6/5/01
in this issue:
abortion: RISKS abortion
RISKS: Researcher Brent Rooney has identified 27 studies that are
"at least 95% confident of increased pre-term birth risk from previous
induced abortion." The list is by no means complete, but can be viewed at
Ounce of Prevention Health Info.
abstinence education
MIXED MESSAGES: Media reports indicate that a new study confirms
"pregnancy prevention programs that include talking to teens about their
sexual behavior and instructing them on contraception use do not increase
sexual activity among young people." However, the Abstinence Clearinghouse
takes issue with that claim, stating, "We should be offering all children
the best options in education. With the current epidemic of sexual
disease, the emotional upset that plagues our children, and the widespread
sexual dysfunction reported among adults, it is obvious that condoms and
pills are not answering the deepest needs of the nation's children."
(Reading: "Sex-ed
Programs Work; Abstinence Message Fails," Reuters Health, 5/30/01;
"Sex-ed Program Falls Short," Abstinence Clearinghouse e-mail
update, 5/31/01)
birth control
OFFICE EXAMS EXPENDABLE? A JAMA article notes, "Clinical breast and
pelvic examinations are commonly accepted practices prior to provision of
hormonal contraception." However, according to a recent study funded by
pharmaceutical firms including ALZA, Berlex and Gynetics, such
examinations "may reduce access to highly affective contraceptive methods
and may, therefore, increase women's overall health risks." Other tests
described as "important in their own right" but perhaps not necessary
include STD testing and screening for cervical neoplasia.
COMMENT: Authors of this study include leading proponents of
morning after abortion pills and the promotion of same as over-the-counter
medicines: Felicia
Stewart, MD and James
Trussell, MD.
(Reading: "Clinical
Breast and Pelvic Examination Requirements for Hormonal
Contraception," Journal of the American Medical Association, 5/2/01,
pp. 2232-2239)
VAGINAL RING: Organon, a Netherlands-based pharmaceutical
company, is developing a vaginal ring that is alleged to "inhibit
ovulation" according to a recent study. The daily emission from NuvaRing
consists of 120 micrograms of etonogestrel and 15 micrograms ethinyl
estradiol. The question of whether or not these chemicals interfere with
implantation as well is not addressed.
(Reading: "Vaginal Ring
Shown to Stop Ovulation," Fertility and Sterility news release,
5/19/01; "Vaginal
Ring for Contraception as Effective as Pill," Reuters Health News,
5/28/01)
cloning
ETHICS: Assuming that reproductive human cloning is allowed,
political scientist Andrea L. Bonnicksen, PhD, opines that concerns should
be raised regarding parents who burden the cloned child with "expectations
that he or she will be like the donor" or that "personal rather than
medical reasons" will be common among those who seek to clone hoped-for
children.
(Reading: "Human Reproductive Cloning: Thinking About Clinic-based
Ethics," Fertility
and Sterility, 6/01, pp. 1057-1058, subscription required)
hiv
RISKS: Researchers have found that female injection drug users who
are also involved in "high-risk heterosexual activity" experience a higher
incidence of HIV, while males are more at risk because of homosexual
relations and shared needles.
(Reading: "Sex
Differences in Risk Factors for HIV Seroconversion Among Injection Drug
Users," Archives of Internal Medicine, 5/28/01)
imposed death
CALIFORNIA: The fate of PVS patient Robert Wendland now rests with
the California Supreme Court. Wendland was the victim of a car accident
eight years ago that left him in a "minimally conscious state." His wife
wishes to have his feeding tube disconnected, but his mother and sister
have argued for the past six years that he is not "vegetative."
