Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Abortion 'service' preying on women in pro-life countries


A Maltese newspaper has uncovered a website that is prepared to send abortion drugs to pregnant women living in countries where abortion is illegal or restricted for a 'donation' of 70 Euros. A journalist from the Sunday Times posed as a pregnant woman and filled out the online questionnaire. At no point did anyone speak with her in peson and the serious risk of complications associated with a DIY abortion were not mentioned on the site. The president of the Malta College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Donald Felice, warned: "There is no way of verifying that the buyer is telling the truth. What if the woman is more than nine weeks' pregnant? That would trigger off massive complications, like haemorrhage... even death."

His fears are well-founded. A recent study of women who had used the website found that some 11% had required surgical intervention after taking the Mifepristone pills - and yet the website claims to help women to procure 'safe medical abortion (with the pills mifepristone and misoprostol) in order to reduce the number of deaths due to unsafe abortions.' The website declares 'Protect your health and life!' in large letters whilst at the same time it is peddling drugs to women that could well cost them their health and their lives.

This is yet another example of the hypocrisy of abortion providers and their callous disregard for the women they claim to want to help. It does not matter to them that these women will have to bear the lonely, frightening experience of aborting a baby, it does not matter that they will be left to deal with the substantial risk of psychological and physical complications following the abortion, it does not matter to the people behind these websites if women die as a result of this unethical and illegal practice. Like the Women on Waves abortion boat (run by the same people who run this website), this is a cruel stunt that exploits and endangers the lives of women around the world.