Abortion Harms Women’s Health in Kenya
Reported, December 06, 2011
American physicians have called on the Kenyan government to protect the life of the unborn in the current draft constitution before it goes to referendum.
The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (AAPLOG) said that legalization of abortion has had adverse effects on the maternal health of women undergoing these procedures.
“More substance abuse occurs as a consequence of abortions. A significant increase in major depression, suicide and self destructive behaviour is associated with abortion.”The physicians also said that in addition to adverse health consequences for women, legalizing abortion has devastating consequences for infant health.They cited an example in USA and Western Europe, saying legalizing abortion has been associated with an increase in premature births in subsequent pregnancies which can lead to cerebral palsy, mental and physical handicaps as well as prolonged hospitalizations in neonatal intensive care units.
In a statement signed by president -elect and director of AAPLOG, President of Catholic Medical Association and MD for Maternal Life International they said, “In resource poor countries, the majority of these premature babies would not survive and add to the toll of infant mortality.”
According to the physicians who have experience in providing medical care for women not only in US but also in developing nations in Africa and rest of the world, a recent study in Finland showed that 20 percent of women undergoing medical abortions suffered from major complications including haemorrhage and retained tissue requiring surgical evacuation.
“The assertion that legalization of abortion is necessary to prevent maternal mortality is false. For example, Ethiopia’s transition to legal abortion from 2003 to 2007 was accompanied by more severe abortion complications and higher fatality rate,” they reiterated.
They, therefore, said there is no basis for asserting that legalization of abortion will have a beneficial effect on the health of women, adding that many of those who promote abortion are not primarily concerned with women’s health, but rather with population control, fighting terrorism and global warming.
Advocates of legalized abortion have greatly exaggerated the percentage of maternal deaths due to abortion in Africa.
The doctors also said that legalizing abortion would have virtually no effect on maternal mortality, which is due primarily to haemorrhage, infection and obstructed labour.
They strongly reiterated that abortion proponents have corrupted local medical organisations, falsely claiming that strict constitutional protections of unborn life would prevent necessary medical procedures.
But treatment of spontaneous abortion, complications of illegally induced abortion and performance of appropriate obstetrician’s procedures when a woman’s life is in danger would not restrict under the regimen of strict constitutional protection for life.
“Kenya can feel reassured that maintaining powerful protections for the unborn in her new proposed Bill of Rights is compatible with assuring the highest standards of physical and mental health for women,” they said.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), only 3.9 percent of maternal deaths in Africa are due to abortion, including spontaneous abortion.
Credits:Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi) More Information at:http://allafrica.com/stories/201003310624.html