MCFL News The Schrafft Center US Postage Paid 529 Main Street Boston, MA Boston, MA 02129 Pending Periodical MCFL Life News Permit #PP597 March/April 2009 Mailing Label Volume 30 Number VVMMVolume 1 TimesLife30 March?Volume Tragic Choices:March/AprilAs her doctor predicts a child with Down Syndrome, one woman is pressured to abort Kathleen had not asked for a test And yet when she went in for scientists to stop such genetic “I’ve noticed they treat you very or a diagnosis of the potential differently when you have a child problems her baby would face. her tests she noticed a common testing in the womb as its only past age 35,” Kathleen said. Many women undergo an theme, the medical practioners consequence can be abortion. In “They’re looking for trouble, they increasingly accepted despite its couldn’t understand why she previous years amniocentesis, test you and make it an anxious risk to the child considering that would keep this imperfect specifically, was only given to situation. All this technology is such testing carries a 0.5-1% risk child. Even though she had women having children later in supposed to help us solve SynS of miscarriage and also that such good health insurance through life, thought at greater risk for her husband Steve’s job at abnormalities such as Down testing has a 10% error rate. No, see TRAGIC CHOICES - Page 12 her doctor had predicted Downs Babson College, her medical Syndrome and autism. due to wrinklinon the head in the choices were limited. The two doctors she had gone through Laura’s Law ultrasound and She thought of the previous pregnancies with Would Laura have changed had gone to another practice. her mind if she had had the Those that replaced them were chance to see her unborn less inclined and less supportive child through ultrasound? A TRAGEDY AVERTED - Kathleen Heaslip ignored advice of what choice she planned to to abort Conrad when a doctor diagnosed Down Syndrome. Ultrasound option added to make despite their prognosis. the “Woman’s Right to aving had four boys Kathleen had not asked for a test There are over 450 different Know Bill. 3 already, Kathleen or a diagnosis of the potential issues that can be screened. Even HHeaslip could detect the problems her baby would face. though only 1% of abortions are unspoken words in the nurse’s Many women undergo an am- reported for the reasons of fetal Assembly for Life eyes: ‘you already have so niocentesis test to screen such abnormalities, the rates of many…’ So when her problems, which has become women testing their children in obstetrician diagnosed her fifth increasingly accepted despite its the womb have been rising with “Life, liberty, and the pursuit pregnancy with trisomy 21, risk to the child considering that new tests such as blood tests early of happiness” was the theme known popularly as Down such testing caries a 0.5-1% risk in the pregnancy and of the afternoon as WBZ’s Syndrome, the tone of the of miscarriage and also that such amniocentesis testing at about Dan Rea spoke out publically on abortion to a packed pregnancy changed. testing has a 10% error rate. No, seven months. Both tests carry house at Faneuil Hall. It was a tough moment, and a her doctor has predicted Down certain risks, and often detect tough thing to hear. It meant her Syndrome due to wrinkling on items which serve no purpose 4-5 baby wouldn’t be “normal” but the back of the head in the ultra- except to point out abnormaliti- also meant she would be sound and fading which he es that cannot be changed such pressured to abort the child. thought indicated holes in the as Down Syndrome. Some J Join us for the back of the head. religious leaders have even asked Convention! Of women who She thought of the children she “The Life You Save Will Be had already been blessed to give receive a diagnosis That of a Loved One” is the birth to, and the support network topic of this year’s conven- of Down Syndrome, afforded to them. She had tion. Nationally known an estimated 90% already had four boys, and none expert, Burke Balch, will be had any problems. She was one choose abortion the keynote speaker. of five and her husband one of 8-9 Her prenatal pregnancy test at two, none of whom had any seven and a half months was met similar issues. Her mind raced by a staff reminding her of the through the possibilities. Raised Baby Safe Haven obstacles her baby would face. in a religious family and Kathleen said “the nurse surrounded her entire life by pro- Law practitioner asked me that in life activism, abortion wasn’t a Conrad Heaslip Norwood Police Chief carrying the child to term, that I consideration. Bartley E. King, Jr. and Fire realized he was going to have Chief Michael J. Howard problems. I waited for her to lead the way for placement go into more detail, but she left of these life-saving signs. it at that. It was a very emotionally vacant environment. 