Take a Look at Our Local First Way Center!

Take a look at our local First Way Center! 

We're located at 1667 High St, near downtown and the University of Oregon. 

Walk-Ins Are Welcome!

 First Way is a comfortable place for a woman to go when she needs someone to talk to.

We offer free pregnancy tests and free ultrasound. 


Come in and see us!

Call  541.687.8651.

Will My Baby Feel Pain? Get the Facts.

I will never forget hearing Abby Johnson (former Planned Parenthood director turned pro-life advocate) talking about the most common thing she heard women say on their way to the abortion room. Sometimes (but not always) confused and on sedative drugs they muttered, "Will my baby feel pain?"

These women aren't asking about their fetus or their mass of cells. They are referring to a baby. They also care about the well-being of their baby.

Of course, clinic workers were quick to dismiss the question by saying there was no baby to feel pain, more recent research is showing something different:

Expert Tells Congress Unborn Babies Can Feel Pain Starting at 8 Weeks

"Maureen Condic, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the University of Utah and obtained her Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley. She is a widely published scientist whose works have appeared in a wide variety of peer-reviewed journals."

A summary of her testimony-

1. The overall organization of the nervous system is established by four weeks
2. The neural circuitry responsible for the most primitive response to pain, the spinal reflex, is in place by 8 weeks of development,
3. To experience pain, a noxious stimulus must be detected. The neural structures necessary to detect noxious stimuli are in place by 8-10 weeks of human development.

 Dr Condic's Full Testimony 

Dr. Condic presented new evidence that had not been considered yet. The older standard of when a baby was able to feel pain was always set at 20 weeks.

While no neurologist questions that a pre-born infant can feel pain at 20 weeks, lawmakers are still trying to get a ban on abortions after 20 weeks, and their efforts are encountering great opposition. The oddest part of it is that after 20 weeks, most people don't realize how barbaric the procedures are that are used. Just as in earlier abortions that dismember the unborn child, after twenty weeks, limbs are twisted off one by one before the skull is crushed- on a conscious baby with no anesthetic.

So, people know a baby will feel pain and be horribly tortured and they still want that to be a legal "right" for a mother to have? What are people thinking? Articles I have read from pro-choice advocates assert that very few abortions are done at 20 weeks and that laws like this are just stepping-stones to ending abortion.

In other words, it is more important to protect a woman's "right" to end the life of a human being growing inside her than it is to save even one infant from a torturous death by dismemberment.

If the most common question a woman asks before having an abortion is, "Will my baby feel pain," perhaps one of the most important conversations we need to be having with her is about how, "Yes, your baby will feel pain."

Doctors on Fetal Pain.com

Article Appendix-
Facts and Statistics

Prevalence

As for how often abortions after 20 weeks are happening? Check the Guttmacher Institute. They haven't even been keeping track of it since 2006. (See their most recent 2011 summary sheet with their pie graph of their last (2006) research done  http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html ). The last time the CDC did any research was 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6108a1.htm?s_cid=ss6108a1_w .
Both are showing the rate at between 1%-2% of total abortions.

So what's going on? Why four years with no research done at all? No one wants to report on this, that's what's going on.

But, go state by state and you can see for yourself-
Example- five years ago- (again- nothing current is available- Nobody wants to look at this.)

Oregon- 4.4% after 18 weeks (1.71% 21 wks + )

(More than 183 potentially viable, definitely pain-capable infants dismembered limb from limb)

Those at 20 weeks not counted above- total: 18 weeks + is 475
 
http://www.abort73.com/abortion_facts/states/oregon/

Compare to-
New York- 2.6% 18-20 weeks; 2.3% 21 + weeks
(total- 5879 total infants)

http://www.abort73.com/abortion_facts/states/new_york/

Oh, it's happening a lot. There are many, many Gosnells out there. They have to be, with statistics like this. What else do the doctors do when the baby is accidentally born alive ? (which happens often after 20 weeks.)

Abortion hurts. Let them know.
 
Viability-
What percent can live outside the womb?

The scientific definition of viability is whether 50% or more can survive. Therefore, 25 weeks is most often given as the time an infant is viable. The truth is that infants survive much younger than that, just at a lower percentage.

Although no infants have survived at 20 weeks, at 21 weeks several anecdotal cases have survived and at 22 weeks, the rate of survival ranges from 10-35%.

Length of Pregnancy	Likelihood of Survival (average)
23 weeks	17%
24 weeks	39%
25 weeks	50%
26 weeks	80%
27 weeks	90%
28-31 weeks	90-95%
32-33 weeks	95%
34+ weeks	Almost as likely as a full-term baby

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetal_viability


Way before 20 weeks, babies hurt. New expert testimony shows babies hurt as early as 8 weeks.

