Abortion information you can use...

These fall into two general categories: those that prevent implantation at one week of life and those which kill a developing baby days or weeks after implantation.

Before Implantation:

Which methods do this? In varying degree, the methods that prevent implantation, and therefore kill a baby at one week of life, include the intrauterine device (IUD), Norplant, Depo Provera, Progesterone Only pills, low-dose contraceptive combination pills, and the morning-after pills. Let’s take them one at a time.

How about Norplant?

This is an implant under the skin of her forearm that lasts five years. In the first half of that time it’s effect is to almost always suppress ovulation. In the last half of that time, break-through ovulation is the rule. However, very few pregnancies survive. Clearly, this second half is commonly effective through micro-abortions and prevention of implantation.

What about Depo Provera?

As with Norplant, there is some variance from woman to woman, but in a far higher percent of cases Depo Provera suppresses ovulation. Break-through ovulation, however, does occur as attested to by full-term pregnancies recorded with women who were receiving this shot every three months.

What of the IUD?

The intrauterine device, commonly referred to as an IUD or coil (in Europe), is a small plastic or metal device that is inserted through the vagina and into the cavity of the uterus. The purpose of this is to "prevent" pregnancy.

Is an IUD a contraceptive or an abortive agent?

The above report, however, has not been duplicated and therefore has not presented enough evidence to change the conventional wisdom that the IUD is almost always an abortive agent.

What of Progesterone-Only pills?

These fall into the same category as the Progesterone- Only implant, Norplant, and the Progesterone-Only injection, Depo Provera.

How does the morning-after pill work?

This medication has an antinidatory effect on the endometrium (that is, a hardening of the lining of the uterus), which prevents implantation of the tiny new human being (blastocyst stage). If, for example, a rape victim had ovulated just before the assault and fertilization had occurred, then the use of such medication after the event would clearly be abortive.

There is a possibility that it can act in a sterilizing fashion. The large hormone dose could rapidly affect the ovary and prevent an ovulation that might have occurred one to three days after the intercourse. If sperm were still present and active in the woman’s genital tract, she might otherwise have been fertilized one to three days after the event. In this case, some have suggested that such treatment (for example, as for an assault rape victim) might actually prevent a pregnancy. In actual practice, there is no way of knowing if she was fertilized at all and, if so, which effect the medicine had.

What about the standard contraceptive pill?

There are over 30 "contraceptive" pills on the market, each differing a little from the others. They "prevent" pregnancy through three separate functions.

1. They thicken the mucous plug at the cervix. If this is the primary effect, then it truly is contraceptive because it prevents sperm from entering.

2. They prevent release of the ovum. If this is the primary effect, then the function is "temporary" sterilization.

3. They render the lining of the womb hostile to the implantation of the tiny new human at one week of life. This effect is abortifacient.

The earlier high-estrogen pills largely prevented ovulation. The newer low-estrogen pills allow "break-through" ovulation in up to 20% or more of the months used. Such a released ovum is fertilized 10% or more of the time. Most of these tiny new lives which result, do not survive. The reason is that at one week of life this tiny new boy or girl cannot implant in the womb lining (see number 3 above) and dies. These are micro-abortions.

You mean the effect is to abort?

The best known example of this is the French abortion pill, RU 486 (Mifepristone).

How does RU 486 work?

RU 486 kills a developing baby after his or her heart has begun to beat. It blocks a vital nutrient hormone, Progesterone. The embryonic baby, who had implanted into the nutrient lining of the mother’s womb at least two weeks earlier, can be compared to a grape on a vine. If the stem is pinched, preventing the nourishing sap from reaching the grape, it will wither, die and drop off. Just so, if this drug is used, it causes the embryonic baby to wither and die. A second drug, prostaglandin, is used to expel the dead baby from her womb.

Counting from the first day of her last normal menstrual period, it is effective only from the fifth through the seventh week. Some claim success, but with decreasing effectiveness, into the 9th week.

How is it used?

First Visit: She must have a thorough history, physical exam and blood count. If she’s anemic, has high blood pressure, kidney disease, asthma, has a vaginal infection, smokes or is over 35, she is rejected. Finally, she needs an ultrasound exam to confirm the age of her baby and to rule out a tubal pregnancy. She must sign permission and, in some states or nations, wait 1 or more days. Second Visit: She takes the pills.

Third Visit: She is given the prostaglandin drug. This produces hard labor. Usually the baby parts are passed that day.

Fourth Visit: If she has not aborted or if there is still bleeding, she will need an ultrasound to determine if the uterus is empty. If not, she needs a D&C. The

French Ministry of Health requires that the abortion facility be equipped with an EKG, IV equipment, and a "crash cart" with a defibrillator in the event of a heart attack resulting from the drugs.

There are complications?

Psychological upset ranging from mild to serious, post-abortion syndrome and, in a few cases, death of the woman occur.

Are there problems with the baby?

RU 486 and a prostaglandin will produce an abortion 95% of the time. The rest will be advised to have a surgical abortion. But there will be some who will refuse surgery and carry to term. These babies will have a significant possibility of fetal deformity. Why?

Two poisonous drugs were given when the heart, limbs, etc., were being formed. This didn’t quite kill, but the effect can be to cause severe structural deformities as a direct toxic effect, similar to those from Thalidomide. This drug may have an action similar to DES, which was used in the ’60s to prevent miscarriage, and which turned out to be a chemical time bomb. RU 486 also can, in the body, react chemically to produce free radicals, which can combine with DNA, the genetic building blocks of our bodies. Through this mechanism fetal deformity can be produced at birth, and/or possibly show up 20 or more years later as a malformation or even cancer, such as the DES did. It is even possible that it could unite with maternal DNA to produce cancer or fetal defects in subsequent offspring. In addition, the drugs can cause genetic damage to the developing baby and, if to the mother, damage to children she bears later, similar to the DES drug tragedy.

In the tightly controlled French experience, there has been one such tragedy. Under the far looser private care in North America, the number of deformed babies should be greater.

Two French researchers report on two women who continued their pregnancies after their RU 486 failed to cause abortion. One delivered a normal baby. "The second pregnancy was terminated because of malformations (sirenomelia)" [fusion of lower extremities] J.C. Pons et al., letter to Lancet, Scrip, Sept. 26, 1991

Aren’t there therapeutic uses?

To date, there are no proven uses of RU 486 to treat any human illness. Research is underway testing whether it will have any beneficial effect on one type of breast cancer, on meningioma (brain tumor), Cushing’s Syndrome or endometriosis. No serious research is projected for any other conditions. Note that pro-life groups have never opposed research with RU 486 to find therapeutic uses. To date all studies of this drug were paid for by or associated with the manufacturer.

Where can I find more details?

A pamphlet, "RU 486, A Human Pesticide," is available from Hayes Publishing Company in Cincinnati Phone (513) 681-7559.

What about Methotrexate?

Is Methotrexate safe?

Definitely not. It is a cellular toxin and has been used for years to kill cancer cells. The object of cancer treatment is to kill cancer cells before the drug kills the patient. This is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent. Most readers have known loved ones who have had chemotherapy. There are some serious side-effects at times -loss of hair, inability to digest food, diarrhea, anemia and even death. All of these have been caused by methotrexate. The trick is to use a dose just large enough to kill the sensitive embryonic baby but not large enough to do any serious damage to the mother.

It works alone?

No. It also needs a follow up dose of prostaglandin to empty the uterus.

What of Prostaglandin alone?