Tag Archives: ultrasound

Revealing What is Hidden in the Womb

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Ultrasound couple 2

 

By Maria V. Gallagher, Legislative Director, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation

Late last night, a friend sent me a Facebook message. Too tired to read it, I waited until this morning to view it. I was astounded.

What my friend had sent me was a video of a 4D ultrasound. Granted, it is not the first time I have seen such a video. But the image was mesmerizing nonetheless.

I could see one preborn baby jumping around with abandon. In another clip, a baby looked like he was waving. I saw a baby yawn and suck his thumb. What I saw, in short, was a human being showing off his humanity.

A video such as this can revolutionize the world. It provides a window into the hidden, amazing world of the preborn child. It is both informative and entertaining, and helps us to form a connection to a child that we might not otherwise have.

Technology can save the precious child in the womb. If every mother could see such a video in a supportive, loving atmosphere, how many more would choose life for their children?

Do yourself a favor and watch this incredible video (https://www.facebook.com/derekmke/videos/1799718376803503/). Then share it on social media. On a bitterly cold winter’s day, it will warm your heart and show you why the unborn child is worth fighting for

Look Her in the Eyes

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Baby eyesBy Maria V. Gallagher, Legislative Director

I was captivated by a baby girl I saw recently in church. Her eyes were filled with wonder, taking in everything within her environment.

This chance encounter made me reflect upon the development of an unborn child. At just 19 days after conception, the eyes begin to develop. Imagine that.  Less than three weeks after egg and sperm have united, the birth of sight begins. It is truly incredible.

By the 9th week after conception, the preborn child will be able to squint–a quite human response.

If we could look her in the eyes at that point, would any of us say that abortion is a rational option?

The fact is, the humanity of an unborn child is established from the start. A cycle of growth and development has begun which, if uninterrupted, will lead to birth. Think of the other milestones within a preborn child’s life cycle: the heart beats at 24 days after conception…arms and legs are forming at 28 days…the skeleton is complete at 42 days.

If we could look into that child’s eyes…at any point in her mother’s womb…would we say she is undeserving of life?

It is true that much of the development of the unborn child is hidden from us most of the time. But technological breakthroughs such as 4D Ultrasound have given us a window to the womb, allowing us to see the unborn child as never before. We know so much more now than the Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court did in 1973, when they issued their tragic ruling Roe v. Wade. 

Let us look at all preborn children with the eyes of love, knowing that they are as deserving of protection as each one of us.

 

21st Century Progress Could Mean End to Abortion

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By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director
gallagher@paprolife.org

The Millennial Generation has grown up with an explosion of technology — the expansion of the Internet, the invention of the iPhone, the birth of social media, the advent of Skype.

Unborn baby pictureBut the 21st century could also be known as a time of great progress against abortion.

Real limits have been placed on abortion, thanks to the passage of the partial-birth abortion ban at the national level, late-term abortion bans, dismemberment abortion bans, and other legislation at the state level.

The Guttmacher Institute, the former research arm of Planned Parenthood, reports that abortion rates are at their lowest level since 1973, the year Roe v. Wade became the law of the land. The most recent recorded rate is 16.9 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44, well below the record high of 29.3 per 1,000 women in 1981.

It’s been estimated that more than 3,500 pregnancy help centers are now in operation across the U.S. and, as the pro-abortion lobbying group NARAL ruefully notes, these centers vastly outnumber abortion facilities. Pregnancy centers provide comprehensive counseling and assistance to women facing unexpected pregnancies, offering everything from diapers to day care referrals. Women have even been known to request that pregnancy center volunteers serve as their companions during the birthing process.

Students for Life groups have grown exponentially on college campuses, and March for Life attendance has been boosted by the throngs of high school and college students who descend on Washington, D.C. each January 22.

4D ultrasound pictures have become prominent on Facebook and Twitter pages, websites and blogs. The humanity of the unborn child has been well-documented in these social media images.

Certainly, much work remains in making abortion unthinkable. More than 57 million Americans have died from legal abortion since it began nationwide in 1973. Pro-abortion groups continue their national assault on the rights of preborn children, while failing to recognize the devastation abortion has caused for generations of women.

Still, in just the first two decades of the 21st century, much headway has been made in scaling back abortion on demand. This should be the century when the disastrous era of Roe v. Wade finally comes to an end.

Discovering Pro-Life Truths in the New “Son of God” Movie

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By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

A couple of things struck me as I watched “Son of God,” the movie of Jesus’ life produced by “Touched by an Angel’s” Roma Downey and mega-hit TV producer Mark Burnett of “Survivor” fame.

