Safety of Abortion Disputed- New Book Cites Thousands of Studies Regarding Dangers of Abortion

Springfield, IL (April 14, 2001)– “Keep abortion safe and legal.” These words are often seen and heard at this time of year, when pro-life and pro-abortion activists mark the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that paved the way for abortion on demand 29 years ago.

Pro-abortion activists claim that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, desperate women will seek dangerous “back alley” abortions that could put their health or lives at risk. But many in the pro- life movement who have studied this issue disagree.

“The courts can make abortion legal, but neither they nor doctors have been able to make it safe,” said David Reardon, Ph.D., director of the Elliot Institute, a post-abortion research organization, during an announcement of a new book summarizing hundreds of studies regarding abortion complications.

“Most people–even involved in the pro-life movement–are not aware of the extensive research showing that abortion is harmful to women, their families and society as a whole,” Reardon said. “Though abortion advocates continue to deny that abortion can be harmful to women’s physical and emotional well-being, a close examination of the literature shows that the risks of abortion are both serious and numerous.”

To make information on abortion complications more readily accessible to the public, the Elliot Institute has published the Detrimental Effects of Abortion: An Annotated Bibliography with Commentary, under its Acorn Books imprint.

Edited by pro-life researcher and author Thomas W. Strahan, the 276-page reference book includes a bibliography with more than 1200 citations to studies documenting the negative impact of abortion. The studies are divided into more than 40 subcategories, covering topics such as the physical and psychological effects of abortion, abortion decision making, abortion and maternal mortality, social effects and implications of abortion, and abortion and teens. Each entry also contains a summary of the key research findings from the study.

“The dangers of abortion are being hidden from public view in large part by the efforts of groups and individuals who are more concerned about promoting population control than they are about promoting women’s health,” Reardon explained. “For some of these population control zealots, the injuries women suffer from abortion are insignificant compared to the supposed good that comes from preventing the births of ‘unwanted children.’ After examining the evidence presented in this book, anyone who cares more about women than about population control would have to conclude that abortion is simply bad medicine.”

The anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion is a good time to donate books to libraries where they will be accessible to students and women and men who may be considering abortion. Ready access to this information in a local library can change minds and save lives.

The Elliot Institute strongly encourages pro-life individuals and groups to consider donating this important reference book to the city, high school, and university libraries in their area.

Detrimental Effects of Abortion: An Annotated Bibliography with Commentary, is available from the Elliot Institute for $35, shipping included. Checks or money orders can be sent to the Elliot Institute, PO Box 7348, Springfield, IL 62791; or call 1-888-412-2676 to place a credit card order.

All the publishers proceeds are used to further post-abortion research and education.

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