates on unsafe abortion worldwide, the latest clinical recommendations to perform abortions, recommendations to “scale up services,” and advice on policymaking and legislation. The last of the four areas is not one usually found in medical advice documents, but WHO stresses the application of a “human rights framework” to advance pro-abortion policy making and legislation — especially for young women.

Through the years WHO has done good work for millions of people to protect, advance and enrich their lives, but these deadly guidelines to advance and promote abortion take the organization in the exact opposite direction.

“The solution to illegal abortions and high maternal mortality rates is very simple: provide a clean water supply, clean blood supply and adequate health care,” Fischbach added. “Statistics confirm that these save women’s lives — not the legalization of abortion.”

Following is an additional analysis on the guidelines.

Interesting facts from “Safe abortion: technical and policy guidance for health systems”

• “The target audience for this guidance is policy-makers, program managers and providers of abortion care.”

• Recommended methods of abortion for over 12-14 weeks are D&E and medical abortion (mifepristone and misoprostol; misoprostol alone). “Facilities should offer at least one, and preferably both methods, if possible, depending on provider experience and the availability of training.” This statement was given a “low” rating in the document on existence of evidence backing the claim.

• “Use of routine pre-abortion ultrasound scanning is not necessary.” This statement was given a “very low” rating in the document on existence of evidence backing the claim.

• “For women having medical abortion, routine use of prophylactic antibiotics is not recommended.” This statement was given a “very low” rating in the document on existence of evidence backing the claim.

• Technical consultation participants with connections to abortionists: Dr. Mohsina Bilgrami (Marie Stopes Society); Dr. Laura Castleman (Ipas); Dr. Selma Hajri (African Network for Medical Abortion (ANMA)); Heidi Bart Johnston (Reproductive Health and Rights Consultant); Bonnie Scott Jones (Center for Reproductive Rights); Dr. Nuriye Ortayli (UNFPA); Dr. Helena von Hertzen (Concept Foundation); Rebecca Cook (University of Toronto – contracted on legal and policy considerations).

• “Whether abortion is legally more restricted or available on request, a woman’s likelihood of having an unintended pregnancy and seeking induced abortion is about the same.” Statistics from many countries show that the legalization of abortion greatly increases the number of abortions.

• “The legal status of abortion has no effect on a woman’s need for an abortion, but it dramatically affects her access to safe abortion.” Worldwide evidence shows that maternal health is a function of the quality of medical care and related factors, not the legal status of abortion.

• “Where legislation allows abortion under broad implications, the incidence of and complications from unsafe abortion are generally lower than where abortion is legally more restricted.”

• “Unsafe abortion and associated morbidity and mortality in women are avoidable. Safe abortion services therefore should be available and accessible for all women, to the full extent of the law.

” • “Maternal mortality rates are higher in countries where there are restrictive abortion laws; in the cases where it is low MMR, it is because women are going to neighboring countries, a safe but illegal abortion, or by self-use of misoprostol.” The example of Chile, among other evidence, shows that this claim is false.

• “Following uncomplicated surgical and medical abortion using mifepristone with misoprostol, routine follow-up visits are not necessary. For women who wish to return to the clinic, a follow-up visit may be scheduled at 7–14 days after the procedure.” The FDA requires a follow-up visit after an RU486 medical abortion.

• “Programme managers and policy-makers should make all possible efforts to replace D&C with vacuum aspiration and medical methods of abortion.”

• “Legal restrictions on abortion do not result in fewer abortions nor do they result in significant increases in birth rates (21, 22). Conversely, laws and policies that facilitate access to safe abortion do not increase the rate or number of abortions.” Statistics from the United States, South Africa, Spain, Chile, Poland and other countries contradict this claim.

LifeNews Note: Bill Poehler is the communications director for Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life.