Expert: Pat G - 6/6/2011

Question
Hi Pat,
My name is Dan. I'm currently studying medicine at one of the top 5 universities in the world. If I'm going to be completely honest, I'm rather concerned about the so called advice that you give out. To start with I find it laughable how you don't even pretend to have unbiased fair judgement. Your anti abortion views are passed off as medical expertise; it is not your right to decide whether something is medically safe or not without any legitimate qualification. You claim to have performed extensive medical research but I implore you to tell me where you found this information. I wouldn't be surprised if it is just a simple google search, which by the way proves nothing, as I have been able to discover with my 'extensive' research that Elvis is in fact alive and living in a bunker with Hitler and Michael Jackson. Clearly you can find a lot of information of you're looking in the right place. My major concern is that vulnerable people will be at the mercy of people like you. People who in a difficult time want actual advice not a sermon. I challenge you to respond to this message and prove me wrong. I would love to gracefully bow my head and say 'I was wrong'. Please prove to me and everyone else who reads what you write that you are not massively misinformed. I greatly look forward to hearing from you and I eagerly await sending you an apology.

Answer
Hello, Dan,

Questions like yours often take me a long time to answer, but I'll try to give you an overview. Please remember that women deserve better than abortion, and if nobody is willing to be biased in favor of women's rights, we're in more trouble as a gender than most people realize. Women deserve a law that will protect them from abortionists. And by the way, have you heard of Google Scholar? This is for people who want to do serious scholarly research. http://scholar.google.com/

I could easily write a book in answer to your question, and unfortunately don't have the time to do that. But I will try to tell you enough so that you know I have done my homework. I have been studying this for over 40 years, by the way, and the information I have is encyclopedic.

Overview:
"Complications following abortions performed in free-standing clinics is one of the most frequent gynecologic emergencies . . . encountered. Even life-endangering complications rarely come to the attention of the physician who performed the abortion unless the incident entails litigation. The statistics presented by Cates represent substantial under- reporting and disregard women’s reluctance to return to a clinic, where, in their mind, they received inadequate treatment." L. Iffy, "Second Trimester Abortions," JAMA, vol. 249, no. 5, Feb. 4, 1983, p. 588.

"Eighty-seven percent (87%) of 486 obstetricians and gynecologists had to hospitalize at least one patient this year due to complications of legal abortions." M. Bulfin, M.D., OB-GYN Observer, Oct.-Nov. 1975

Burkman et al., "Culture and Treatment Results in Endometritis Following Elective Abortion," Amer. Jour. OB/GYN, vol. 128, no. 5, 1977, pp. 556-559.

Pelvic abscess from perforation of the uterus and possibly other organs:
C. Gassner & C. Ballard, Amer. Jour. OB/GYN, vol. 48, p. 716 as reported in Emerg. Med. After Abortion-Abscess, vol. 19, no. 4, Apr. 1977

Pelvic inflammatory disease:
E. Quigstad et al., British Jour. of Venereal Disease, June 1982, p. 182  (23% risk after abortion)
Kodasek, "Artificial Termination of Pregnancy in Czechoslovakia," Internat’l Jour. GYN/OB, vol. 9, no. 3, 1971
Barbacci et al., "Post Abortal Endometritis and Chlamydia," OB & GYN, 68:686, 1986. (17% risk)
J.A. Stallworthy et al., "Legal Abortion: A Critical Assessment of its Risks," The Lancet, Dec. 4, 1971 (27% risk)

Sources for claim that the risk of miscarriage or very early birth increased by 400%,
Some Consequences of Induced Abortion to Children Born Subsequently, by Margaret and Arthur Wynn, 1972. British research documented solely with medical papers.
Levin et al., "Association of Induced Abortion with Subsequent Pregnancy Loss," JAMA, vol. 243, no. 24, June 27, 1980, pp. 2495-2499

