by Michael Singer
As a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist, I must answer Dr. Joseph's letter "Abortion Myth." There has never been a well-designed study showing that abortion causes infertility or preterm labor. If Dr. Joseph can show any evidence from the medical literature, he should. The fact that he has an MD after his name does not count as a citation.
He is correct in asserting that abortion can cause damage to the endometrium resulting in scarring and infertility. This is exceedingly rare, and occurs primarily when surgical abortions are performed under unsterile conditions and infectious complications ensue. Such circumstances are significantly more common when abortion is illegal and its provision falls away from trained providers working in appropriate facilities.
Dr. Joseph and many of your readers may oppose abortion morally and feel that the government should impose their morality on others. However, there is nothing moral, and there is plenty that is unethical, about touting one's medical degree while misrepresenting established medical facts.
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by Frank Joseph
In response to Dr. Singer’s request for sources, the following list was compiled with the aid of Brent Rooney, a medical researcher. At least 49 studies, including one published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, support the claim that a previous induced abortion elevates the subsequent risk of a premature birth. To save time the 49 references can be found here.
Dr. Singer said there has never been a well-designed study showing that abortion causes infertility or preterm labor." Oh no, how about 49 studies? Now, I would like him to show me studies that have found that abortions do not cause preterm births in subsequent pregnancies--even just one study.
The differences between preterm births and infertility depends on the amount of damage done to the cervix and endometrium during the abortion and whether or not infection has occurred. |
