abortion: the real war on women

Have you ever heard an abortion supporter flaunt the expression "war on women" when referring to pro-life efforts? Or seen something like this when driving past your state capitol?

Well, you're not alone, but this expression can easily be turned on those who support abortion by knowing key facts about the impact of abortion on women in the U.S. and across the globe. Take a minute to read our list of reasons why abortion is the REAL war on women and why it is a digression for women in society.

1. Since 1973 in the United States, approximately 57,000,000 abortions were performed. Assuming about half of the population is female, 28,500,000 girls were killed and not given a chance because of abortion.
2. 64% of American women who abort report feeling pressured to do so by others.1
3. Abortion has created a culture where women who choose to have a family are not given the resources they need such as proper, affordable day cares, education programs that can work well with family life, even changing tables or breast feeding rooms in public places.
4. Abortion allows a woman to become a disposable sex object in abusive relationships by providing men with a way out that will not cost a lot. It can also allow sexual abusers to cover their tracks and give them the ability to continue abusing the woman.
5. Studies have shown that abortion increases a woman's risk of breast cancer by 44%.2
6. Women have been killed by abortionists. In July 2012 at a Planned Parenthood, 24-year-old Tonya Reaves and her preborn baby were killed. It is said that the abortionist ripped a hole in her uterus and she died several hours later from hemorrhaging.3
7. Women have a 6 times greater risk of suicide after an abortion.4
8. Abortion can cause a woman to become infertile and may prevent her from having a family in the future. One study shows that abortion increases a woman's risk of future miscarriage by 60%.5
9. Women regret having abortions. Most women seek abortion when they are stressed, afraid and not in a calm state of mind. 84% of women report feeling as if abortion was their only choice. Many women suffer for years with regret and painful memories.
10. Studies show that abortion causes a 65% increased risk of long-term clinical depression.7

This is just 10 of many reasons why abortion is the real war on women. Don't be fooled by the rhetoric. Know the facts.

this week in pictures

Take a minute to catch up on the top pro-life events from the past week!

every life is worth living
by Katherine Burke, Writing Intern, Human Life Alliance

A common argument of pro-choicers is that no child should be born into a world where they will live a life with suffering and hardships and little chance of success.  And certainly, no one would ever wish that a child be born into difficulties and sorrows, but no child is better off dead.  In the wake of the recent World Cup, this fact is illustrated well in the life of Brazil’s player, Thiago Silva. 

When Thiago’s mother, Angela, became pregnant with Thiago, she already had two children and didn’t believe she could afford to raise another.  Thankfully, Angela’s father convinced her to choose life for her baby. 

Thiago’s family was desperately poor at the time of his birth and lived in Rio de Janeiro, only 50 meters from an infamous shantytown.  He said that he could hear gunshots and the police were often around the dangerous area.  He thanked God when he arrived safely at home.  Thiago could have easily turned to a life of crime, but instead he chose to work hard and pursue his talent and passion to rise above the crime and poverty that surrounded him.

His early life was not easy.  At age 14, he contracted tuberculosis, which kept him in the hospital for 6 months.  “It was the greatest battle of my life,” he said. On his first try, he failed to get on the local Brazilian soccer team and instead joined a lesser team from the poorer areas.  But his determination, perseverance, and hard work paid off.  After being seen in Europe, he was signed to a Russian team and then the League 1 French team, Paris Saint-Germain.  Now he is a central defender for both Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazilian national team, both of which he captains.  And he earns a salary of $16 million every year.

Before he even had a chance to try out for a soccer team, before he ever kicked a soccer ball, before he survived tuberculosis and the many difficulties of his harsh childhood, his mother considered ending his life.  Imagine the ripple effect of Thiago’s life and how all of that may have never happened if his mother made a different decision.  If Angela had chosen to abort preborn Thiago, Brazil would not have this key inspirational player and role model on the team. 

It’s easy to look at Thiago’s inspiring story of determination and success and agree that he should not have been aborted.  But what about all the other children who won’t become world famous soccer stars and yet still deserve a chance at life?  We cannot forget their equally valuable lives.  Not everyone has a talent for soccer or will become world famous, most will not.  However, those lives are equally important and deserve love, attention, and compassion.  All the lives of preborn children have a purpose.  Some may become life-saving doctors, some may become teachers or mothers or fathers, and some may become your neighbor or your friend.  All will touch lives in ways we can never imagine. Who are we to determine the worth of another person's life?

what's the big deal about plan b?
by Katherine Burke, Writing Intern, Human Life Alliance

By 2013 5.8 million women had used the emergency conception pill Plan B , commonly referred to as the “morning-after pill.”  But are these women aware of the health risks this pill poses to them or what it does to the new life inside of them?