See also:
Hilgers et al., "Fertility Problems Following an Aborted First Pregnancy." In New Perspectives on Human Abortion, edited by S. Lembrych. University Publications of America, 1981, pp. 128-134
A. Kodasek, "Artificial Termination of Pregnancy in Czechoslovakia," Internat’l Jour. of GYN & OB, vol. 9, no. 3, 1971
Richardson & Dickson, "Effects of Legal Termination on Subsequent Pregnancy," British Med. Jour., vol. 1, 1976, pp. 1303-4
Koller & Eikham, "Late Sequelae of Induced Abortion in Primagravida" Acta OB-GYN Scand, 56 (1977) p. 311.
Herlap, New England Jour. of Med., no. 301, 1979, pp. 677-681
G. Ratter et al., "Effect of Abortion on Maturity of Subsequent Pregnancy," Med. Jour. of Australia, June 1979, pp. 479-480
Wright et al., "Second Trimester Abortion after Vaginal Termination of Pregnancy," The Lancet, June 10, 1972
Puyenbeck and Stolte, Relationship Between Spontaneous and Induced Abortion, and Second Trimester Abortion Subsequently, Europ. J. OB-GYN, Reprod. Biol. 14, 1983, 299-309.
Lumley,J. The association between prior spontaneous abortion, prior induced abortion, and preterm birth in first singleton births. Prenat Neonat Med 1998 3: 21-24
Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention, National Academy of Science Press, July 06.
http://vcn.bc.ca/~whatsup/APB-Major.html
Swingle HM, Colaizy TT, Zimmerman MB, Moriss FH. Abortion and the Risk of Subsequent Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Reproductive Medicine 2009;54:95-108
Shah P. et al. Induced termination of pregnancy and low birth weight and preterm birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis BJOG 2009;116(11):1425-1442. URL: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122591273/abstract
van Oppenraaij RHF, Jauniaux E, Christiansen OB, Horcajadas JA, Farquharson RG, et al. Predicting adverse obstetric outcome after early pregnancy events and complications: a review. Human Reproduction Update Advance Access 7 March 2009;1(1):1-13

http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1787980
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2001/sep/29/guardianobituaries.ianaitken
Please note that the Wynns supported legal abortion until they did their study. They reversed their position.

Sources for claim that abortion causes prematurity and mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy:
http://www.afterabortion.org/PAR/V8/n4/cerebralpalsy.html
originally published in Post Abortion Review; web site belongs to an organization presenting a man with a PhD who has been published in peer reviewed medical journals. This is the only source I cite here that comes from a source that condemns abortion; the rest are all sources that are either neutral or support legal abortion.
http://justiceforkids.webs.com/ch14preemieepidemic.htm
http://justiceforkids.webs.com/chapter4brcredits.htm
European Journal of Ob/Gyn and Reproductive Biology 2001: 96, 239-40, Brent Rooney
I. Haas, et al., "Spontaneous Preterm Birth: A Case-Control Study," Am. J. OB-GYN, 1991; 165:1290-6

Preemies under 32 weeks have a Cerebral Palsy rates 55 times higher that the rates for a term baby.

Prematurity and blindness:
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/rop/rop.asp

Prematurity and deafness:
http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/PrematureBabies/Effects-on-Hearing.aspx?articleID=...

Abortion and sterility: Margaret and Arthur Wynn. 14% of women become sterile after one abortion, 50% after three.

Induced abortion and placenta previa:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7315904
Thorp, OB GYN Survey, Vol 58, No. 1, 2002

Secondary infertility after one abortion 3 or 4 times what it would be otherwise:
D. Trichopoulos et al, "Induced Abortion & Secondary Infertility," British Jour. OB/GYN, vol. 83, Aug. 1976, pp. 645-650

Complications during birth after surgical abortion:
S. Harlap et al., "Late Sequelae of Induced Abortion," Am. J. of Epid. (1975) 102, p. 217

Ectopic pregnancies increase 600% since abortion was legalized:
Center for Disease Cont: AP/NY Times, Jan. 27, ’95

