The Los Angeles Times reports today ("Common chemicals pose danger for fetuses, scientists warn") that
In a strongly worded declaration, many of the world's leading environmental scientists warned Thursday that exposure to common chemicals makes babies more likely to develop an array of health problems later in life, including diabetes, attention deficit disorders, prostate cancer, fertility problems, thyroid disorders and even obesity.
The declaration by about 200 scientists from five continents amounts to a vote of confidence in a growing body of evidence that humans are vulnerable to long-term harm from toxic exposures in the womb and during their first years.***
...the scientists urged leaders not to wait for more scientific certainty and recommended that governments revise regulations and procedures to take into account subtle effects on fetal and infant development.
(emphasis added).
This concern reinforces the basic theses that I have long advocated in this blog-- every action has a reaction; every right has a corresponding obligation. Is the government's role to protect the fetus or to protect the right to treat the fetus as a disposable part of a woman's body? Isn't it cognitive dissonance for the government to do both-- sort of like the government's campaign against tobacco smoking while subsidizing tobacco farming?
To those favoring one position or the other: there is no free intellectual lunch. Think through all the implications of your ideology.
4 0Gentlemen,Just watched the film and it was very mviong. As you may already know, we are in a fight now in the Philippines as our legislators are trying to pass a reproductive health bill that would lead to this scenario presented in your documentary. The lies, the mumbo jumbo lingo, the womens right and pro-choice words are being used. The sad part the Blood Money that is going around funding this Reproductive Health Bill is very effective and they seem to be influencing a lot of the people. Our legislators including our president supports this new bill. On this note I would like to get your support in possibly showing this film publicly in the Philippines and possibly send to each and every legislator including our president a copy of this mviong documentary so that they can be touched and hopefully reverse their position. Our group is called Families Against the RH Bill and we have been running a campaign to prevent this bill from passing. Planned Parenthood is supporting the various NGOs in Manila who have been advocating the Womens Right to Pro Choice and supporting legislators who are supportive of this bill..We need your help and support to avoid this from also happening in the Philippines.Very truly yours,Alan Dacanay
Posted by: Zuzka | September 26, 2012 at 11:04 PM
So Sorry Jullisa,I just saw your post! You do not have to get an epidural when you go into labor. The rlaley long needle that they poke into your back could cause you continual back pain, besides the medication they put in the epidural is not good for the baby even though they say it is OK. There are IV pain medications if you rlaley think you want to take medication, or you could naturally give birth to the child without any medication. I have had three kids naturally without any medication. I was afraid of giving birth with my oldest child, but with more education about birth, listening to the coaching of the doctors and nurses I made it through fine. If you are able to take little to NO medication during your pregnancy, labor birth the baby will be so much better off, alert, and healthy!If you are choosing to parent your child and cannot continue to attend school I would recommend studding for your GED. There should be a local agency that will help you study for the GED in most towns cities. Also they will be able to give you information about where to take the GED.If you are considering all of your options with your pregnancy, like adoption, residential care, parenting assistance from extended family or friends that will allow you to stay in school and complete your education I have information on all of those concepts also. I wish you all the best as you carry your pregnancy to term, Congratulations on choosing LIFE!
Posted by: Nurin | June 14, 2012 at 11:38 PM
Ah, Amiey, i mean during mneses. i have Muslim frens who told me and i double-checked, yes it is like they say must not'. i googled too just to make sure. which is why i think your post is interesting because it's contradictory. hmm Hahahaha! Sorry :P yeah, I'm not sure though. But will get back once I confirmed about it :P[]
Posted by: Malaipheng | June 12, 2012 at 03:51 AM
Great point Stephen. I've often wondered how the government (or society) can condone abortions and yet impose a greater punishment on a drunk driver when he hits a pregnant mother and kills an unborn baby.
Posted by: James Mallory | May 11, 2011 at 02:04 PM
I think you are mistaking a recommendation supporting the control of teratogenic toxin exposure before birth as a general rule to support successful human reproduction with a more specific protection of an individual embryo. Were humans in some danger of population decline instead of in a state of overshoot of available resources, such a position may be tenable.
The statistics show that up to a third of pregnancies end in spontaneous abortion (miscarriage in the first 20 weeks). Additionally, studies have shown that from 30-70% of pregnancies end before the next menses, and go undetected when menses occurs.
Nearly half of all pregnancies in US women are unintended for various reason, of those, 4 in 10 are aborted for a total of somewhere around 21% of pregnancies ending in induced abortion.
With those statistics you can piece together that our reproductive strategy, though inefficient in terms of offspring produced per pregnancy, is exceptionally successful because of the frequency of pregnancies.
If you want to decrease the number of abortions, a simple plan of identifying ways to decrease the number of unintended pregnancies and implementing remediation would be a solid contender.
Just saying abortion kills babies does not address the multi-factoral problem posed by the synergy between poverty, ignorance, and lack of access to health care that leads women to the agonizing decision to end their pregnancies.
Unfortunately, the very same people who want to end a woman's ability to have a medically safe abortion are also the ones pushing failed abstinence only sex education (i.e. no education regarding sex), repeal of health care reform that would allow easier access to birth control, and the end of means tested social assistance programs that help pull people out of poverty.
Start with an examination of the problem and work toward a solution. When you pose a solution and then frame the problem around it, you are just adding to the problem.
Posted by: Nixon Shock | January 12, 2011 at 09:32 AM