Alan Guttmacher Institute Attacks Research Showing Pro-Life Laws Work
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 2, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The Alan Guttmacher Institute, the pro-abortion research group formerly affiliated with Planned Parenthood, has launched an attack on the research conducted by Dr. Michael New. A University of Alabama political science professor, New found that parental involvement laws significantly reduce abortions on teens.
New found that four studies in peer-reviewed academic journals that employ strong research techniques find that these pieces of legislation reduce the in-state minor abortion rate by anywhere from 13 to 19 percent.
New’s own study went further and determined that parental involvement laws reduce abortions anywhere from 13 to 31 percent.
AGI officials criticized New’s work with claims that his methodology is "faulty" and arguments that "forcing minors to reveal their pregnancy to their parents places teens at risk of abuse."
New has issued a response saying that parental involvement laws actually reduce the incident of abuse by helping protect teens from secret abortions at the hand of sexual abusers.
"In my response I document three studies in peer reviewed journals that show that the overall incidence of abortion among minors declines after the passage of parental involvement laws," New says in a statement he provided to LifeNews.com.
"Additionally,parental involvement laws protect minors in other ways. Parental involvement laws make it more difficult for child predators to use abortions to cover up their criminal behavior," he adds.
The researcher says parental notification and consent laws also help protect minors medically.
"Many minors seeking abortions without their parents’ knowledge are at risk because they are unaware of their own medical history," he says. "In my response, I report cases where minors undergoing abortions died because they experienced an allergic reaction to the anesthesia."
"It is for these reasons and others that many district attorneys, law enforcement officials, and groups representing crisis pregnancy centers support pro-life parental involvement laws," he concludes.
Related web sites:
New’s full response to AGI –
https://www.frcblog.com/images/Guttmacher_Reponse_New7–ML%20edits%201219.pdf
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