12 The day after the same nurse called me back to read off a list Birth Control Pills of problems the baby was likely to have, and then pointed out and Pollution that I had ‘chosen not to Synthetic estrogens contribute terminate’ as though it was on a to contamination of water- piece of paperwork that I had ways and are being blamed to opt-out of the abortion. I for a disturbing effect on was shocked at her suggestion THE HEASLIP BROTHERS - Conrad (left) is a very wildlife. and left that practice immediately typical three year old shown here enjoying a beach day 14 for another more welcoming. with his family. www.masscitizensforlife.org www.masscitizensforlife.org - - (617) 242-4199 - [email protected]@masscitizensforlife.org AIM:AIM: massprolife massprolife -- Twitter: Twitter: massprolife massprolife - - blog.masscitizensforlife.org blog.masscitizensforlife.org 2 MCFL News Life sLife In Massachusetts The Status of Abortion and Euthanasia Issues in Legislation and Culture by Anne Fox MCFL President love celebrating Advent and Mr. Bush signed into law the Partial Birth us fund abortions in this country appears trivial. Christmas. We don’t light our Abortion Ban, the Unborn Victims of Violence That will be followed by ending the ban on I lights or decorate our big Act, and the Born Alive Infants Protection Act partial birth abortions, removing parental tree until Christmas Eve, but (the starkest contrast!). His administration consent, etc. we stretch the season to issued regulations to protect the consciences of On Inauguration Day, a reporter from the Wall the Feast of the all health care providers and recognize the unborn Street Journal shadowed me and talked to the Presentation. child as a “child”. He repeatedly vetoed millions pro lifers I worked with that day. The paper Last year, my of dollars in appropriations for the UN wanted to cover people who weren’t mesmerized son, John Paul Population Fund (UNFPA) because of its by the proceedings in DC. The reporter was gave me an complicity in the coercive One Child Policy in really curious about the juxtaposition of the dates ornament of the the People’s Republic of China. President Bush – Inauguration on the 20th, March on the 22nd. White House. advocated a complete ban on cloning and was I’m sure he thought we had chosen Jan 22nd As I took it off instrumental in the UN passage of such a ban. with the Inauguration in mind. I explained to the tree a few days ago, I realized how much him that both dates are immutable, but it got we are going to miss President George W. “Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, in me thinking. All of the subsequent Supreme Bush. I packed away the ornament in its Court abortion decisions have come down near presentation box and put it in the special one of his last speeches, spoke the The fact that Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton Christmas drawer. I wish I could keep as for us all, “We shall not weary. came down in January near the beginning of the carefully and safely the things President Bush We shall not rest until every Court’s calendar tells us the Court was so did for life! unborn child is protected by law arrogant that they thought their decisions would Even in the depths of contemplating the and welcomed in life.” be uncontroversial, that everyone would go along Obama Abortion Agenda, as the National with their view of a world where human worth Right to Life Committee has dubbed it, just and dignity depend on the whims of others. Well, the thought of Chief Justice John Roberts and The international forces of death were stymied we are here to show them how wrong they were! Justice Samuel Alito is enough to make us at the UN during his administration. We have worked hard for 36 years and we are eternally grateful to President Bush. As we know, President Obama has promised going to be working harder than ever. The contrasts are stark. His first day in office, his radically pro abortion supporters that he will There is another serious life concern with the President Bush reinstated and enforced the wipe every protective anti-abortion law off the Obama Administration. That is Health Care. Mexico City Policy. As soon as the Marchers books. It looks as though the Freedom of Choice In my last column, I described a number of anti- left D.C., President Obama demolished it.