Returning to the Backyard?

In November I wrote in this post about meeting Dr. David van Gend. I would like to recommend to you two of his articles. The first is on a topic of great currency in Australia at the moment, the abortion drug RU486.Political will or safer pill? discusses some of the issues associated with RU486, which are important to know about if we are to make a response. Please consider sending in a short letter to the Senate Inquiry into this issue, before January 16. Include your contact details and email as a Word attachment to community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au

Dr. van Gend also has a great article, Abortion Distortions, exposing the myths surrounding backyard abortions. Even many Christians I know are put off doing anything toward reducing abortion levels because they believe that women will die if abortion is more difficult to access. I have personally looked at the Commonwealth Records of Maternal Deaths covering the last century, because of being confronted with this concern so much. They clearly show that few women ever died. No coat hangers featured in any of those deaths, either. The reduction in these few deaths occured after antibiotics were introduced, and had very little correlation with making abortion more accessible. Those I have passed Dr. van Gend's article onto have been strongly impacted with the facts he presents, and annoyed that this issue as been falsly presented over and over again.

My friend Christina Sonnemann has written a great article about how in advocating RU486, those who so often raise the spectre of backyard abortions are really arguing for a return to them. I hope it will be available online soon. Women who take RU486 usually abort at home, and deal with the many complications on their own. If you are really concerned about a return to the backyard, oppose this drug becoming available in Australia.