LifeZine No. 537: 31st Oct 07
UN Report Shows Ireland has Lowest Maternal Mortality in the World
According to a new UN report on maternal mortality, Ireland has the lowest maternal mortality rate in the world. Of all 171 countries and territories for which estimates were made, Niger had the highest estimated lifetime risk of 1 in 7, in stark contrast to Ireland, which had the lowest lifetime risk of 1 in 48,000.The report points out that improving maternal health and reducing maternal mortality have been key concerns of several international summits and conferences since the late 1980s. According to the report, these estimates provide an up-to-date indication of the extent of the maternal mortality problem globally. Despite this evidence, abortion advocates continue to argue that banning abortion puts lives of pregnant women at risk. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Alcohol Label to Warn of Health Risk to Unborn Baby
Mandatory labelling of alcohol containers with a health warning about the dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy is to be introduced in Ireland. Drinks Manufacturers Ireland (DMI), the umbrella body for the industry, confirmed yesterday it had agreed to the health warning, which will apply to all alcohol containers sold in the Republic. The message will take the form of an image of an expectant mother with a diagonal red line and/or a written warning. Research published by the Coombe Maternity Hospital in Dublin found that 60% of expectant mothers consume alcohol. Earlier this year the State's chief medical officer, Dr James Kiely, issued what he called "unambiguous" advice that alcohol consumption by pregnant women posed a “substantial” risk to the unborn baby, and that there was no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
UK Commons Committee on Abortion Restrictions Heavily Biased in Favour of Abortion
The Parliamentary committee examining Britain’s 1967 Abortion Act has come under heavy criticism from some of its own members. A member of the House of Lords warned that the committee has been “stacked” with pro-abortion members, as well as heavily favouring the pro-abortion view in its selection of witnesses. The “Catholic Herald” quoted Lord Alton of Liverpool who said, “If you only call people who have your point of view, it is obvious what conclusions you are going to come up with.” “I think that the distorting of public policy by loading of committees with people who hold a particular view is disgraceful. We are getting perilously close to a totalitarian approach to making public policy where hearing all sides of the argument has been replaced by shrill voices trying to drown out any alternative view.” LifeSiteNews.com. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
‘Too Many Abortions’: Lord Steel
Lord Steel, architect of the UK 1967 Abortion Act, says today that abortion is being used as a form of contraception in Britain and admits he never anticipated "anything like" the current number of abortions when he led the campaign for reform. The Liberal Democrat peer, whose bill legalising abortion in certain circumstances marked its 40th anniversary recently, said an "irresponsible" mood has emerged in which women feel they can turn to abortion "if things go wrong". "Everybody can agree that there are too many abortions," he said. There were almost 200,000 abortions in England and Wales last year. That was almost 4% up on the previous year, with abortions among teenagers rising fastest. The figures were described yesterday by Catholic Church leaders as "a source of distress and profound anguish for us all". The Guardian. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Portuguese Government Orders Doctors to Remove Anti-Abortion Restrictions from Code of Ethics
The Portuguese Health Minister has ordered the Portuguese Medical Association to delete its ethical prohibition on performing abortions, sparking protests from physicians and legal experts. Minister Antonio Correia de Campos, a socialist, is basing his directive on the fact that Portugal recently decriminalized all abortions during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. With the support of Portugal's attorney general, he has declared that the Medical Association's code conflicts with the new law, and has given them thirty days to delete the restriction. The Association's current ethical code states that "doctors must maintain respect for human life from its beginning", and "the practice of abortion constitutes a grave ethical failure". The decision drew a sharp denunciation from Dr Daniel Serrao, former head of the Ethical Commission of the Portuguese Medical Association, who stated "any type of interference is completely unacceptable, from whomever it comes outside of the profession, regarding the way that doctors think they should relate to each other." The Portuguese Bar Association also issued a statement denouncing the decision as "arrogant and overbearing". LifeSiteNews.com. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
‘Bella’ Film Brings Respect for Life to the Silver Screen
In the USA, and hopefully in Ireland and the UK soon, pro-lifers can go to cinema and see a miracle: a film that embraces the sanctity of human life. “Bella”, winner of the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival’s “People’s Choice Award,” has opened in cinemas across the US. “Bella” was a labour of love for everyone involved in its production, and that love is spreading to every audience. It is the story of a Mexican soccer star, Jose, who endures tragedy and later works quietly as a chef in a New York restaurant. There he meets Nina (Emmy Award-winning actress Tammy Blanchard), a waitress who is sacked just as she learns she is pregnant and is considering abortion. In one irreversible moment, a simple act of kindness brings them together and turns an ordinary day into an unforgettable experience. Inspired by true events, “Bella” is a heartwarming story about friendship, family and our capacity for love in the face of the unexpected. It’s the story of a crisis pregnancy. How a woman who finds herself pregnant is determined not to have the baby. But a man gives her the help, care, and concern that she needs. LifeNews.com. CLICK TO READ MORE.....