Another part of the strong reaction to the overturning of Roe vs. Wade has been many news stories that try to exaggerate the danger to women when abortion is outlawed. For example, the claim is made that it will be illegal for mothers to obtain treatment for ectopic pregnancies. This is not true. The states that outlaw abortion all take into account cases where the unintended death of an unborn child may result from a necessary procedure to save the life of the mother. To remove a fallopian tube may be necessary to save the mother’s life because the developing embryo will eventually burst the tube. This would result in the death of the mother and the child. Hopefully, the day will come when doctors will be able to transplant the embryo from the fallopian tube to the uterus to save both the mother and the child. As of now, the child’s death may be an unwanted and unavoidable consequence of required treatment for the mother. But this is not abortion. Abortion is the direct and intended killing of the unborn child.

Another example of a case in which treatment for the mother may result in the unintended death of an unborn child is when the mother has cancer of the uterus and a hysterectomy is necessary to save her life. Sadly, again the child will be lost but the treatment is not abortion.

Abortion is not treatment for any medical condition.

We recommend the website of the National Catholic Bioethics Center for more information about these important issues. It is more important than ever to be careful of what we read and to be critical in a good way, to find out what is the real truth of an issue. God bless you.

Fr. Peter