USA – New Study: Abortion Pill Injures more Women than FDA Reports
A team of over 30 board certified physicians spent three years reviewing thousands of pages of adverse events reports submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by abortion pill manufacturer Danco. The study was published in Issues in Law & Medicine in January this year. The study found large amounts of underreported complications. Factors that contributed to the underreporting were that 60% of surgical abortions, due to abortion pill complications, were not handled by the abortion facility, and less than half of the women who suffered complications went to the emergency room instead of getting treatment at the abortion facility. The most common complications included a failed abortion, an incomplete abortion, infection and a missed ectopic pregnancy.
“Some of the patient deaths were not known to the abortion provider until they saw the death in an obituary or were contacted by an outside source,” the researchers wrote and propose that abortion providers, hospitals, emergency departments, and private practitioners should be required to report on abortion complications. Moreover, the FDA should strengthen reporting systems because in 2016, under the Obama administration, the FDA stopped requiring Danco to report non-fatal abortion complications to the government, and the reports that were submitted lacked detail and many patients were lost to follow-up.
England de-regulated the abortion drug during the pandemic last year and saw disastrous consequences. There have been numerous reports of health and safety problems, including two women who died after taking the drugs. In another case, authorities are investigating how a woman who was 28-weeks pregnant received the abortion drugs in the mail and used them to abort her viable, late-term unborn baby. In the United States, mifepristone has been linked to at least 24 women’s deaths and 4,000 serious complications.
Because of the risk associated with taking mifepristone, coupled with misoprostol to abort unborn babies, the FDA requires abortion facilities to administer the drug in-person after an examination. Now, abortion activists are demanding that the Biden administration get rid of safety requirements for the abortion drug and allow the drug to be distributed by telemedicine, meaning the mother may never see a doctor or have an ultrasound before she takes the drug and aborts her unborn baby. Now that Marie Stopes is delivering abortion pills to South African (SA) women via Telemedicine, SA can expect similar sad results.
Brazil – New study shows unborn baby react to needle injection causing pain
With the advent of high-definition 4-dimensional ultrasound (4D-US), it is possible to record fetal body and facial expressions. In a recent study, unborn babies undergoing an anaesthetic injection into their thigh ahead of intrauterine surgery exhibit changes in facial expression similar to newborn babies experiencing pain. The evidence gathered in this study coheres with the increasing evidence that the unborn can experience pain. Last year, a large number of MPs attended a Parliamentary webinar to discuss the evidence indicating that the unborn baby may feel pain from as early as 12 weeks’ gestation.
This study was published in the Journal of Medical Ethics and called ‘Reconsidering Fetal Pain’. In this study, they argue that women considering abortion at 12 weeks’ gestation should be told about the pain their unborn baby could experience while being terminated. Lethal injection of potassium chloride to their heart in a late-term abortion. This is the same chemical used to execute inmates in the US. The administration of potassium chloride in executions is considered so painful that it is considered necessary to first administer an anaesthetic before its use in state executions. The American College of Pediatricians has released their position statement after reviewing the scientific evidence on fetal pain at 12 weeks’ gestation, and possibly earlier, and are in full agreement with the findings. Sorting pain out of salience: assessment of pain facial expressions in the human fetus, American College of Pediatricians: Unborn Children Feel Pain, Study shows baby in the womb reacting to anaesthetic injection.
USA – Unsafe: the ground-breaking investigative report on abortion industry that endangers women
A ground-breaking 50-state investigative report on America’s abortion industry conditions is a comprehensive, documented record of the tragic consequences of that decision to make abortion legal and believing, against the evidence, that it would be safer. The report documents more than 300 facilities in 39 states that were cited for more than 2,400 health and safety deficiencies between 2008 and 2020, including hundreds of significant violations of state laws meant to ensure basic health and safety. The report also includes information on the dangers of chemical abortion drugs, abortionists’ disregard for patient safety, and their failure to report the trafficking and rape of young girls. Unsafe equips advocates and lawmakers with evidence of the need for health and safety standards. Report
Poland – Top court rules abortion in case of disability is unconstitutional
Despite the play on words by mainstream media, women are not the ones in danger if abortion on the unborn is made illegal, because it’s the unborn who gets aborted. Poland’s top court has ruled to protect unborn babies from being aborted when they are diagnosed with a disability this also means that almost all abortion in Poland is banned. Abortion will now only be permissible in cases of rape, incest or if the mother’s life is thought to be at risk which makes up only 2% of abortions. Poland will now be the country with the strictest abortion laws in Europe and recent polling results show 75% of Polish people think abortion is always wrong and can never be justified while only 7% felt otherwise. More
Africa – Help us, don’t kill us! Plead against funding of abortion
Culture of Life Africa pleads with President Biden of America, in a video, to keep President Trump’s Mexico City Policy (MCP) intact. MCP bans American taxpayer money from funding NGOs in foreign countries that promote or provide abortion. Lawyers, nurses, doctors, students, business entrepreneurs from continents all over Africa pleaded with the USA to channel funds into helping the needy, the poor, the weak, sick and homeless and that hospitals, drinkable water, food, good education and infrastructure are what they need – not abortion. African communities are built on the principles of sanctity of life, equal dignity for all, protecting the weak and vulnerable and since the right to life is inherent, the same should be afforded to the unborn child said a lawyer in the video. They hope that Biden will recognize the African Culture and respect their heart’s cry and not force western ideas and ideologies on the world of the poor. More
On January 26, 2021, Doctors For Life gave a presentation on the topic of vaccines. The presentation was hosted by the National Alliance for Life (NAL) which is a pro-life group that networks with all pro-life organisations of different kinds. The issue of vaccines are of particular interest to pro-lifers since the big question is: are aborted babies being used in the manufacturing of these vaccines? Dr Albu van Eeden unpacks the scientific research surrounding this question by referencing three main articles on the subject which can be found published on the Charlotte Lozier Institute website. The referenced articles mentioned in the talk are;
Christian groups are also concerned about the rumours going around that these vaccines would essentially mean that they receive the Mark of The Beast (Revelation 13:16-18), other groups are concerned that nano-bots will be injected into their system. All these questions and concerns will be covered in this presentation.