 

 

The Psychology of Abortion Vulnerable Women

We've been getting excited about the new, "Talk to a Friend Outreach." In preparation, I have been studying an article about research regarding the psychology of abortion-minded and abortion vulnerable women. It turns out that these mindsets are very much tied in to self image.

Shame about pregnancy is a strong motivator for abortion, regardless of whether a woman has religious beliefs. Although she is ashamed that her friends will judge her for what they see may be putting her career in jeopardy, almost no women have shame about having a child "out-of-wedlock anymore. Because women may be afraid of being judged by religious people, they may avoid talking to them, however. 

First Way's success is due in part to our non-religious approach to women. We do not bring religion up. We do not mention it at all, unless she does. We give her "just the facts." Since Planned Parenthood does not give her the facts, the facts alone can be persuasive. For example, a procedure involving dismembering the baby limb by limb and sucking the parts into a tube is referred to by PP only as, "gently removing the contents of the uterus." 

With organizations such as Feminists for Life, Atheists for Life and Buddhists for Life gaining more prominence, fewer people are seeing the pro-life position as a "religious thing." This helps us help the women we serve. 

Women who have a self-identity as maternal and who see being a woman as connected with motherhood are more likely to be "abortion vulnerable" than "abortion minded." These women are the ones most likely to be propelled into abortion due to a sense of shame. So, these women should be handled with lots of compassion and TLC, while helping her feel good about herself as a woman and about her ability to make choices for the sake of herself and the child.

Many women do not identify with motherhood and they primarily see their pregnancy as a threat to their career success. In these cases, few things are more powerful than showing them examples of women who are successful (or even more successful) following delivery, and who are proud of the achievement of balancing both. Also, the stories of women who "never really thought of themselves as mothers" are bound to have a greater impact.

The new "Talk to a Friend Outreach" is meant to convey these positive, empowering and inspirational messages to women, to reach them in the way psychological research most strongly indicates will lead to success. 

We appreciate your help and support. Please let us know if you or someone you know has an inspirational story to share, or if you would like to work as a peer counselor with us. Thanks!

Research Summary- Vitae Foundation

Newest 2013 Research- Vitae Foundation

Talk to a Friend Blog

So, abortion is not a holocaust, you say?

Infancy is a time of innocent trust. The newborn has a lot of development to do and she requires safety and protection to grow up healthy and well.

A newborn infant is not like you and me. They can't sit and debate philosophy or jet ski or write novels. They don't really do much but sleep, poop, cry and eat.

An article posted a few hours ago on Crushable.com is about someone's opinion that, for similar reasons, it is ludicrous to compare abortion to a "holocaust." The reason the author gives is that, "It’s an event in recent history that resulted in the systematic murder of six million people. SIX MILLION LIVING AND BREATHING HUMAN BEINGS.  People who had jobs and lives and families and histories before being enslaved, tortured and murdered. To compare their lives to the lives of developing fetuses disgusts me."

Let's take a look at this. These "people" of the "holocaust" had jobs, lives and families, unlike "developing fetuses." Also, they had jobs and families, unlike infants and children who do not have jobs and have not yet created families. Children are DEVELOPING, just as the "fetus" in the womb is developing. So the reason the author gives why the pre-born aren't people so they cannot be victims of a holocaust isn't sensible at all, since she defines a person with such lazy and careless terms, in a tone (all capitals, emotional language, such as "disgust," "offensive," and "makes me want to foam at the mouth") that is more akin to a person spouting off about their bad hair day than someone writing an intelligent article.

This author even titles her article, "Someone Needs To Explain The Difference Between A Holocaust And An Abortion To The Duggars." For those who don't know, the Duggars are the parents of over twenty children who have recently formed a coalition of pro-life groups who will work together, called, "Life United." The idea for this coalition came to them as they were touring a Holocaust museum and they realized that abortion was a form of holocaust.

So, the author, Jenni Maier, is concerned that the Duggar family has not been educated about what a holocaust is and how it is not the same as abortion. 

Looking up the definition of holocaust in Merriam-Webster online, we see, "a thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life especially through fire." Call a pre-born baby what you will, from a "fetus" to a "sea monkey," you still can't logically say it is not alive or not human. So, the definition of holocaust applies. The Duggars never used the word "holocaust" with a capital "H," which would refer to the most famous holocaust, the Holocaust that occurred in Nazi Germany.

