Prochoice.com

The below information provides scientific and other documentation that legal abortion, contrary to popular opinion, doesn't help women but hurts them severely and/or kills them.

There are approximately 350 entries linked to below showing how abortion hurts women.
Word-searching can be done by key words. Examples are "infection", "hemorrhage", "chlamydia", "trauma", and "breast cancer". Search without matching case.

In addition, you can also search for categories of how abortion hurts women. These are the categories:
Physical effects, cancer
physical effects, death
physical effects, smoking, drinking, and/or drugs
physical effects, general
physical effects, later complications
general
psychological
suicide
Because many sources are quoted several times, they would take up too much space unless abbreviated. Thus, they have abbreviations.

Abbreviations:
   NAIRVSC is Strahan, Newsletter of Association for Interdisciplinary Research in Values and Social Change. NAIRVSC is available from NRL Educational Trust Fund, 419 7th Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20004, 202 626-8800. MAB is Thomas W. Strahan, ed., "Major Articles and Books Concerning the Detrimental Effects of Abortion" (Charlottesville, VA: The Rutherford Institute, December 1993).
   ABSNM is David C. Reardon, Aborted Women: Silent No More (Wheaton, IL: Good News, Crossways Books; Chicago: Loyola University Press). Reardon's address and phone number are Elliot Institute, P.O. Box 7348, Springfield, IL 92791; 217 525 8202
   PSSFA is Anne C. Speckhard, "The Psycho-Social Aspects of Stress Following Abortion," (Sheed and Ward: Kansas City, 1987).
   Saltenberger means Ann Saltenberger, Every Woman Has a Right to Know the Dangers of Legal Abortion, (Glassboro, NJ: Air- Plus Enterprises, 1982).
   TAP is Pamela Zekman & Pamela Warrick, "The Abortion Profiteers: Nurse to Aide: Fake That Pulse!" Chicago Sun-Times, November 1978, quoted in Saltenberger, 168-170.
   JAMA is Journal of the American Medical Association.

Other notes about citations:
When quotes extend beyond one paragraph, the source is given at the end of the last paragraph.
If a paragraph includes information from several sources, citations are given at the various places within the paragraph. Those not at the end are placed in parentheses.
If you feel you have been injured by an abortion and might want to take legal action, call
American Rights Coalition at 800 634 2224.

Now the actual material on abortion hurting women begins.
A Planned Parenthood brochure entitled PLAN YOUR CHILDREN for Health and Happiness says, "An abortion kills the life of a baby after it has begun. It is dangerous to your life and health. It may make you sterile so that when you want a child you cannot have it."

Physical Effects: Cancer

001) Dr. Joel Brind, Endocrinologist, said in a December 3, 1992 press release, "THERE IS A CLEAR RELATIONSHIP DOCUMENTED IN MEDICAL JOURNALS SHOWING THAT WOMEN ABORTING THEIR FIRST PREGNANCY ARE AT A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF DEVELOPING BREAST CANCER THAN WOMEN WHO CARRY THEIR PREGNANCY TO TERM."
(Presumably, it took some time to determine this: Women mostly abort early in life, and get breast cancer later.) Brind cited four sources in the medical literature. One of these also showed that women are also at a much higher risk of developing cervical cancer.
- Kenneth E. Kogut, The Facts of Pro-Life, n.p., 64.
SINCE BREAST CANCER IS A VERY LARGE KILLER OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES, EVEN A VERY SMALL PERCENT INCREASE IN BREAST CANCER DUE TO ABORTION KILLS ADDITIONAL THOUSANDS OF WOMEN.

002) The most recent epidemiological studies have confirmed the abortion-breast cancer (ABC) link repeatedly. The ABC link received major media attention in November 1994 when a National Cancer Institute study was published in the Institute's Journal. The author was pro-abortion Dr. Janet Daling et al. of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. It reported a statistically significant overall 50 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer among women who reported having had any induced abortions. This study was a meta study. That is, it was a statistical study of many other studies.

003) "An upstate New York study matched 1,451 cases of breast cancer in women under 40 which were reported to the Cancer Registry with 1,451 population controls by year of birth and by residence using zip codes. An ODDS RATIO OF 4.0 (CI 1.5-13.6) was associated with a history of repeated interrupted pregnancies with no intervening live births." H. L. Howe et al., "Early Abortion and Breast Cancer Risk among Women Under Age 40," Int'l Journal of Epidemiology, 1989, 300, quoted in Thomas W. Strahan, ed., NAIRVSC, Winter 1993.