Both Video and Audio playbacks are available below:
UK – Top medical bodies: Don’t pressure women to have abortions
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of Midwives, and the Society and College of Radiographers have come together advising all medical professionals not to pressure pregnant women into having abortions if their unborn child is diagnosed with a possible disability. This comes as a response to the growing number of reports from women facing such pressure. Women report that their decisions continue pregnancy is challenged by staff, pressured into changing their minds, and they get asked repeatedly if they would consider abortion or more tests. The statement says that the choice of parents should be respected and accepted, not pressured into changing their minds. More
USA – A new lawsuit against NY abortion bill claims it enables domestic violence
A class action lawsuit was filed recently against Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo and other state officials. The plaintiffs are women who are victims of domestic abuse. Plaintiffs claim the new definition of the Reproductive Health Act incentivizes domestic violence by removing criminal penalties for the death of unborn children who die because their mothers were threatened or abused. The Act no longer considers an unborn child as a victim of homicide and therefore escalates the threat of harm to women. The women are being represented by attorneys who are serving as special counsel to the Women’s Alliance Against Violence, an initiative of the Thomas More Society that challenges laws endangering women and children. More
USA – Ohio state bans telemed DIY abortion pills
Senate Bill 260 was signed into law on January 9th which bans Ohio doctors from prescribing abortion-inducing drugs through the use of telemedicine. According to the FDA, 22 women died from a range of complications induced by the abortion drugs as part of the greater 2,740 cases of reported complications associated with the abortion drugs. Using telemedicine will likely promote the unsupervised and dangerous sale of abortion drugs to women all over the world with no physician oversight. Victims of human trafficking and pedophilia are also a vulnerable group that the abortion industry will help in hiding their crimes through telemedicine usage. More
World – Amid COVID-19 pandemic, Abortion remains world’s #1 cause of death
Globally, abortion has remained the major cause of death in 2020 for unborn children when compared to all deaths from cancer, malaria, HIV/AIDS, smoking, alcohol, and traffic accidents combined. Statistics, according to the respected Worldometer website, show how COVID-19 deaths in 2020 reached 1.8 million – which is still a devastating number. According to the Guttmacher Institute, abortions worldwide are estimated to be around 121 million abortions between 2015 and 2019. Which means that 73 million abortions per year. Entire populations of countries like the UK (68 million), Italy (60 million), South Africa (59 million) and Kenya (54 million) are all lower every year than the number of annual abortions as estimated by Guttmacher. More
South Africa – Many articles claim abortion is still the best option for women
Some south African articles still insist that abortion is better if women do it legally or specifically within a health care setting then the procedure is safe and there can be no complications. An article by The Daily Maverick also insists that a woman, who can end the life of her unborn child, has more autonomy. Reports from around the world and more recently from USA Pennsylvania contradict these beliefs. A new report from Pennsylvania Department of Health show that in 2019, there was an alarming increase in abortion complications reported by physicians which was much higher than the 179 injuries documented in 2018. So even in a regulated health setting, women still get injured. Legal abortion does not protect women from this and neither from psychological problems that surface after an abortion – sometimes after years. Women with a history of abortion reported suffering from mental problems like depression, anxiety, feelings of anger and regret, and the inclination to commit suicide. Some women reported suffering damaged relationships with their husbands and children because of the anger and regret reported studies published in the British Journal of Psychiatry and the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons.
If South African media outlets continue to promote abortion as amounting to safety once made legal, unsuspecting SA women will be sitting with a bigger burden than the one they had before. Who then will help these women pick up the pieces when the damage is done? Will the media who insisted that abortion is free of consequences? Can we blame SA health practitioners for refusing to be part of this especially if they know this will do greater harm to the mother? The women who viciously advocate for abortion rights are women who have no idea of what this will cost them. They are oblivious of the fact that such a decision will catch up with them eventually. We’re not giving women more autonomy as some SA media outlet suggests, we’re giving them more mental health problems with no way out.
