GOP Congressman Says Abortion Is Never Necessary To Save A Woman’s Life

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/10/19/1046391/more-junk-science-gop-congressman-says-abortion-is-never-necessary-to-save-a-womans-life/

More Junk Science: GOP Congressman Says Abortion Is Never Necessary To Save A Woman’s Life
By Aviva Shen on Oct 19, 2012


On Thursday, after his debate against Demcorat Tammy Duckworth, Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) told reporters that an abortion exception is never necessary to save a woman’s life, explaining, “with modern technology and science, you can’t find one instance” of a woman dying from childbirth. Walsh claimed pro-choice advocates simply used the prospect of maternal death “to make us look unreasonable.”

Walsh went on to assert that women whose health would be jeopardized if they carry their fetus to term are simply using the exception as a “tool” to get an abortion for “any reason.”

With modern technology and science, you can’t find one instance…There’s no such exception as life of the mother. And as far as health of the mother, same thing, with advances in science and technology, health of the mother has become a tool for abortions anytime under any reason.

In fact, pregnancy-related deaths have increased in the US, climbing to a rate of 15.1 deaths for every 100,00 live births. Walsh’s own colleague, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), spoke on the House floor in 2011 about getting an abortion because her life was in jeopardy.

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A relative of mine had an ectopic pregnancy earlier this year. If it hadn't been taken care of, technically an abortion, she would have bled to death.

I was talking to a lady in her sixties a couple of weeks ago. She told me about how when she was a child, her mother was pregnant. She got measles and the baby died. The doctor wouldn't remove it because he was afraid he would get in trouble. Fortunately, the dead fetus miscarried. The woman could very well have died from infection.

From some of the comments to this article:

A pregnant woman who has just been diagnosed with cancer and requires chemo to save her life would also require an abortion. Unless Walsh just thinks the fetus should be killed with the chemo, resulting in a miscarriage that could further endanger the woman's life.

Pre-eclampsia. Toxemia. Placental abruption. Ectopic pregnancy. Molar pregnancy. That's 5 pregnancies off the top of my head that can kill a woman.