004) "A DANISH STUDY FOUND THAT ABORTION IN THE FIRST AND SECOND TRIMESTER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY ASSOCIATED WITH A BREAST CANCER RISK OF 1.43 (ONE ABORTION) AND 1.73 (TWO OR MORE ABORTIONS) COMPARED WITH THOSE WITHOUT AN ABORTION HISTORY AFTER ADJUSTMENT FOR AGE, RESIDENCE, AND AGE AT FIRST BIRTH." (Emphasis by Life Research Institute) M. Ewartz, "Risk of Breast Cancer in Relation to Reproductive Factors in Denmark," British Journal Cancer, 1988, 99-104, quoted in Strahan, NAIRVSC, Winter 1993, 6-8.

005) "Women who carry their first baby to term cut their chance for breast cancer almost in half.
Women who abort their first pregnancy almost double their chance. With 2 or more abortions there is a 3 - 4 fold increase. . . . childbirth prevents [versus no pregnancy, not versus abortion] over 500 deaths from cancer for every 100,000 first pregnancies carried to term." Voices for the Unborn, Feb. 1994, 5.

006) "The number of additional breast cancer cases due to abortion is approximately 50,000 per year."
Another estimate is 75,000. [Conservatively, without abortion 1 in 10 women will contract breast cancer. A mother's first abortion is most important, and there are about 1,000,000 of these annually.
Thus, 100,000 of these would get breast cancer without aborting. But abortion increases the risk by at least 50%. 100,000 x 50% = 50,000. This analysis provides a very conservative result.
Joel Brind, quoted at the first citation, estimates 75,000.]

007) Regarding increased liver cancer risk: "A study of reproductive factors and the risk of primary liver cancer, conducted in Northern Italy between 1984-91, found a 2.1 relative risk for liver cancer for two or more induced abortions and 1.6 relative risk factor for one abortion compared with women with no abortion history." C. LaVeccia et al., "Reproductive Factors and the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Women," Int'l Journal Cancer, 1992, 351, quoted in Strahan, NAIRVSC, Winter 1993, 7.

008) Regarding increased risk for cancer of the cervix: "A case-control study published in 1984 in France showed a 2.3 relative risk for cancer of the cervix for women with one abortion and a 4.92 relative risk for women reporting two or more induced abortions compared with women with no prior abortion history." M-G Le et al.,"Oral Contraceptive Use and Breast or Cervical Cancer: Preliminary Results of a French Case-Control Study," quoted in J. P. Wolff and J. S. Scott, eds., "Hormones and Sexual Factors in Human Cancer Etiology," Excerpta Medica, New York (1984) 139-47.

009) "The U.S. Public Health Service and the National Institutes of Health have concluded that, 'child bearing is the most important known factor in preventing ovarian cancer suggesting that hormones play a role in its development. . . . Breast cancer may also increase a woman's chance of developing ovarian cancer.' [National Institute of Public Health, Cancer Rates and Risks, NIH Publication No. 85-691, 3rd Edition, 1985, quoted in Strahan, NAIRVSC, Spring 1993, 5.] The American Cancer Society states, "Women who have never had children are twice as likely to develop ovarian cancer as those who have. Early age at first pregnancy, early menopause, and the use of oral contraceptives, which reduces the frequency of ovulation, appear to be protective against ovarian cancer. [But if a woman gets breast cancer for any reason (examples: because of the pill or because of abortion, then . . . ] If a woman has had breast cancer, her chances of developing ovarian cancer double.'"
- American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts & Figures - 1993, quoted in Strahan, NAIRVSC, Spring 1993, 5.

010) "Several studies have determined that a risk factor for endometrial cancer or cancer of the uterine corpus is few or no children." - Strahan, NAIRVSC, Spring 1993, 6.

011) From the Abstract section of cited article: "Early FFTP [first full-term pregnancy] confers protection, while induced abortion confers risk. Most specific and controlled variables studies indicate 150% risk for abortions performed on women younger than 18 years of age. Studies have yet to discover the full impact of induced abortion because women who underwent legalized abortion in 1973 are just reaching ages of highest breast cancer incidence." Lucille, Canty, BSN, RN, "Protective Effect of an Early First Full-Term Pregnancy Versus Risk of Induced Abortion,"
- Oncology Nursing Forum, 24 (1997): 1025-31.