USA – Abortion industry being taken to court over trafficking of aborted baby parts
For years, Troy Newman of Operation Save America and founding board member of the Center for Medical Progress has been what he calls a legal target for Planned Parenthood. Since 2015 the Planned Parenthood v. Troy Newman, et al. RICO lawsuit continues. Troy is being charged for “racketeering” which really is exposing their criminal scheme to sell babies by the pound. Troy published the now infamous truth about Planned Parenthood’s cash for baby body parts scheme. The bigger the baby, the more money they get for the dead baby. Operation Rescue has been at the forefront of exposing Planned Parenthood and putting their affiliates out of business for decades. More
Embargo: Immediate release Enquiries: Doctors For Life Int.
Date: 22 January 2021 Telephone: 032 481 5550
Dr Jacques de Vos, whose professional conduct hearing has been delayed by the HPCSA since 2017, has applied to the North Gauteng High Court to compel the HPCSA to finalise the hearing against him. In 2017 Dr De Vos has been suspended from the gynaecology rotation during his internship at 2 Military Hospital, Cape Town after he advised a woman that her 19-week old unborn baby is a human life.
Since July 2017 Dr De Vos has been prevented from practising medicine and has been charged with unprofessional conduct. For the past three and a half years the HPCSA has been delaying the hearing against him, applied for postponements, and unilaterally withdrew the charges against Dr De Vos only to reinstate it almost a year later. In December 2019 Dr De Vos pleaded “not guilty” to the charges against him. Despite the best efforts of his legal team, the HPCSA ignored Dr De Vos’ pleas to state his case. In September 2020 the HPCSA again unilaterally “withdrew” the charges for a second time. Lawyers for Dr De Vos will argue in the High Court that he is entitled to a conviction or acquittal because he has entered a plea, and that the HPCSA must proceed with the hearing with urgency.
Dr De Vos, who is wheelchair-bound, has faced severe ongoing prejudice as the result of the unexplained delays, failure to meet deadlines, and refusal to provide Dr De Vos with information of his alleged “misdemeanours”. This, despite Dr De Vos being ready to state his case, and despite expert witnesses in human anatomy and psychiatry being ready to testify.
Dr De Vos is a member of Doctors For Life International and has been assisting him with his case including fundraising to cover expenses (all lawyers are working pro-bono though), and arranging expert witnesses. For more information, contact Doctors For Life at [email protected]
Ireland – New Study shows doctors suffer emotionally when performing abortions
In a new study based on interviews with ten doctors who perform abortions in Irish hospitals under the country’s new abortion law reveals what doctors go through. The doctors described Late-Term Abortion (LTA) procedures as “‘brutal’, ‘awful’ and ‘emotionally difficult’, referring to it as ‘stabbing the baby in the heart’, and held themselves responsible for the death of the baby”. Doctors expressed emotional difficulty describing LTA as creating a ‘psychological burden’. LTA kills the baby in the womb by injecting potassium chloride directly into the baby’s heart.
The administration of potassium chloride in executions in the USA is considered so painful that it is necessary to first administer an anaesthetic before its use. There is, however, no such obligation to use painkillers in late term abortions, despite the mounting evidence that the unborn baby is capable of experiencing pain and distress. There have been cases of abortion following a misdiagnosis of disability. In 2019, a baby boy was thought to have Trisomy 18 and only after the abortion was it shown that the child was perfectly healthy. Article, Study
Russia – Lessons learned from Russia’s 100 years legalized abortion
Soviet Russia was the first country to legalize abortion in 1920 believing that this would reduce the harm caused by dangerous, illegal procedures and gradually make abortion non-existent. The opposite happened instead, and abortion rose by 400% which caused a falling birth rate and a plunging population. The opposite also happened in after Roe v. Wade became U.S. law in 1973, and also the opposite of what happened to Ireland in 2018. As a result, Russia tried disseminating birth control and eventually made abortion illegal again in 1936 because it wasn’t working. The general feeling however was that women needed to limit the number of children because of societal conditions at the time and women needed abortions so they could work or attend school. Medical dangers of abortion often go unacknowledged because this belief persists today that abortion is necessary for women’s social well-being.
Back in the 20th century, researchers attempted to warn the Russian public about abortion risks, Professor M. Malinovsky wrote: “…People do not see or do not want to see the dangers inherent in abortion. The fact that the operation goes unpunished and is relatively safe has created an illusion of the complete harmlessness of the operation. It is our duty to dispel this misconception.” One hundred years later, abortion has not corrected societal or familial injustices or inequalities against women or their children — because an injustice perpetrated against an entire class of human beings can never lead to justice for anyone else. More
Ireland – Opposition to DIY abortions grows in the medical sector
A leading Scottish medic, Northern Ireland’s Health Minister, and 277 healthcare workers are opposing the DIY abortion programme, calling it “unsafe and “unacceptable.” The abortion pills are sent through the post and women perform their own abortion at home with no medical supervision or support. The letter stated: “We find it sadly ironic that, at a time when the whole of society is constraining itself to prevent sickness and death for our at-risk friends and family, there is a push to expedite the ending of the lives of its most vulnerable member, the unborn child. Concerns include; forced abortion on women in abusive relationships or victims of trafficking, sepsis and significant bleeding is also of great concern.
