Over the past three months, the Pro-Life community has lost two Pro-Life
heroes—one is our Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court and the
other, a young mother stricken with cancer. William Rehnquist was a
Pro-Life beacon on the high court, while Susan Torres was a young woman
who sacrificed her life for her unborn child. Each was an example of
how to live in service of others and how to advance the Culture of Life.
Such people in the news are necessary to combat the media’s and
the medical community’s incessant promotion of the culture of
death. The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published
an article claiming that no credible evidence exists proving that unborn
infants can feel pain before 29 weeks, yet the JAMA failed to mention
that the “research” was compiled by pro-abortion activists
and disregards the findings of doctors who actually study pain management,
neurology, and neonatology. We must continue to look towards our Pro-Life
heroes as a reminder of the ways in which we can continue to promote
the Culture of Life.
Please read this issue of the Pro-Life Update carefully to understand
some of the challenges we now face and how you—an educated Pro-Lifer—can
advance the Culture of Life. Please share this information with your
family, friends, and church congregations. Make copies. Spread the news.
Cheif Justice William Rehnquist Dies, Leaving
Pro-Life Legacy
Chief Justice William Rehnquist died Saturday, September 3, 2005, at
the age of 80 with his three children by his side. Kathy Arburg, the
Supreme Court spokeswoman, told the Associated Press, “The Chief
Justice battled thyroid cancer since being diagnosed last October and
continued to perform his duties on the court until a precipitous decline
in his health the last couple of days.”
Rehnquist was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1971 by President Richard
Nixon. President Ronald Reagan elevated Rehnquist to Chief Justice in
1986. Rehnquist had established a strong Pro-Life record with his opposition
to abortion; he was one of just two justices who dissented in the 1973
Roe v. Wade ruling that overturned laws prohibiting abortion nationwide.
With this new vacancy on the high court, President Bush nominated Judge
John Roberts for the position of Chief Justice. He will select another
nominee to fill Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s spot. She
will remain on the Supreme Court until another judge has been appointed
to her position.
False "Stuy" on Fetal Pain Published
by JAMA
An article entitled, “Fetal Pain: A Systematic Multidisciplinary
Review of the Evidence” was published in the August 24, 2005 edition
of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The authors
of this article argued that there is no good evidence that human fetuses
feel pain before 29 weeks (during the seventh month). Their findings,
however, have been greatly disputed since the release of their article.
All the authors have been involved in the abortion movement in some
capacity: a late-term abortion practitioner, a former lawyer for NARAL,
the director of the largest abortion clinic in San Francisco, and an
abortion advocate who worked at a late-term abortion facility. Their
direct involvement in the abortion industry weakens their credibility
and the objectivity of their findings. Additionally, there was no new
laboratory research reported in their article—only a commentary
on a selection of existing medical literature.
Their findings are disputed by experts with much more extensive credentials
in pain research than any of the authors. For example, Dr. Kanwaljeel
S. Anand, a pain researcher who holds tenured chairs in pediatrics,
anesthesiology, pharmacology, and neurobiology at the University of
Arkansas, said in a document accepted by a federal court, “It
is my opinion that the human fetus possesses the ability to experience
pain from 20 weeks of gestation, if not earlier, and that pain perceived
by a fetus is possibly more intense than that perceived by newborns
or older children.” Dr. Anand predicted that this JAMA article
would “inflame a lot of scientists who are…far more knowledgeable
in this area than the authors appear to be.”
Infants who are born as early as 23 or 24 weeks now commonly survive
in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). These children react negatively
to painful stimuli (grimacing, wincing, and whimpering). Still, the
JAMA authors claim that there is no credible evidence of fetal pain
until 29 weeks. However, if these babies feel pain in the NICU, then
they also feel pain in the womb. Additionally, when surgery is performed
on babies in utero regardless of their gestational age, anesthesia for
pain is always administered to them.
Dr. Paul Ranalli, professor of neurology at the University of Toronto,
commented on the article: “The only difference between a child
in the womb at this stage, or one born and cared for in an incubator,
is how they receive oxygen—either through the umbilical cord or
through the lungs. There is no difference in their nervous systems.
Their article sets back humane pediatric medicine 20 years, back to
a time when doctors still believed babies could not feel pain.”
Legislative measures on the state and federal level have focused on
the pain experienced by unborn children who are aborted. The measures
mandate that after 20 or more weeks of pregnancy, a woman be told that
her unborn child can feel pain and then be given the option to anesthetize
the baby before the procedure. Abortion advocates recognize that such
fetal pain protection laws would reduce the number of abortions, and
the JAMA study is a way to undermine legislative efforts that protect
the health of women and their unborn children.
Brain-Dead Woman Dies After Giving Birth
Susan Torres was only 26 years old when she suffered a stroke during
her battle with cancer. She was also pregnant, so her family decided
to sustain her life so that her child could have the possibility of
surviving. She was declared brain-dead but still received artificial
life support for three months to nourish the baby.
At about 7 months old in utero, the baby was delivered, because the
doctors determined that Torres’ health was deteriorating, and
the risk of harm to the baby outweighed the benefits of continuing the
pregnancy. Susan Anne Catherine Torres was delivered by Caesarean section
on August 2, 2005, weighing just 1 pound 13 ounces. She was deemed healthy
but kept in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Doctors then removed Susan from life support with the consent of her
husband, Jason Torres, after she received last rites, the final sacrament
of the Roman Catholic Church. “We thank all of those who prayed
and provided support for Susan, the baby, and our family,” said
Jason. “We especially thank God for giving us little Susan. My
wife’s courage will never be forgotten.”
Sadly, baby Susan died of heart failure while undergoing surgery to
repair a perforated intestine, which was a result of her being born
prematurely. Texas Right to Life’s prayers are with the Torres
family. Susan Torres and her family showed unfaltering respect for the
young life that Susan was carrying inside herself.
The Pro-Life movement still has much work to ensure that all people
throughout the world are welcomed into Life and respected. If you would
like any additional information on the topics discussed above, please
send me a note or log onto www.TexasRightToLife.com. If you ever have
questions about any Pro-Life issues, please be sure to let me know.