012) From the Conclusions section of the same article: "The scientific and physiologic data provide overwhelming evidence of the double-edged sword of pregnancy in terms of breast cancer. A pregnancy carried to term provides protection against breast cancer risk, especially for young women during their first pregnancy. On the contrary, interrupting that pregnancy with an induced abortion, especially when a woman is very young and it is her first pregnancy, may increase risk for breast cancer significantly. With at least one of every four U.S. women having an abortion in her life (Daling et al., 1994), this risk factor becomes extremely relevant. . . . Most breast cancer risk factors are outside of human control, but induced abortion is a matter of choice and, with awareness and information, its influence as a risk factor could be diminished." Lucille, Canty, BSN, RN, "Protective Effect of an Early First Full-Term Pregnancy Versus Risk of Induced Abortion,"
- Oncology Nursing Forum, 24 (1997): 1025-31.

013) "A case control study of cervical carcinoma in situ was conducted by a standard questionnaire among 133 women aged 15-50 years between 1979-85 in Santiago, Chile. The 254 controls were 2 women in the same 5 year age group as the corresponding case and who also had a normal Pap smear closest in time to the abnormal smear that led to the carcinoma in situ diagnosis. Several sexual variables were associated with an increased risk of carcinoma in situ. These included history of prior miscarriages, any prior aborted pregnancy, including spontaneous and induced abortions, total number
of pregnancies, number of sexual partners and age at first sexual intercourse. The relative risk for carcinoma in situ for women with no abortion history was 1.85 (1.20-2.86, 95% C.I.). The relative risk for carcinoma in situ for a woman with an induced abortion was 1.38 (0.84-2.27, 95% C.I.) compared to women with no induced abortion history." R. Molina, D.B. Thomas, A. Dabancens, "Oral Contraceptives and Cervical Carcinoma in Situ in Chile," Cancer Research, 15 February 1988, 1011- 1015.

014) "A case-control study by researchers in Milan, Italy of 528 cases of invasive cancer was compared with 456 control subjects hospitalized for acute conditions unrelated to any of the established or suspected risk factors for cervical cancer. Relative risks for invasive cervical cancer for women with one induced abortion compared to women with no induced abortion history were 1.89, 1.60 and 1.69 based upon Mantel-Haenszel (M-H) estimates adjusted for age, M-H estimates adjusted for age and age at first intercourse, respectively. For women with a history of two or more induced abortions compared with women with no induced abortion history the M-H estimates of risk were 2.38, 2.41 and 1.44 based upon the same adjustments in the same order as above." F. Parazzini, et al., "Reproductive Factors and the Risk of Invasive and Intraepithelial Cervical Neoplasia", Br. J. Cancer, 59 (1989), 805-809.

015) "A case-control study of 39 cases of cervical adenocarcinoma were compared to 409 controls admitted to area hospitals in the Milan, Italy area during 1981-86 for surgical or other traumatic injury. The median age for both cases and controls was 53 years. A history of one or more induced abortions has a relative risk of 2.5 (1.2-5.3, 95% C.I.) for cervical adenocarcinoma compared to women with no induced abortion history using Mantel-Haenszel estimates adjusted for age and age at first birth and parity. The Mantel-Haenszel estimates of relative risk adjusted for age at first intercourse were 3.7
(1.6-8.2, 95% C.I.) for a woman with a history of one or more induced abortions compared to a woman with no history of induced abortion." Parazzini, et al., "Risk Factors for Adenocarcinoma of the Cervix: A Case-Control Study," F. Br. J. Cancer , 57 (1988): 201.

016) "A comprehensive 1993 review article is: Joel Brind, "Induced Abortion as an Independent Risk Factor for Breast Cancer," Association for Interdisciplinary Research Newsletter, Summer, 1993, 1-8."

017) "A comprehensive 1993 review article is: Scott W. Somerville, "Before You Choose: The Link Between Abortion and Breast Cancer," AIM, P.O. Box 871, Purcellville, VA 22132 ."

018) "A correlation study in the USSR based on official abortion statistics and regional cancer incidence data for the period 1959-1985 showed a significant contribution of induced abortion to the variance of cervical cancer. The correlation between cervical cancer age adjusted incidence rates for women in 70 areas of Russia was 0.77 according to parametric tests and also 0.77 according to Spearman non-parametric rank criteria." L.I. Remennick, "Reproductive Patterns and Cancer Incidence in Women: A Population-Based Correlation Study in the USSR," Int'l J. Epidemiology, 18 (1989): 498.

019) "A hospital based case-control study in Northern Italy between 1984-91 found that the risk of liver cancer increased with parity. The relative risk for 1 or more induced abortions was 1.6 (0.7-3.6, 95% C.I.) and for two or more abortions was 2.1 (1.0-4.3, 95% C.I.) based upon estimates from multiple logistic regression equations. p 184] C. LaVecchia, E. Negri, S. Franceschi, B. D'Avanzo, "Reproductive Factors and the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Women," Int'l. J. Cancer, 52 (1992), 351.