USA – Activists are promoting new way to cushion consciences on abortion
The Missed Period Pill (MPP) is a new type of abortion pill which would bring on bleeding like a menstrual period, and which would terminate the pregnancy for nearly all people who were pregnant. The key point is that they would never know whether or not they had been pregnant. What was interesting to researchers was despite decades of feminism, culminating in groups like Shout Your Abortion, many women still appear to be ashamed of having an abortion. Some would use this because they’d feel less guilty about killing their baby because they’d never know if they were pregnant or not. Why else would women feel ashamed unless something instinctively tells them that this is a life being taken? More.
Marie Stopes South Africa (MSSA) has been sending out emails offering to send abortion pills via Telemedicine. MSSA calls this practice safe and seems to be taking many precautions in the “check your eligibility” section of the email, but it is not enough to help women in dangerous situations like when they are being trafficked. How would MSSA detect possible coercion from an abuser? With multiple studies demonstrating the negative emotional, psychological, and long term physical implications women suffer, can this be the support SA women need? Is aborting the baby addressing the real problem? Read more
Scotland – Scottish doctor opposes extension of DIY home abortions
A leading Scottish doctor has voiced opposition to the proposed extension of ‘DIY’ home abortions in Scotland. Since the coronavirus lockdown, women in Scotland and across England and Wales have been able to take both pills required in a medical abortion at home. Despite serious and mounting safety concerns, the Scottish Government launched a public consultation on whether ‘DIY’ home abortions should continue once there is no longer a significant risk of COVID-19 transmission. Dr Antony Latham, chairman of the Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, is strongly opposed.
Chief among the doctor’s concerns was the possibility of women being coerced into an unwanted abortion. “One danger is that the woman is under pressure to have an abortion in an abusive relationship or from relatives who will not support her,” he said. Another concern is that women may be unaware of the risks involved. “Significant bleeding and sepsis are not uncommon,” he says. “Another danger is she may not fully understand the trauma of having an abortion, potentially all alone, at home.” And he has further fears that without any examination women may be getting the abortion pills for a pregnancy that is beyond the legal limit for such DIY abortions. “There is already a report of a case where a woman at 28 weeks’ gestation took the pills and delivered a baby which subsequently died.” Sadly, Dr Latham’s concerns have been amplified by real life cases of women who have suffered complications and traumatic experiences after taking ‘DIY’ home abortion pills. This week, a nurse revealed that she was left fearing for her life and needing emergency surgery after taking ‘DIY’ home abortion pills. The woman is now considering legal action against Marie Stopes UK, who supplied her with the abortion pills, for clinical negligence after they failed to provide requested counselling and “rushed” her through the abortion process. Read more
USA – Abortion vendors distance themselves from racist founders but still continue the work
Both International abortion vendors: Marie Stopes (MSI) and Planned Parenthood (PP) have renounced their eugenicist founders Marie Stopes and Margaret Sanger. Both, Stopes in Britain in the early 20th century and Sanger in America in the 1930’s were advocates for contraception for the purpose of “selective reproduction” and to weed out “unfit” races and individuals. The global abortion conglomerate has only distanced themselves from the reputation of their founders, not the work of the founders. According to their annual report of 2019, both MSI and PP have committed abortions in mostly impoverished areas around the world. Actions speak louder than words, it means nothing to renounce their founders but continue in their practices. more
UK – MPs attend webinar on fetal pain
A large number of Members of Parliament (MP) recently attended a webinar with the purpose to raise awareness of the science behind fetal pain and how current UK abortion law affects the treatment of preborn human beings. This included a U.S. Army physician assistant and Dr. Stuart WG Derbyshire, Associate Professor in Psychology. Bockmann and Derbyshire shared evidence showing preborn children may feel pain as early as 12 weeks gestation. Other studies have shown they may actually feel pain as early as eight weeks. “We have divergent views regarding the morality of abortion, but have come together to address the evidence of fetal pain,” they wrote. Despite the debate over fetal pain, abortion deliberately takes the life of a human being. Whether or not that human feels pain while being killed is of secondary importance to the fact that killing innocent human beings through abortion is wrong. more
Guatemala – President rejects Planned Parenthood Agreement
Guatemala’s president promised to scrap an official agreement allowing US-based abortion industry Planned Parenthood to set up an office, denouncing it as a promotor of abortion. President Alejandro Giammattei posted on Twitter saying, “I am a faithful defender of life and I am emphatic in indicating that in my government I will not endorse the creation, registration or start-up of any organization that goes against life,” Abortion in Guatemala is punishable by fines and jail sentences up to three years, and is only authorized if the life of the mother is in danger. Read more
USA – Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers served 2 million people in 2019
The Susan B. Anthony List research arm Charlotte Lozier Institute (a hub for research and public policy analysis on the most pressing issues facing the United States and nations around the world.) shared findings of a robust study of approximately 2,700 U.S. pregnancy centers. The new report, “Pregnancy Centers Stand the Test of Time,” shows two million people were served in ways that included: more than 486,000 free ultrasounds, 160,200 STI/STD tests, more than 21,000 clients received after-abortion support, more than 881,000 students attended sexual risk avoidance education presentations, and nearly 1.3 million packs of diapers. This report shows that they exist to serve and support mothers who choose life to their unborn, even under the most difficult circumstances. more
USA – Manhattan abortion facility injures 36th patient
