Byron Calhoun (Professor & Vice Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, West Virginia University-Charleston) points to the claim recently made in the academic literature, that "The risk of death associated with childbirth is approximately 14 times higher than abortion" and shows that the claim is "unsupported by the literature" and that "there is no credible scientific basis to support it".
Dr Calhoun argues that in the US that a "valid scientific assessment of abortion mortality [is] extremely difficult and explains that:
- The data is unreliable with evidence that abortions are underreported by a factor of up to 50% when subsequent problems arise
- Abortion-related deaths have been shown to be underestimated - and the "impact of substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and suicide resulting from abortion is considerable. As a result, indirect abortion-associated deaths are likely to be many times higher than those deaths directly caused by obstetric complications".
- Women who experience serious, life-threatening health complications as a result of abortion usually go to a hospital emergency room and are not seen by their abortion providers. Their deaths will therefore not be counted. Abortion-related deaths (from physical complications of the procedure) are reported as maternal deaths
Dr Calhoun points out that: "there are numerous and complicated methodological factors that make a valid scientific assessment of abortion mortality extremely difficult. Among the many factors responsible are incomplete reporting, definitional incompatibilities, voluntary data collection, research bias, reliance upon estimations, political correctness, inaccurate and/or incomplete death certificate completion, incomparability with maternal mortality statistics, and failing to include other causes of death such as suicides."
And the maternal healthcare expert explained that, internationally, similar problems arise "due to poor quality reporting and definitional issues". He shows that "maternal deaths", "late maternal deaths", "pregnancy-related deaths", and "pregnancy-associated deaths" are being defined to include, but not identify, "abortion-related deaths".
Dr Calhoun calls for the establishment of national healthcare databases which includes "all reproductive outcome variables and associations: including elective abortions", and says that such a database "must also provide open access to all researchers to evaluate this critical women's health issue."
http://www.youthdefence.ie/latest-news/new-research-rubbishes-claim-that-abortion-14-times-safer-than-childbirth/
See the paper at: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/maney/lnq/2013/00000080/00000003/art00010
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