See also:
Rubin et al., "Fatal Ectopic Pregnancy After Attempted Induced Abortion," JAMA, vol. 244, no. 15, Oct. 10, 1980 H. Atrash et al., "Ectopic Preg. Concurrent With Induced Abortion"; Am. J. OB-GYN, Mar. ’90, p. 726
Chung et al., "Effects of Induced Abortion Complications on Subsequent Reproductive Function," U. of Hawaii, Honolulu, 1981 (500% increase in ectopic pregnancy after induced abortion)
Am. J. Public Health, 72:253-6, 1982
A. Kodasek, "Artificial Termination of Pregnancy in Czechoslovakia," Internat’l Jour. of GYN & OB, vol. 9, no. 3, 1971
(and by the way, a very close friend of mine almost died from this complication)

Chlamydia after induced abortion:
H. Barber, "Ectopic Pregnancy, a Diagnostic Challenge," The Female Patient, vol. 9, Sept. 1984, pp. 10-18
leads to tubal pregnancies:
JAMA, June 1990

Uterine Rupture during labor in subsequent birth:
140 D. Nemec et al., "Medical Abortion Complications," OB & GYN, vol. 51, no. 4, April 1978, pp. 433-436
Duenhalter & Gant, "Complications Following Prostaglandin Mid-Trimester Abortion," OB & GYN, vol. 46, no. 3, Sept. 1975, pp. 247-250

Urinary incontinence:
Slunsky, "Urinary Incontinence in Pregnancy," Z. Geburt, Perinatology 165:329-35, 1966.

Changes in menstrual cycle:
L. Roth et al., "Increased Menstrual Symptoms Among Women Who Used Induced Abortion," Amer. Jour. OB/GYN, vol. 127, Feb. 15, 1977, p. 356

Synechia:
Dr. J. G. Asherman, "Abortion Risks: Getting the Picture," Medical World News, Oct. 20, 1972

Long term consequences of pill abortion:
"Background The long-term safety of surgical abortion in the first trimester is well established. Despite the increasing use of medical abortion (abortion by means of medication), limited information is available regarding the effects of this procedure on subsequent pregnancies."
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/357/7/648

High risk and need an expert doctor's care:
Margaret and Arthur Wynn. They stated that a woman who has had a prior induced abortion should not be considered for homebirth; she should be regarded as ineligible.

Abortion and breast cancer:
Brind J; (Winter 2005) Induced Abortion as an Independent Risk Factor for Breast Cancer: A Critical Review of Recent Studies Based on Prospective Data J.Amer Physicians & Surgeons; Vol 10, #4; also see Brind J, (Sum 07) Induced Abortion and Breast Cancer Risk: A Critical Analysis of the Report of the Harvard Nurses Study II; J Amer P&S; Vol 12,#2
Howe et al(1989) Early Abortion and Breast Cancer Risk Among Women Under Age 40; Int J Epidemiol 18:300-4

If the woman had both risk factors (family history, and abortion before 18), the risk was incalculably high, i.e., there were 12 such women out of 1800 in the study, and ALL TWELVE DEVELOPED BREAST CANCER BY AGE 45
Janet R. Daling, Kathleen E. Malone, Lynda F. Voigt, Emily White, Noel S. Weiss, (1994) JNCI 86:1584-92l
(note: Dr. Daling supports legal abortion)

Induced abortion and maternal suicide:
Morgan, C., et. al.,”Mental health may deteriorate as a direct effect of induced abortion,” letter section, Brit. Med. Journal 314:902, 22 Mar 97
Gissler, M, et.al., “Pregnancy associated deaths in Finland 1987-1994, Acta Obsetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 76:651-657 (1997)
Reardon, et.al., Deaths Associated With Pregnancy Outcome; Southern Medical Journal, Vol 95, No 8, 834-41, (August 2002)
Shadigian E, Bauer S; Pregnancy-Associated Death: A Qualitative Systematic Review of Homicide and Suicide; OB GYN Survey, Vol 60, No 3 (2005)

Although I generally did not quote pro-life sources, note that most of the papers published by pro-life sources have multiple references to medical literature. The mere fact it's a pro-life source doesn't mean it's suspect. What IS suspect is when nobody else is willing to report these risks, so that people will know how dangerous abortion is for women. I also have doctors I can go to if I have a question about a particular issue, and these are doctors who specialize in the sequelae of abortion.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you need more information. I look forward to your apology. :) Take care.