Another woman has been injured at an abortion facility in Manhattan and is believed to be the 36th woman injured at this particular facility. In 2019, there were 13 ambulances spotted at the Manhattan facility, and during the spring, there were five women injured in seven weeks. This Planned Parenthood (PP) is the same facility which changed its name earlier this year, removing PP’s eugenicist founder, Margaret Sanger. PP of Greater New York acknowledged that the name change was due to Sanger’s “racist legacy.” Yet as Senator Ben Sasse pointed out, removing a name to combat a racist history is meaningless as long as PP continues to profit from the notion that lives are disposable if powerful people say so. Read more
USA – Louisiana passes “love life” amendment
For the first time, Louisiana voters had the opportunity to vote directly on the issue of abortion in any context. Voters were asked whether they support an amendment claiming no specific wording should be found in the state constitution protecting the right to an abortion. The amendment, also known as the “love life” amendment, passed with more than 60-percent of the vote. Ben Clapper with Louisiana Right to Life says the amendment does not ban abortions today but it protects pro-life laws, such as “inform consent”, ultras-sound laws which the vast majority supports, and also bans taxpayer funding of abortion, from judges who might want to usurp the power of our legislators and declare their own policy. Read more
USA – New report shows pro-life 2020 gains
Pro-Life group called Live Action and Americans United for Life have released a 2020 State Legislative Sessions Report which highlights pro-life gains and losses in state laws and policies throughout the year. According to the report, in 2020, state legislators enacted 17 life-affirming laws and two pro-life resolutions. Two pro-life measures were vetoed and two pro-abortion measures were enacted while two others were defeated. According to AUL, Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, and Kentucky are pursuing either pro-life ballot initiatives or constitutional amendments in 2021 and 2022. Read more
Embargo: Immediate release Enquiries: Doctors For Life Int. Date: 30 October 2020 Telephone: 032 481 5550
After three years of stalling, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) on 6 October 2020 “withdrew” the remaining charges against Dr Jacques de Vos. Dr De Vos was charged with unprofessional conduct after allegedly advising a woman that her 19-week old unborn baby is a human being.
Adv Keith Matthee SC, who represents Dr De Vos, argued that it is not possible in law to withdraw charges after Dr De Vos entered a plea in December 2019. Dr De Vos is entitled to an acquittal (or a conviction). Lawyers for Dr De Vos wrote to the HPCSA to request that the hearing continue so that Dr De Vos can be heard and that it can be decided whether he acted unprofessionally or not.
This was also not the first time that the HPCSA “withdrew” charges in the three years that it delayed the case against the pro-life doctor. In 2018 the HPCSA “withdrew” the charges only to reinstate it again. The real reason why the HPCSA is unable to proceed with the hearing is that the so-called “complainant” never submitted a complaint to the HPCSA. Instead, a clear paper trail points to two doctors (Drs Van Wyk and Ismail) at 2 Military Hospital who drove their personal vendetta against Dr De Vos for not agreeing to their worldview justifying abortion.
Doctors For Life has called on the HPCSA to charge Drs Van Wyk and Ismail with gross unprofessional conduct for abusing their powers to achieve their own ideological goals.
Despite requests to the HPCSA to set a date to proceed with Dr De Vos’ matter, no response has been received except the chairperson who indicated he has no powers to make arrangements for a hearing to take place. Doctors for Life and Dr De Vos has now instructed their lawyers to launch an application in the North Gauteng High Court to compel the HPCSA to set the matter down for hearing, and to ask for a personal costs order against the HPCSA, and/or against individuals at the HPCSA in their personal capacities given the vexatious and malicious conduct of the persons responsible, and the ongoing and extreme prejudice this conduct is causing Dr De Vos.
For more information, contact Doctors For Life International at 032 481 5550 or [email protected]
Poland – High Court effectively bans abortion on babies with disabilities
A ruling by Poland’s highest court has effectively banned most abortions in a country where there are only about 2,000 a year. In an 11 to 2 decision, the Constitutional Tribunal declared that abortion due to foetal defects is unconstitutional. 1,074 of 1,100 abortions performed in 2019 were mostly Down syndrome babies. After nationwide protests in 2016, The governing Law and Justice party (PiS) legislators asked the Constitutional Court to rule on the legality of abortion for birth defects. Few media reports looked into the Court’s reasoning. In a nutshell the court condemned eugenics and contended that terminating pregnancy due to defects of the foetus amounted to eugenics – a sensitive issue in a country which suffered so much under Nazi occupation. Read more
UK – Media misleads public into believing abortion is ‘safe’
The Economist, probably the world’s most influential magazine, has come out strongly in support of at-home abortions. During the Covid-19 pandemic, women struggled getting rid of their unwanted babies and as a result, a number of countries have relaxed restrictions on mail-order drugs. This means that women can now have abortions without ever consulting a doctor face-to-face. The Economist welcomed the changes and claimed that “There is no evidence that at-home terminations are dangerous, and plenty to suggest that they are not”. However, there is evidence that two women have died recently in the UK after taking abortion pills. A midwife for the National Health Service wrote that 13 incidents were being investigated. One case where a woman was found at home the morning after starting the process and the second where a woman presented with sepsis and died very quickly. Read more
UK – Nurse considers legal action against Marie Stopes
A nurse, who feared for her life and needed emergency surgery after taking ‘DIY’ home abortion pills, is considering legal action against Marie Stopes UK for medical negligence. Having never been pregnant before, Sophie – a pseudonym – found herself with nowhere to turn to following the breakdown of her relationship with the father of the baby. Sophie contacted Marie Stopes seeking help and unsure of whether or not she wanted to proceed with her pregnancy. During her interactions with the abortion giant, the professional nurse said she was denied proper counselling, was rushed through the abortion process, and told that king the pills would be “just like bad period cramps” and that pain relief could be obtained from a pharmacy. However, Sophie experienced “excruciating pain”, was bleeding for ten days and still felt pregnant. After having an internal scan at the hospital to find out why she still felt pregnant she was told that she still had ‘products of conception’ inside of her that had a blood supply.
