Abortion an Essential and Core Health Service?

8 July 2009

Media Release

Abortion an Essential and Core Health Service?

Abortion is classified by the government as a core health service, it is deemed by government to be necessary for the preservation of the life and the protection of the health of the mother. They believe should be accessible to all, with unlimited funding and no waiting list. The classification of abortion as a core health service is challenged.

Abortion is not a Genuine Health Service

The killing of an unborn child in the womb of its mother is not an authentic health service that protects life and promotes health. It is part of a culture of death that has no place in the public health service. Abortion not only destroys the life of an innocent and defenceless unborn child it also endangers the spiritual, physical, and psychological health of the mother. In any year, 98% of abortions are authorised on the grounds that the continued life of the unborn child is a serious threat to the mental health of the mother. Professor David Fergusson, in the Canterbury Health and Development Study in 2005 found that 42 per cent of women in that study who had an abortion had experienced major depression at some stage during the previous four years. This was nearly double the rate of those who had not been pregnant and 35 per cent more than those who had chosen to continue a pregnancy. “Those having an abortion had elevated rates of subsequent mental health problems, including, anxiety, suicidal behaviours and substance use disorders.” It is clear that while abortions are being done under the guise of protecting a woman’s mental health, it is in fact the cause of mental ill health. Professor Fergusson stated, “Our study is strongly suggestive of a link between abortion and developing mental illness.” There is no evidence that abortion provides any mental health benefits to women even in cases of unplanned pregnancy.

Abortion should not be Funded by the State

In 2008, there were 17,940 abortions reported, 6,628, that is 37 per cent of these were repeat abortions, 4,469 were their second abortion, 1,490 were their third abortion, 461 were their fourth abortion, 143 were their fifth and 65 were having their sixth or more abortion. Why should the State be required to pay for these abortions authorised for social reasons masquerading as mental health? Abortions in public hospitals cost on average of $1100, that is a total cost in excess of $19 million and this excludes the more than $5 million in fees paid to certifying consultants in 2007 for authorising abortions. This money should and could be used for genuine medical procedures, for example, it would provide for the funding of an additional 653 hip operations. The pro-abortion, Allan Guttamacher Institute, in the United States estimates, that if State funding for abortions were withdrawn it would result in a reduction of a third of abortions performed. It is scandalous that the taxpayer should be required to pay for the killing of our nation’s unborn children. By requiring taxpayers to pay for abortions the government is making us all complicit in this great evil. We are thus all compelled to have the blood of the innocent on our hands, this is an intolerable burden on the conscience of the nation. The government should in the interest of the lives of unborn children; our future citizens and the health of women, cease promoting a culture of death by funding abortion as a State funded core health service.

ENDS

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