(Reading: "Robert's Wishes: Court Struggles with Right to Die," Sacramento Bee, 6/2/01; for a copy of
the Not Dead Yet brief in the case and daily alert updates, see Not Dead Yet; further info, see International Anti-euthanasia Task
Force)
FLORIDA: Reports are posted on the Schiavo web site that
indicate the opinion of several physicians that Terry Schiavo (see Communique, 5/2/01)
is a good candidate for rehabilitation and may not be a PVS patient after
all. For updates, see Terri's
Fight.
in vitro fertilization
BLASTOCYST TRANSFERS: Researchers studied the success rate of
embryos who were cultured until day five or day six prior to being
transferred to a womb. They found that those transferred on day five
implanted at a greater rate than those transferred on day six.
COMMENT: These human embryos are not considered to be human
beings in the laboratory but mere scientific material.
(Reading: "A Comparison of Day 5 and Day 6 Blastocyst Transfers," Fertility
and Sterility, 6/01, pp. 1126-1130, paid subscription required)
morning-after abortion pills
GOING ONLINE: Various groups have begun marketing MAAPs on line
where the law permits. Chicago Area Planned
Parenthood and Planned
Parenthood of Georgia will provide actual prescriptions after a
medical assessment is provided.
(Reading: "EC on the Internet: Programs Go On-line," Contraceptive Technology
Update, subscription required)
pelvic inflammatory disease
REDEFINING: Researchers are recommending the term "upper genital
tract infection" to focus attention on specific clinical designations
rather than PID, which has become a catch-all term. The need to focus of
specific signs and symptoms created the current recommended
re-designation.
(Reading: "Concerns
Regarding the Centers for Disease Control's Published Guidelines for
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease," Clinical Infectious Diseases, 1/1/01;
"'Pelvic
Inflammatory Disease' Redefined," Infections in Medicine, 4/01, pp.
190-193)
stem cell research
BATTLE ENSUES: The proponents of destructive embryonic stem cell
research have established a Coalition for the Advancement of Medical
Research and have released a poll that deceives the respondents by using
the term "fertilized egg" rather than the scientifically correct human
embryo, thus inviting a pro-research response.
(Reading: "Pro-abortion
Pollsters Chicken Out by Labeling a New Person an 'Egg,'" ALL news
release, 5/29/01; Coalition for
the Advancement of Medical Research; Do No Harm Coalition opposed
to destructive embryonic stem cell research)
WISCONSIN CHALLENGE: Pro-Life Wisconsin is leading a campaign to
pressure the University of Wisconsin to abandon its use of human embryos
in research protocols. For details, including an outline of appropriate
action contact Pro-Life Wisconsin.
vaccines
TWINRIX JUNIOR: A combined vaccine against hepatitis A and
hepatitis B for children aged 1-18 years, formulated from the same bulk
vaccines containing tissue from aborted fetal cell line MRC-5, has been
introduced by GlaxoSmithKline, reports pro-life leader Debi Vinnedge.
(Reading: "Another Vaccine
Using Aborted Baby Tissue Marketed," LifeSite News, 5/25/01; vaccine
information and background on pro-life positions on various vaccines, see
Children of God for Life.)
you
ROSARY CAMPAIGN: Pro-life Catholics are being asked to set aside
time on Friday, June 29, the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, to pray a full
15 decade Rosary for the special intentions of all bishops and priests,
particularly discernment and guidance in shepherding the flock God has
placed in their care.
reminder
PRO-LIFE CONFERENCE: American Life League and Population Research
Institute are sponsoring the first major international pro-life conference
of the new millennium. A Celebration of Life World Family Conference is
scheduled June 20-24 in Bloomington, Minn. The event will include a
banquet honoring Fr. Paul Marx, OSB, for his lifetime of pro-life
activism. For complete schedules, speaker lists and registration
information, see A
Celebration of Life World Family Conference or call 888-546-2580.
reflection for prayer
THOMAS A KEMPIS: Imitation of Christ, Book 3, Chapter 16, Section
2:
I became the most humble and most abject of all, that thou mightst
learn to overcome thy pride by My humility. Learn, O dust, to obey; learn
to humble thyself, thou that art but dirt and mire, and to cast thyself
down under the feet of all men.
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