020) "A study of 1,869 cases of breast cancer in Washington state women (ages 25-) found that the incidence of breast cancer increased 22% between 1974-77 and 1982-84. The estimated annual increase was 2.5%. The risk for black women doubled based on small numbers. Conclusion: One reason for the increase may be the dramatic exposure to induced abortion. Black women have a higher abortion rate than white women." E. White, et. al., "Rising Incidence of Breast Cancer Among Young Women in Washington State," Journal of the National Cancer Institute, August 1987, 293?-243?.

022) "Breast-Cancer Risk: Several recent studies have added to the existing research which concludes that an induced abortion increases the likelihood of breast cancer. This is of particular significance because approximately 44,000 women die each year from breast cancer in the U.S. Induced abortion, particularly of the first pregnancy, results in the loss of the protective effect against breast cancer if the first pregnancy is carried to term. There is substantial evidence that induced abortion is an independent risk factor for breast cancer in women. Induced abortion may be implicated in other types of cancer as well. The long-term effects of induced abortion on cancer in post-menopausal women are generally unknown. . . ." MAB, ii-v.

023) "Dysplasia of the cervix is increasing among adolescents. Sexually active teenagers, especially those who become pregnant, are at high risk for developing cervical dysplasia and, ultimately, cervical cancer." Mark Spitzer and Burton A. Krumholz, "Pap Screening for Teenagers: A Life-Saving Precaution," Contemporary OB/GYN, January 1988, 3341.

024) "In a Canadian study of 154 pregnant women with breast cancer, 20% of the 116 patients who carried their children to term were ultimately cured of their cancer, 40% of the 13 patients who spontaneously aborted were cured, but none of the 21 patients who had a 'therapeutic' abortion survived. It was concluded that a 'therapeutic' abortion did not confer any benefit and may reduce survival." R.M. Clark, T. Chua, Clin", Breast Cancer and Pregnancy: The Ultimate Challenge," Oncology, a Journal Of The Royal College of Radiologists, 1 (1989): 11-18.

025) "In a Howard University case control study of African-American women seen at their hospital from 1978-1987, the multiple logistic estimates of the odds ratio for breast cancer among women under 40 years of age, between 41-49 years and over 50 years was 1.5, 2.8 and 4.7, respectively, among women with a history of induced abortions compared to women with no history of induced abortions." A.E. Laing, et al., "Breast Cancer Risk Factors in African-American Women: The Howard University Tumor Registry Experience," J. National Medical Association, December 1993, 931-939.

026) "In a study of 1,248 cases of carcinoma in situ of the cervix in Tokyo, the women in the cancer group had a significantly greater number of abortions than the control group. It was concluded that the cervical repair process after abortion seems to be too important to disregard as a factor in the development of carcinoma in situ." I. Fujimoto, H. Nemoto, K. Fuduka, S. Masubuchi, "Epidemiologic Study of Carcinoma in Situ of the Cervix," J. of Reproductive Medicine, July 1985, 535.

027) "In a study of 163 white women less than 33 years of age in the Los Angeles area, a first-trimester abortion before a first full-term pregnancy was associated with a 2.4-fold increase in risk of breast cancer." M.C. Pike, et al., "Oral Contraceptive Use and Early Abortion as Risk Factors for Breast Cancer in Young Women," British Journal of Cancer, 43 (1981): 72.

028) "In a study of genetic markers in premenopausal breast tumors, it was found that tumors from patients with any abortions before a first full-term pregnancy were 26 times more likely to show amplification for the INT2 gene which was an indication of faster tumor growth and lower survival." H. Olsson, et al., "Her-2/neu and INT2 Proto-oncognene Amplification in Malignant Breast Tumors in Relation to Reproductive Factors and Exposure to Exogenous Hormones," J. National Cancer
Institute, 16 October 1991, 1483.

029) "Some 1,451 women with breast cancer were matched with population controls by year of birth and by residence using zip codes in upstate New York. Those with a history of induced abortion as determined by fetal death records had a 1.9 odds ratio compared with controls." H.L. Howe, R.T. Senie, H. Bzduch and P. Herzfeld, "Early Abortion and Breast Cancer Risk Among Women Under Age 40," International J. of Epidemiology, 18(2) (1989): 300-304.

030) "When relative risks for induced abortion were subjected to multiple logistic regression equations including adjustments for age, marital status, education, age at first intercourse, number of sexual partners, history of Pap smears, smoking habits, oral contraceptive use, number of live births, and age at first birth, the relative risk computed by multiple logistic regression ranged from 1.26-1.39 for women with one ore more induced abortions compared to women reporting no induced abortion with no significant trend shown with increasing number of induced abortions." Citation not known.