So Jenni, have you been able to stop "foaming at the mouth" long enough to think about things before writing an article on a major internet website?  As I look around the web, I see many examples of this crazy, lazy thinking, which is hungrily embraced by others who want to be lazy in their thinking to justify what they want.

The only reason why it would even occur to me to critique such an inane article is that today's world is so filled with emotion-driven people who lack critical thinking skills. When a person's emotions "resonate" with the emotions of an author, that's all a person needs to make a point these days.

Surely, opinions like this cannot sway an intelligent public from protecting the lives of the unborn.

Jenni Maier's Article

 http://www.crushable.com/2013/01/30/entertainment/the-duggars-abortion/

"Roe" of Roe v Wade AND "Doe" of Doe v Bolton- Both Pro-life Activists Now

Well, the memorial of Roe v Wade has passed and I have taken some time to collect and integrate my thoughts after hearing so many more talks and reading so many more articles than usual.

One of the articles that impacted me most was realizing that both women who fought hard to legalize abortion (Norma McCorvey "Jane Roe" of Roe v Wade and Sandra Cano "Jane Doe" of Doe v Bolton) no longer support abortion and wish these decisions were revoked.

The Doe v Bolton case made abortion legal up to nine months, at the discretion of the states. However, Sandra Cano said she was forced to sign an affidavit agreeing to an abortion she didn't want to have and even tried to flee the state to prevent abortion. The irony of this situation is that one of the most famous "victories" for the pro-choice movement didn't involve a choice at all.

“No one should have a right to kill their children. No mother should ever want to do so,” she said, describing her case as a “covenant with death.” -Sandra Cano (Jane Doe)

Norma McCorvey "Jane Roe" was a pro-choice activist who worked at abortion clinics. Once, she was on her cigarette break and struck up a conversation with an "operation rescue" preacher and in time was converted, baptized and became a pro-life activist.

Over the past forty years, the two women who sparked the landmark pro-abortion legislation have both re-thought it and had a dramatic change of heart.  

It's not impossible to hope that our country won't be too far behind.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/two-women-legalized-abortion-in-america-now-both-of-them-want-it-reversed

 http://womenshistory.about.com/od/abortionus/a/norma_mccorvey.htm

Abortion Hurts Society (even if you don't believe it hurts a woman and a child.)

At today's First Way staff meeting, I gave a brief presentation about the psychological effects abortion can have on men. After all, it's their child, too. And, they are powerless to do anything. Beyond that, communication between the man and woman breaks down, because any opinion the man might have about saving his child may be seen as an affront to her "rights" as a woman.

The primary biological drive in a woman is to nurture children. The primary biological drive in a man is to protect his wife and children. When a woman chooses abortion without the agreement of the baby's father, not only is she going against her biological nature, but she forces a man to go against his biological nature as well. How can any of this be good for the human psyche?

Not all men who have lost a child to abortion will experience recognizable trauma any more than the child's mother did. The key word is "recognizable." Many men and women experience PTSD-like symptoms and cannot trace the symptoms to any traumatic event. People are experiencing this more and more now that abortion is increasingly seen not only as socially acceptable, but as a desirable alternative for a woman who finds herself pregnant. So, many men and women have no idea why they are suffering.

What happens to the relationship when a man and woman disagree about whether to abort? Once communication breaks down, the relationship is rarely salvaged. While this is an expected outcome when the couple disagree, statistically the majority of relationships do not survive post-abortion, even when the couple mutually agree to abort.

Abortion is not natural or healthy for women, men, relationships or families. Abortion may be considered good for careers, for independence and for gathering material financial success for men and women. Meanwhile, 60% of marriages are ending in divorce and 33% of women are having an abortion in at least one point in their lifetime. Since abortion has been legal, primary biological drives of men to protect and women to nurture are repressed. As men and women go against their natures, the concept of "family" has been less and less important, so no wonder we are seeing so few intact families. Abortion is both a causal factor and a symptom of the problem. How could abortion not be damaging psychologically to men, women and children?

Abortion is not a decision made by a woman that only affects herself and her body. Abortion affects the father of the child and society at large. Even for people who don't view human life as sacred or even worthy of respect, the wider ramifications of abortion should be of concern.

What Happens When Government Takes Over Health Care?

What happens when government takes over health care? In some ways, I like the idea of health care being available to all citizens. I think any first world country should have citizens who can have access to health care. However, when the government is footing the bill, the government can call the shots about who lives and who dies. Some have called this, “death panels,” but it is worse than that. Panels don't exist as much as hard and fast rules that doctors must follow.