The website “Plan B Side Effects ” lists the most common side effects:
• Headache
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• A change in your menstrual flow (either heavier or lighter)
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Tenderness in the breasts

While these may seem harmless, there are other less common but more serious side effects, such as: 
• Diarrhea 
• Migraine
• Vomiting
• Late periods
• Allergic reaction
• Severe abdominal pain
• Ectopic pregnancy (can be life threatening)

An infamous abortion advocate, Dr. David A. Grimes, who presented at the FDA advisory committee meeting on behalf of the manufacturers of Plan B said that the repeated use of emergency contraceptives such as Plan B “wreaks havoc on a woman’s cycle.”   This can make it very difficult for women to know if they are pregnant or if their period is just late.  As Dr. Lisa Perriera, who works at UH Case Medical Center in obstetrics and gynecology, said: “Menstrual changes is a big one, because (emergency contraception) can really throw off the woman’s cycle. Women could come to really rely on this quite regularly, and then their period is going to be messed up for several weeks after doing this.  Ultimately they’re not going to know if they’re pregnant or not.”   

Although a supporter of ending unwanted pregnancies, Dr. Perriera has warned against the repeated use of emergency contraceptives.  Now sold over-the-counter without a prescription, the possibility of abuse of Plan B is much higher.  The side effects of repeated use of Plan B are even more worrisome than the previously listed side effects.  Dr. Landa lists significant weight gain, depression, ovarian cyst enlargement, gall bladder disease, high blood pressure, and increased risk of ectopic pregnancy as side effects of the abuse of Plan B.   Ovarian cysts can cause severe pain in the abdomen and back as well as bleeding and nausea.  In order to remove them, a doctor may have to perform one of two surgeries: either laparoscopy or laparotomy.  Another side effect, certain types of gall bladder disease, if left untreated, can lead to gastritis, ulcers, and possibly stomach cancer.   Infertility is yet another long-term side effect of emergency contraceptives.  Clearly, the side effects of Plan B are far worse than those commonly known and can lead to life threatening situations.

Most advocates of Plan B can be heard saying that Plan B is not an abortifacient, that it does not destroy a human life.  However, the science disagrees.  If the egg has not been fertilized, Plan B and other emergency contraceptives will only prevent fertilization.  In the occasion that the egg has already been fertilized, which can happen as early as 15 minutes after intercourse, the chemicals in Plan B will cause an abortion.  The hormones in Plan B will prevent the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall .  When this happens, it is an abortion since the egg has already been fertilized and now contains all 46 chromosomes, which would dictate eye color, hair color, sex, skin tone, and height of the baby.  Now that unique and precious human life has been destroyed.  

Inform your friends and family about the true dangers of Plan B and help spread the word! 

organ donation: it's all good and generous until somebody loses their life

Organ donation may seem like a win-win situation at first glance. What's not to like? You get to be a hero by giving your organs to someone who needs them to survive. So what do you have to lose?...The reality is, there is something vital that you could lose...your organs.

Most people check the organ donation box on their license without giving possible consequences much thought. This decision may seem simple at the time, but the situation can be complicated if you are in a critical medical situation, and perhaps, not quite "dead."

Many patients who become desirable donors are those with severe brain trauma, many given a diagnosis of "brain death." These patients are prime candidates for organ donation, because vital organs such as the heart and lungs can only be transplanted from a living person.

You heard right, a LIVING PERSON. In 1968, a Harvard Ad Hoc Committee developed the term "brain death" to define a persistent coma as a new criterion for death. Why? To harvest organs for transplantation and to remove life support from patients to keep from overcrowding intensive care units of hospitals. 

In different cases patients diagnosed as "brain dead" are capable of responding to touch, maintaining a normal body temperature, growing, digesting food and even carrying a baby to full-term. We are pretty sure dead people cannot do these things, not to mention, every one of these functions requires some level of brain activity to occur. 

So this is where the concern begins. It is no doubt, a good and generous thing to donate organs after death, but if you are laying on that table with a severe brain injury, that little sticker on your drivers license may be the only reason a doctor needs to prepare you for harvest instead of performing life-saving treatment.

If you do not want to take the risks associated with organ donation, there are several steps you can take. 

1) Make sure your drivers license does not list you as an organ donor. If it is printed on the card, go to the DMV and get a new one.
2) Carry an organ donor refusal card in your wallet. (You can call HLA at 651-484-1040 to get these cards)
3) Set up an Advanced Directive with trustworthy agents who know you do not want to donate organs.

welcome to our blog

Hello and welcome to Save the Humans, a blog of Human Life Alliance. We would love to get started sharing info about the value of human life and how you can help save the humans, but first off, we want to tell you a bit about who we are. Human Life Alliance is a non-profit organization focused on protecting every human life from the moment of fertilization to natural death through the use of our informative publications about abortion, chastity, euthanasia and assisted suicide. These materials are used by individuals across the country and around the globe. You can check out our website to see our publications and learn more about us.

Save the Humans will dive into the world of abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide to provide you with in-depth analysis of current events, informative articles about how to keep your loves ones safe and much more.

Here are some upcoming topics you can expect to see:

-20 Ways YOU can end abortion

-What’s the Big Deal with Plan B?

-The Quality of Life Argument

-The Dangers of Organ Donation

And much more to come after that! We hope you enjoy our blog and welcome any feedback you may have.