News,

Abortion increases women's risk of mental illness by 30%, according to research in New Zealand on more than 500 women over several decades. Otago University found higher incidence of conditions such as depression and anxiety. In New Zealand, almost all abortions are supposedly done to prevent mental health problems in women. [New Zealand Herald, 1 December]

The former British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which performs abortions for the state, is giving away morning-after pills and condoms ostensibly to remind teenage girls and women to stock up on birth-control for Christmas; girls under 16 could receive the items. Our source points out that one way in which morning-after pills work is by stopping newly-conceived embryos from implanting in the womb. [Telegraph, 28 November] SPUC asked whether the giveaway scheme was not at attempt by Bpas to promote abortion through a leaflet which accompanies the birth-control items. It was: "a despicable ploy which threatens unborn children, promotes promiscuity, undermines public health and insults the child-centred meaning of Christmas." It would encourage men to see women as sex-objects. [SPUC, 28 November]

A European Union treaty which could put Ireland's abortion law under the jurisdiction of an international court has come closer to being implemented. The Czech constitutional court has given the Lisbon treaty a green light while an Irish parliamentary committee has recommended a second referendum after the people rejected it in June. Mr Brian Cowen, Irish prime minister, will respond to the EU on the matter soon. It is said he may seek independence on abortion in exchange for a new plebiscite. [Financial Times, 1 December]

Every secondary school in England should have a sex clinic, a pro-abortion group has suggested. The National Children's Bureau (NCB) has said that pupils should be able to receive advice on birth control, pregnancy tests and screening for sexually transmitted diseases between lessons. The group also said that sex education should be compulsory to the age of 18. Tony Kerridge of Marie Stopes International endorsed the call, saying: "[W]e've got to do something in this country, because the rates of sexually transmitted diseases are rocketing." [Telegraph, 22 November] Anthony Ozimic, SPUC political secretary, commented: "The rates of sexually transmitted diseases are sky-rocketing partly because groups like the NCB and Marie Stopes have been promoting initiatives which sexualise children, facilitate promiscuity and lull teenagers into a false sense of security about the effectiveness of birth control."

A mainstream Spanish newspaper has published an article on the story of a former Serbian abortion doctor who is now a pro-life leader. La Razón recounts how dreams and a particularly gruesome abortion led Dr Stojan Adesevic to stop performing abortions, even though he was Serbia's most prominent abortion doctor. Dr Adesevic performed 48,000 abortions, sometimes up to 35 per day. [Catholic News Agency, 12 November] Anthony Ozimic, SPUC political secretary, has written and spoken on the subject of current and former abortion doctors.

The Feminist Initiative party in Sweden is planning to campaign for abortion to be recognized as a human right during next year's European parliamentary elections. [Orillia Packet & Times, 23 November]

Transplanted bone-marrow has been used to treat a gut ailment in children. Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, England, has cured 10 young patients whose immune systems destroyed their digestion. [PA on Channel 4, 1 December]

Chemicals in makeup and hairspray could harm the unborn, says an Imperial College, London, England, report. Parabens in cosmetics and phthalates in hairspray may be dangerous and there are calls for their presence to be declared on product labels. [Mail on Sunday, 30 November]

To subscribe to SPUC's email information services, please visit www.spuc.org.uk/em-signup. The reliability of the news herein is dependent on that of the cited sources, which are paraphrased rather than quoted. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the society. © Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, 2018