In England, doctors may only save premature babies that weigh one pound or more. To save smaller babies is considered a drain on state resources, so infants that small are not provided the medical care other premature babies are offered, and almost all of them die. Here's a link to an article in which a tiny baby's life was saved because the medical staff made an accident and allowed scissors to touch the scale adding weight. So, it is okay with the government to call the shots over what is human or not, alive or not, salvageable or not .

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4699834/Saved-by-scissors.html

Also in England, “Geoffrey Clark, who sought a seat on the Kent County Council, set off a firestorm of criticism when he recommended that the National Health Service, the British government-run health care system, mandate that mothers of unborn children diagnosed with disabilities have abortions. He said such abortions would be a big help in reducing the nation’s debt, by supposedly cutting the medical and other costs associated with raising such children.” While Mr. Clark was removed from his affiliation with his political party, what is to stop government from taking actions such as this? After all, they are paying the bill and in the USA, our current administration dismisses all pro-life concerns. What Mr. Clark recommended could happen here, probably more easily than in the UK.

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/12/27/candidate-suspended-who-okd-mandatory-abortion-of-disabled-children/

Now, to be fair, those who live in the UK have half the amount of heart attack and stroke that Americans do, and at half of the cost. So, the United Kingdom is doing something right and I believe we have a lot to learn from them. Health care is a mess in this country, but in our desperation for hope, we cannot end up selling our soul. When a society becomes desensitized to protecting our most vulnerable, we are losing that soul. 

Let's work together in 2013 to stand up for the unborn who cannot speak up for themselves. Humanity depends on it, for without basic respect for life, "humane" has no meaning.

(Granted, corporations and private industry may not be counted on to do a better job either, although more possibility for change exists with them. Ultimately, we need to change our culture's values to assure humane treatment for all.)

Some Claim Abortion Is Not a Choice

Earlier this week, I was reading an article about women's abortion stories on Yahoo News. The gist of the article was that those women were in dire straits. They basically had no choice but to have the abortion, due to financial problems and relationship turmoil. I wondered how this article was pro-choice, since after all, the claim was that they had no choice and should not be “judged.” I'd agree that these women were in tough situations where abortion seemed like the only way out.

In a society that stresses the importance of comfort and convenience for all, choosing to have an unwanted baby seems absurd. After all, pregnancy is nine months of discomfort, followed by hours and hours of labor and (unless the child is given up for adoption,) months of sleepless nights after the birth. Yet, often the right choice is the more difficult choice. Great dedication is required to do the right thing. Our social climate is accepting of the choice of abortion and often encourages it, which makes it even easier to choose to abort. Abortion is a few hundred dollars, over in an hour or two....much easier than a lifetime commitment or even a nine month commitment before adoption. And, to top it all off, most people don't even see any value in going through all that when abortion is available.

When we're encouraging a woman to keep her baby, this is important to keep in mind. Often, we're that soft voice somewhere deep in her mind that she just doesn't want to listen to. If we weren't here to say it, the message of life might never be heard. Working in a crisis pregnancy center is often the only way a woman can gain hope and support in making a true choice, in a situation in which family and friends are pushing abortion as the only way. Choosing life is an option and life for an infant is a life worth saving. With support and help, there is always a way to make things work out. If we're not here to say this, who will? If we're not there to help it all work out, what will she do?

New Video- Crisis Pregnancy: Your Choice

Good morning, all! This has been a busy week and this is my first chance to post. This week, I've made a video, however, about crisis pregnancy and the choice women face. Hoping to reach girls by relating to how they feel and then introducing simple facts to spark ethical thinking. It's about two and a half minutes. I hope you have a chance to take a look. Comments are welcomed, whether here or at YouTube. It's bound to start controversy now that's out there, so it's good to have defenders. I'll be gone all weekend to a silent retreat for secular carmelites, in Beaverton. Looking forward to blogging again upon my return!

Tip #3: Reach the Truth Deep Down

Deep down, every woman knows she is terminating a human life and that it is her child. Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood director, says the most common statement she heard when a woman, groggy on medications, was on her way to have an abortion was, “Will my baby feel pain?” We have answers to that, real ones, and not the lies Planned Parenthood will tell. Although by the twentieth week, medical consensus is that pain can be felt, information about when the unborn baby feels pain earlier is speculative, but logical. Pain receptors are present in the fifth week of gestation. At six weeks, the cerebral cortex (recognized as the center of pain consciousness) is developed. Most compellingly, even babies in the first trimester try to escape the D&C blade by moving away from it as much as they can.


Fetal Pain Brochure: Suitable for Printing