Now recovering after surgery, Sophie is receiving support from the Pregnancy Crisis Helpline, which supports women who are going through or have experienced crisis pregnancies. She is now keen to start a support group connecting women who have had similar experiences. Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “Those running abortion services in England have elevated ideology over women’s safety, and we are seeing the tragic consequences of that. “We are concerned about how many more of the tens of thousands of women who have accessed this service have had similar traumatic experiences. Sadly, Sophie is not alone in her ordeal. A number of women have come forward to share the serious problems they’ve experienced after taking ‘DIY’ home abortion pills. Read more
Kenya – Marie Stopes abortion facility closes and fake doctors arrested
A police search of Marie Stopes abortion facility in Nairobi Pangani estate found ten aborted bodies of babies discarded and decomposing in a bin at the facility. Two ‘fake doctors’ who were not registered with The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council were also arrested for illegally committing abortions. The medical body has now ordered the closure of the facility and suspended its registration certificate and operating license with immediate effect. While Marie Stopes International claims to offer “exceptional quality” and “excellent healthcare”, the reality appears to be the opposite. A damning report from the UK’s Care Quality Commission (CQC) accused Marie Stopes International of paying staff bonuses for coercing women into abortions. Read more
USA – Trump admin joins five countries seeking to prohibit abortion
The Trump administration joins five other countries this week in signing a declaration which seeks to prohibit abortion. The Geneva Consensus is a coalition of states who oppose the United Nations’ (UN) Declaration of Human Rights, which are enshrined in international law. In particular, Geneva Consensus members disagree with the UN’s stance on abortion. The Geneva Consensus has no basis in international law and will not mean abortion or same-sex marriage is restricted in the US. Instead, the declaration is an attempt by the US and other members to change the conversation about what constitutes a human right. Read more
USA – New study finds mothers under increased pressure to abort babies with down syndrome
A new study highlighted in Scientific American found evidence of discrimination against unborn babies with disabilities. Authors Cindi May, a professor of psychology at the College of Charleston, and Jaclyn Hennessey Ford, a research assistant professor in the department of psychology and neuroscience at Boston College, surveyed more than 300 mothers of children diagnosed with Down syndrome. According to the researchers While some of the mothers described positive experiences with doctors and medical workers, many told the researchers that they had negative experiences, the mothers reported negative experiences with medical staff, including a lack of compassion, pressure to terminate their pregnancy, and pessimistic expectations about outcomes for their child and family. Many received limited or no additional resources or support systems.
According to a CBS News report that shocked the nation by exposing this discriminatory trend, nearly 100 percent of unborn babies who test positive for Down syndrome are aborted in Iceland. The rate in France was 77% in 2015, 90% in the UK and 67% in the United States. In England, new data shows the number of late-term abortions on unborn babies with Down syndrome has doubled in the past 10 years. A number of American states have passed laws to ban discrimination against unborn babies with Down syndrome and other disabilities, but many of the laws are blocked by legal challenges from the abortion industry. States also have been passing laws to provide better education and support for families of children diagnosed with Down syndrome. Because of this growing support, many families are being empowered to choose life for children with Down syndrome. Read more
The known facts of the science of human embryology are not “new”. The first to study the human embryo systematically was Wilhelm His, Sr., who established the basis of reconstruction, i.e., the assembling of three-dimensional form from microscopic sections. His, who has been called the “Vesalium of human embryology,” published his three-volume masterpiece Anatomie menschlicher Embryonen in 1880-85 [His, Vogel, Leipzig]. In it the human embryo was studied as a whole for the first time internationally. A detailedHandbook of Human Embryology by Keibel and Mall appeared in 1910-12[1] . Franklin P. Mall, who studied under His, established the Carnegie Embryological Collection in Baltimore and was the first person to stage human embryos (in1914)
The standard source for generations for the documentation for both human sexual and the human asexual reproductive technique of “twinning” has been the Carnegie Stages,[1] and especially when they developed their internet online website, volumes of articles and books have been written referencing those Stages and the URLs where they could be found. Those online URLs have now changed, precluding others reading these articles and books from double-checking them for accuracy. In order to continue to be able to verify such documentation, the following NEW URLs for theCarnegie Stagesis provided:
— See Chart of all 23 Stagesof the early developing human embryo, at: http://www.medicalmuseum.mil/index.cfm?p=collections.hdac.anatomy.index. Click into the “textbook” at the bottom left side of the screen to access more extensive details of each stage and the extensive scientific references.