SonofGodMovieThe first thing that made me pause was when Pontius Pilate asked, “What is truth?” My mind turned to those who are non-committal when it comes to the point at which human life begins.

At one point in my life, I was in that category. I could understand a being of three months’ gestation being called a baby, but before that, I wasn’t so sure. It took a radio news editor to get me back on track, saying that life began at conception. It seemed an inconvenient truth to me but, in the end, logic demanded that I accept it. The beginning doesn’t start with the heart beat or the brain wave—it begins with the union of sperm and egg. Any other proposed starting point would be entirely arbitrary and, well, untrue.

Another particularly poignant point in the film was when Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who put him to death because they know not what they do. I have known so many, many people who did not understand the cruelty of abortion, who did not know relevant facts about fetal development, who really did not fully comprehend what they were doing when they were advocating for abortion or procuring one.

That is why pro-life education is so vitally important—for opening the eyes of women and men alike to the horror of abortion. Whether the education comes in the form of a fetal model, a 4D ultrasound image, or a full description of a dismemberment abortion, it is critical for persuading the public that abortion is, in truth, the taking of an innocent human life. So too, post-abortive women need to be encouraged and supported when giving their gut-wrenching testimonies about the devastating impact abortion has had on their lives. It can be frustrating to think that, after more than four decades of legalized abortion, we still need to share some basic truths, but that is, in fact, the case.

We also need to empower those who believe that abortion is bad for women, but who are not quite brave enough or motivated enough to work for its end. If we are not speaking out about the world of hurt that abortion causes…if we are not educating our children about it, writing letters to the editor, contacting public officials…we are passive bystanders to the greatest human rights violation of our day.

For, in truth, each child who has been conceived is a son or daughter of God, of infinite value and undeniable dignity, who should be protected both in the womb and beyond.

PA Abortion Rate Down 5 Percent in 2012 – Good News for Women, Babies

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HARRISBURG, Pa. – Pennsylvania’s abortion rate is on the decline—and that’s good news for women and their families, according to the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, the state’s largest single-issue pro-life organization.

“Fewer unborn children are losing their lives to abortion, and more women are being ultrasoundempowered to make life-affirming decisions for themselves and their families,” said Maria Gallagher, legislative director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.

“Social media and 4D ultrasound are providing a window to the womb, showing the humanity of the unborn child. The Internet has also proven to be highly effective in linking pregnant women to the resources and comprehensive support they and their babies need. Technology is saving the day—and it’s saving unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion,” Gallagher added.

Statistics released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Friday show that abortions declined 4.8 percent in 2012. The closure of abortion facilities, the assistance offered by pregnancy help centers and state-of-the-art technology are all playing a role in the decrease in abortion totals in the Commonwealth.

“We know that Pennsylvania’s abortion rate would be much higher were it not for the state’s groundbreaking Alternatives to Abortion program, which is administered by Real Alternatives, Inc. Real Alternatives centers, coupled with other pregnancy resource centers around the state, offer everything from diapers to day care referrals, counseling to classes in parenting and life skills, to assist pregnant women,” Gallagher added.

“No pregnant woman should feel as if she is alone. Thanks to Pennsylvania’s innovative programs and policies, women have somewhere and someone to turn to when faced with unexpected pregnancies. As a result, they can experience the unexpected joys and blessings that babies bring,” Gallagher added.

To view the full report, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health website.

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The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation is a grassroots right-to-life organization with members statewide. As the state affiliate of National Right to Life, PPLF is committed to promoting the dignity and value of human life from conception to natural death and to restoring legal protection for preborn children.

Pro-Life Town Hall Tour Now Underway

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Our pro-life town hall tour is now underway. The event began in Shrewsbury where York County residents heard the latest news about health care reform, Planned Parenthood, ultrasound legislation and more. Other stops include Duncansville, Uniontown, Bridgeville, Butler, Meadville, Warren, Dubois, Williamsport, Wilkes-Barre, Honesdale, Reading, and Philadelphia. To read the town hall’s newsworthy developments on health care reform, click here.

Pro-Abortion Politicians Hide the Truth About Ultrasounds

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In a desperate political move, opponents of informed consent legislation are hiding the truth about the use of ultrasounds to safeguard a woman’s health. Pro-abortion politicians held a rally at the Capitol this week in a shameless effort to make political hay out of a serious issue–the health and safety of women considering an abortion. Find out about the crass way these politicians are insulting female lawmakers who support ultrasound legislation here.