031) ("Postmenopausal women who develop endometrial cancer . . . are more likely than others to have had their last pregnancy end in an . . . induced abortion." C. P. McPherson et al., "Reproductive Factors and Risk of Endometrial Cancer: The Iowa Women's Health Study," American Journal of Epidemiology, 143, 1996, 1195-1202, quoted in "Miscarriage and Abortion Are Related to Increased Endometrial Cancer Risk," Family Planning Perspectives, November/December 1996, 286.

032) The following, through citation 22, is from Brent Rooney of Vancouver, Canada. His web site was www.nocancer.net
Having a full-term birth reduces mom's risk of contracting three of the four major cancer killers of women in the U.S. Prevention beats cure any day of the week. Let's compare cancer death risks of childless women with moms:
Cancer death risk Moms (term births) Childless Women Cancer Mortality Rank
Breast*   LOWER Risk                        HIGHER Risk      #2 Cancer Killer
Colorectal   LOWER Risk                    HIGHER Risk      #3 Cancer Killer
Ovarian   LOWER Risk                        HIGHER Risk      #4 Cancer Killer
*To get lower breast cancer risk, mom must have a first birth before about age 32. The more years before age 32, the greater the breast cancer risk reduction.
That full-term births reduce the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer is well accepted by medical researchers.1-8 But what about colorectal? There are now a substantial number of studies that report that nulliparity (i.e. being childless) increases colorectal cancer risk.12-21 For example, highly regarded researcher Dr. Janet Daling (et al.) reported, "The finding of an elevated risk of colon cancer among women of low parity [i.e. total births] is consistent with other epidemiological data."12 In this study moms had a lower risk of colon cancer than childless women; those with three or more births
had a 50% reduced risk of colon cancer.12 Utah Mormon women (who have good reproductive factors) have about a 30%-40% reduced risk of colorectal cancer compared to non-Mormon women living in Utah.18
A woman who has a first birth at age 32 has a 41% higher breast cancer risk than if she had had a first birth at age.22 Long term (at least 3 years) breastfeeding further reduces breast cancer risk by another (relative) 30%-40%.9-11 It appears to reduce ovarian cancer risk also.8
Citations
1. Brian MacMahon, et al., International J Cancer, 1983;31:701-704
2. Nancy Krieger, Breast cancer Research & Treatment; 1989;13:205-213
3. A Tavani, et al., International J Cancer, 1997;70:159-163
4. Emily White, American J Public Health, 1987;77:495-497
5. A Decarli, et al., International J Cancer, 1996;67:184-189
6. Brian MacMahon, et al., Bull WHO, 1970;43:209-221
7. V Chinchilli, et al., J Epidemiology & Community Health, 1996;50: 481-496 Ovarian Cancer Risk
(a meta-analysis):
8. Alice Whittemore, et al., American J Epidemiology, 1992;136:1184-1203
9. I Romieu, et al. American J Epidemiology, 1996;143:543-552
10. PA Newcomb, et al., New England J Medicine, 1994;330:81-87
11. JL Freudenhein, et al, American J Epidemiology, 1996;143:S32
12. Janet Daling, et al., JNCI, 1981;67:57-60
13. CL Vecchia, et al., European J Cancer, 1991;27:604-608
14. M Slattery, et al., Epidemiologic Reviews, 1993;15:499-545
15. GR Howe, et al., JNCI, 1985;74:1155-1159
16. GA Kune, et al., American J Epidemiology, 1989;129:533-542
17. JD Potter, et al., JNCI, 1980;71:703-709
18. JL Lyon, et al., JNCI, 1980;65:1055-1061
19. JD Potter, et al., JNCI, 1980;65:1201-1207
20. K Tajima, et al., British J Cancer, 1999,79(11/12):1901-1906
21. LG Dales, et al., American J Epidemiology, 1978;109:132-144
22. A Green, et al., British Medical J, 1988;297:391-395

Abortion... When is it safe?

Physical Effects: Cancer

Copyright ©1996 - 2008 ProChoice.com - All rights reserved - Links to other sites do not constitute approval of their content and are provided as is.
From people who care about you

ProChoice.com

Abortion... When is it safe?

Physical Effects: Cancer

Copyright ©1996 - 2008 ProChoice.com - All rights reserved - Links to other sites do not constitute approval of their content and are provided as is. From people who care about you

Copyright ©1996 - 2008 ProChoice.com - All rights reserved - Links to other sites do not constitute approval of their content and are provided as is.
From people who care about you