A survey suggests that support for abortion in America is declining. The ABC and the Washington Post poll found that 53% wanted most or all abortions legal and 44% wanted most or all of them illegal. The former figure has dropped four percent since January, the latter rising by four percent. Our source suggests researchers failed to tell respondents about how rarely abortion is done for rape, incest or saving mothers. A Gallup survey last month found 71% wanting abortion either banned or allowed in rare cases. [LifeNews, 16 June]

Obstetricians and gynaecologists in Ecuador have declared their opposition to abortion. A meeting of their professional organisation declared: "The elimination of an innocent human being is always unacceptable, ethically and medically speaking." Embryos' humanity was a matter of science, not religion. Human Life International (HLI) is concerned that a rewrite of the country's constitution could allow legalisation of abortion. HLI praised the Ecuadorean medics for defying the worldwide professional federation which supports abortion. [LifeSiteNews, 17 June]

Jane Roe in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case appears in a pro-life television advertisement being shown in North America and elsewhere. Ms Norma McCorvey, who changed her view on abortion more than 10 years ago, did not actually have a termination and calls her part in the case her biggest mistake. [LifeNews, 16 June]

Drugs which reduce cholesterol could also help avoid the need for caesarean sections. Liverpool University, England, scientists believe that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) enable the womb to contract. The discovery could particularly benefit obese mothers. [Daily Mail, 17 June]