Denver Catholic

A recent document compiled by the Denver chapter of the Catholic Medical Association examines fact-based and empirical evidence for why late term abortion is almost never necessary, and why Coloradans should support a late term abortion ban in the state. On Nov. 3, Colorado residents will have the opportunity to save the lives of thousands of unborn babies by voting "YES" on Proposition 115, previously known as Initiative 120, which would prohibit abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy through birth. Unfortunately, Colorado is one of seven states in the country that allows abortion for any reason until birth. Late term abortion is an extreme and inhumane procedure and it is our responsibility to do everything we can to end it. Pro-choice activists often advocate that abortion is a woman's right to freely decide what to do with her own body while denying the personhood of a fetus. They often refer to an abortion as "ending a pregnancy" as if the procedure could occur without killing a vital and developing human being. Indeed, the woman does have autonomy over her own body, but she does not have autonomy over that human child inside her womb whose devel- opment begins at conception. Abortion advocates justify the termination of a pregnancy by claiming that a fetus is not considered a human being. Studies of human development indicate that a human fetus develops the ability to taste, smell, and detect sounds, especially the voice of the mother, during the second trimester, when some women decide to "end their pregnancy." The heart of an embryo begins to develop by the fi fth week of gestation and begins to pump blood by the sixth. Brain development occurs in the seventh week. By the tenth week, the fetus has already begun to develop most major organ systems and has human characteristics. At 22 weeks of gestation, fetuses are vitally developed human beings. It is also very likely that at 22 weeks, a human fetus may experience more pain than a born baby or an adult. Under Initiative 120, thousands of unborn babies will have the opportunity to live just like every human being deserves. Though there is often the impression that late abortions only happen in extreme cases due to a medical condition of the mother or fetal abnor- malities, the reality is that many times there is no reason. In Colorado, there are clinics that announce elective abortions for any reason up to 26 weeks, and then for "medical advice" up until 36 weeks, when the baby is only a couple weeks away from birth. When a mother's life is at risk after 22 weeks of gestation, a C-section delivery is medically considered the least risky and safest option for the mother. There are several late term abortion procedures, including Dilation and Evacuation (D&E) abortion, which involves mechanical destruction and dismemberment of the fetus. If Proposition 115 is passed, the lives of thousands of babies that get killed during late term abortions would be saved. Physical and emotional health side eff ects for women who go through an abortion can be signifi cant and vary from woman to woman. Medical studies suggest that late term abortions can cause long-term consequences that vary from serious infections to medical conditions that may require surgical intervention. Psychologically, the damage can be even greater and irreparable. The psychological consequences of an abortion can aff ect a woman in diff erent ways, ranging from depression to self-destructive behaviors. The more advanced the pregnancy is when the procedure is done, the psychological 4 DENVER CATHOLIC | JULY 26-AUGUST 8 Catholic Medical Association on why Coloradans should support Proposition 115 BY ROCIO MADERA Around the Archdiocese

• Cover