Bishops’ Pro-Life committee launches Roe v. Wade “Reality Checks”

Washington - On March 14, 2005, the Committee for Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched a new effort to dispel myths about Roe v. Wade. This is the Supreme Court decision that created a constitutional right to abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy. Brief, informational cards called “Roe Reality Checks” will be distributed regularly to members of Congress and the media, each highlighting a basic fact about Roe v. Wade or its impact.

“While abortion has been legal in the United States for over three decades, many Americans don’t know basic facts, such as when in pregnancy abortions are legal or why they are generally performed,” said Cathy Cleaver Ruse, Esq., Director of Planning and Infor-mation for the USCCB Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. “The fact is, Roe v. Wade created an un-limited right to abortion, and most people think an unlimited right to abortion is wrong.”

The Roe Reality Checks are part of a broader educational campaign by the Pro-Life Committee called The Second Look Project, which presents basic factual information about abortion so people can take a second look at the issue.

“Opinions on abortion are often based on mistaken perceptions or on emotions. The Second Look Project is innovative because it provides basic facts, and lets the facts speak for themselves,” said Ruse.

For further information on The Second Look Project visit: www.secondlookproject.org.; or contact the USCCB Office of Media Relations, 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194

(202) 541-3000.

the FACT is:

- There are 1.31 million abortions in the U.S. each year.

- The U.S. abortion rate is among the highest of developed countries.

- The U.S. abortion rate per 100 pregnancies is 24.5.

Abortions occur at these gestational times:

- 23% in the first 6 weeks - 301,300 annually

- 34.5% in the seventh or eighth week - 451,950 annually

- 19.5% in the ninth or tenth week or 255,450 annually

- 10% in the eleventh or twelfth week or 131,000 annually

- 6.0% in the thirteenth through fifteenth weeks or 78,600 annually

- 4.5% in the sixteenth through twentieth weeks or 58,950 annually

- 1.5% at twenty-one weeks or more or 19,650 annually

Statistics from: The Alan Guttmacher Institute, “An Overview of Abortion in the United States” (2003); and Elam-Evans L et al., “Abortion surveillance–United States, 2000”, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2003, 52(SS 12).

Did you know?.......

The Supreme Court gives the right to have an abortion at any time during the nine months of pregnancy... even if it's by a procedure that partially delivers the baby....even when the baby's old enough to survive outside the womb.

In America one can choose to have an abortion at any time, for any reason. Because of that, 1 out of every 4 pregnancies now ends in abortion.

We simply ask the question. . . "Have we gone too far?"

- A message from The Second Look Project (www.secondlookproject.org.)