News,
A report by the United Nations Population Fund has called for greater access to abortion for children as young as ten. The report demands more focus on the "sexual and reproductive rights" of young people from 10-24 and says that abortion should be promoted as a human right. This report shows the renewed tactic of pro-abortion advocates in targeting young people and their supposed "right" to contraception and abortion. [C-Fam.com, 22 July]
The UK government has granted a further £15m to support so-called sexual health clinics across the country. £130m has already been committed to these clinics, including £40m to promote contraception and to advance easy access to all forms of contraception. The move was welcomed by the Family Planning Association. [Medical News Today, 25 July]
42% of babies born at 23 weeks now survive, according to research by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Commenting on the research, Dr Peter Saunders, of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said: "Babies of similar age that have the same chances of survival do not have equal rights when it comes to living. One can be aborted if inside the womb, the other will receive full neonatal care if outside it. This is not fair or right." [The Sunday Times, July 24] SPUC comment: We welcome the advances in saving more very premature babies, but last week's Parliamentary debate sponsored by pro-abortion MP Dr Evan Harris pointed up how our concerns over late abortion will be used by MPs to promote more early abortion. We cannot 'trade-off' babies early in their development to try to save later babies - that is how the current pro-abortion parliament will treat any legislation to limit later abortions.
Scientists claim they have found the key to a disease that kills many pregnant women and their unborn babies. Pre-eclampsia, a blood pressure disease, causes seizures, strokes and liver problems and results in the death of about 1,000 babies and 10 mothers a year in Britain. Researchers have found that women who develop pre-eclampsia have lower than average levels of a protective molecule called HLA-G. This discovery will help researchers identify the mechanisms in the immune system that cause the disease and could lead to a treatment. [The Daily Telegraph, 23 July]
A woman who was stabbed nine times when 13 weeks pregnant has given birth to her son. When Kerry Smith, 22, was attacked by a schizophrenic man, she and her unborn baby, Michael were seriously injured but both are now safe and well. She said: "'I'm just so delighted and relieved to have had Michael after the attack. We are very lucky. He's such a lovely, beautiful little boy - we couldn't have asked for any more. We appreciate the gift of life more than ever after it was nearly snatched away so cruelly."[Daily Record, 23 July]
The unborn child of a brain-dead woman in the US has passed the 24th week of gestation and might now survive if delivered. According to members of her family. Susan Torres, 26, has been on life-support since she lost consciousness in May after a stroke caused by an undiagnosed brain tumour. Her husband Jason asked the authorities to keep her on life support so that their baby would have a chance to develop. It is thought that doctors would like to wait until the 32nd week before delivering the baby. The Susan Torres Fund has been set up to raise money for medical bills. [BBC News, 22 July]
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