Go to the URLs listed below (examples of first 6 Stages only). Any particular Stage will first be shown as a brief summary of the scientific facts on that website URL. But if you look toward the bottom left of the webpage, you will see a “photo” of a human embryology textbook by O’Rahilly and Muller; it is actually a hyperlink. Click into that hyperlink, and you will be taken to the full original pages of the Carnegie Stage giving extensive details and documentation.
A. Examples of new online URLs for the Carnegie Stages
Stage 1 is the unicellular embryo that contains unique genetic material and is an individually specific cell that has the potential to develop into all of the subsequent stages of a human being. It is the beginning of embryonic life and ontogenetic development that starts when an oocyte, arrested in metaphase of meiosis II, is penetrated by a sperm.[1]This is the first event of fertilization. The embryo has a postovulatory age of approximately one day, is between 0.1 to 0.15 mm in diameter and weighs approximately 0.004 mg.
“… Stage 1 is divided into three substages; a, b and c. Stage 1a is referred to as the primordial embryo[5] since all the genetic material necessary for the new individual, plus some redundant chromosomes, is now within a single plasma lemma (cell membrane). [Note:all of the components define the “embryo”, not just the genes; and these components must work in sync with each other, thus themselves pre-determining the final coding of the genome – which itself can change from internal and external causes during early development. The human genome is defined as including all the DNA in a cell — both nuclear and mitochondrial — not just the nuclear.][6] From the perspective of the female gamete it has also been named the penetrated oocyte. The fertilizing sperm has passed through the zona (capsula) pellucida and its plasmalemma has fused with that of the oocyte.
“… Penetration activates the embryo into resuming its arrested meiosis II [7] and after anaphase it enters telophase with the expulsion of the redundant chromosomes as a second polar body. This marks the beginning of Stage 1b in which the single-cell is referred to as the pronuclear embryo[8] . From the perspective of the female gamete it has also been named the ootid because its female component is haploid like a spermatid. However, in the pronuclear embryo there are two separate haploid components: one maternal, or female, pronucleus and one paternal, or male, pronucleus.
“… The pronuclei move toward each other and eventually compress their envelopes where they lie adjacent near the center of the cell. Stage 1c is the last phase of fertilization and exists for a relatively short period[9]. The pronuclear envelopes disappear and the parental chromosomes that were contained in separate pronuclei come together in a process called syngamy thereby establishing the genome of the embryo. The one-cell Stage 1c embryo is named the syngamic embryo orzygote. The chromosomes assume positions on the rapidly formed first mitotic spindle in preparation for cleavage.”
II. Additional Resources
A. Online URLs for the International Committee on Human Embryology
The most recent updating of theCarnegie Stages(Jan. 2012) by the international nomenclature committee on human embryology, i.e., the Terminologia Embryologica Committee (FIPAT)[1] , is now also online and accessible on the internet (although not as “user friendly”).
The embryo sexually reproduced begins to exist at the beginning of the process of fertilization:
To use this new website for the Terminologia Embryologica online go to FIPAT, at: http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/. Click on “Free access to published terminologies”, “Enter” to get to: http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/Public/EntryPage/HomePublic.html. You are now on the Public Entry Page; Click into “Source terminologies as originally published”, to get to: http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/Public/EntryPage/ViewSource.html. This page lists the 3 Terminologias. To the right of the page, under “Terminologia Embryologica, from internal document (2009)”, click onto “General Terms”, that takes you to:http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/Public/EntryPage/ViewTE/TEe01.html. At the bottom of the page see “Footnote #5: E1.0.1.0.0..0.2 – Aetas a fecundiatione– Fertilization age begins at the time of fertilization with the sperm penetrating the oocyte … . It is the age of the conceptus and the preferred measure.”
There is no such thing as a “pre-embryo”:
Again, go to FIPAT, at: http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/. Click on “Free access to published terminologies”, “Enter” to get to: http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/Public/EntryPage/HomePublic.html. You are now on the Public Entry Page; Click into “Source terminologies as originally published”, to get to: http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/Public/EntryPage/ViewSource.html. This page lists the 3 Terminologias. To the right of the page, under “Terminologia Embryologica, from internal document (2009)”, click onto e2.0: “Ontogeny”in order to get to: http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/Public/EntryPage/ViewTE/TEe02.html. You are now viewing “Page 8”. This is a bit tricky: Now use button-arrows at top right of web page to move to Page 10to arrive at the description of Carnegie Stages 1-5 in the Chart. The right side of the Chart provides the following documentation of the first 5 Stages; see especially “Single cellEMBRYO [St. 1] [[“Stage One”]]. At the bottom of Page 10, in a footnote, you can find their rejection of the false scientific term “pre-embryo”: Footnote #32 – E2.0.1.2.0.0.3 – Embryo praegastrulationis [St. 1 ad 6a] The term pregastrulation embryo is useful because such an embryo has distinctive attributes (see footnote 35). The foreshortened term “pre-embryo”, which has been used in legal and clinical contexts, is not recommended.”[[Note: “St. 1 ad 6a” means “Stages 1 to 6a“]]
was originally developed as a collaboration between embryologist Dr. Raymond Gasser at LSUHSC and the HDAC in Washington DC. The overall aim of the project is to make the Carnegie collection, which is housed at the HDAC, accessible for research and teaching of human embryology. Dr. John Cork at LSUHSC joined the project at its inception as the software developer with a special interest in 3D-reconstruction. The project has two components, both of which are supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health. Anyone can access the various stages of the new sexually reproduced developing human embryo by going to the Virtual Human Embryo’s “DREM DEMOS” page, click into “Enter”, then click into “Demo” on the left of the page. Click into “Stage One: Introduction”: https://www.prenatalorigins.org/virtual-human-embryo/stage.php?stage=1
Stage 1 is the unicellular embryothat contains unique genetic material and is an individually specific cell that has the potential to develop into all of the subsequent stages of a human being. It is the beginning of embryonic life and ontogenetic development that starts when an oocyte, arrested in metaphase of meiosis II, is penetrated by a sperm. This is the first event of fertilization.The embryo has a postovulatory age of approximately one day, is between 0.1 to 0.15 mm in diameter and weighs approximately 0.004 mg.
Fertilization is a series of events that begins when a sperm makes contact with an oocyte and ends with the intermingling of paternal (male) and maternal (female) chromosomes on the spindle at metaphase of the first mitotic division of the single cell. The events of fertilization require just over 24 hrs. to complete and normally take place in the ampulla of the uterine tube. Stage 1 is divided into three substages; a, b and c. Stage 1a is referred to as the ‘primordial embryo’since all the genetic material necessary for the new individual, plus some redundant chromosomes, is now within a single plasmalemma (cell membrane). From the perspective of the female gamete it has also been named the penetrated oocyte. The fertilizing sperm has passed through the zona (capsula) pellucida and its plasmalemma has fused with that of the oocyte. Penetration activates the embryo into resuming its arrested meiosis II and after anaphase it enters telophase with the expulsion of the redundant chromosomes as a second polar body. This marks the beginning of Stage 1b in which the single-cell is referred to as the ‘pronuclear embryo’. From the perspective of the female gamete it has also been named the ootid because its female component is haploid like a spermatid. However, in the pronuclear embryo there are two separate haploid components: one maternal, or female, pronucleus and one paternal, or male, pronucleus. The pronuclei move toward each other and eventually compress their envelopes where they lie adjacent near the center of the cell. Stage 1c is the last phase of fertilization and exists for a relatively short period.The pronuclear envelopes disappear and the parental chromosomes that were contained in separate pronuclei come together in a process called syngamy thereby establishing the genome of the embryo. The one-cell Stage 1c embryo is named the ‘syngamic embryo’ or zygote.The chromosomes assume positions on the rapidly formed first mitotic spindle in preparation for cleavage. [http://virtualhumanembryo.lsuhsc.edu/demos/Stage1/Intro_pg/Intro.htm]
C. The iPhone App – “Embryo”[*** in process of being changed to a new URL]
Thanks to USA.gov, anyone can access the new iPhone appentitled, “Embryo”, from the National Library of Medicine, documenting the same facts of human embryology. The iPhone app is now available at: http://apps.usa.gov/embryo/. It is necessary to have iTunes for this application, but you can download it free from this same site (also downloads onto all computers). As noted on this government website:
Scientists and educators have used the Carnegie Embryo Collection, housed at the National Museum of Health and Medicine, to define normal human embryo development for decades. A database, called the Virtual Human Embryo, has been created to provide digital serial sections of human embryos from the collection….
This project is a collaboration between:
National Library of Medicine
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center
National Museum of Health & Medicine, Human Developmental Anatomy Center [TheCarnegie Stages of Early Human Embryonic Development]
III. A Few Additional References for Sexual and Asexual Human Reproduction:
Human Sexual Reproduction:
** Ronan O’Rahilly and Fabiola Muller, Human Embryology & Teratology, 3rd ed. (New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001):
— Recapitulation, the So-Called Biogenetic Law.The theory that successive stages of individual development (ontogeny) correspond with (“recapitulate”) successive adult ancestors in the line of evolutionary descent (phylogeny) became popular in the nineteenth century as the so-called biogenetic law. This theory of recapitulation, however, has had a “regrettable influence on the progress of embryology”(G. de Beer)…. According to the “laws” of von Baer, general characters (e.g., brain, notochord) appear in development earlier than special characters(e.g., limbs, hair). Furthermore, during its development an animal departs more and more from the form of other animals. Indeed, the early stages in the development of an animal are not like the adult stages of other forms but resemble only the early stages of those animals.The pharyngeal clefts of vertebrate embryos, for example, are neither gills nor slits. Although a fish elaborates this region into gill slits, in reptiles, birds, and mammals it is converted into such structures as the tonsils and the thymus (p. 16).
… (Fertilization is)the procession of events that begins when a spermatozoon makes contact with a secondary oocyte or its investments, and ends with the intermingling of maternal and paternal chromosomes at metaphase of the first mitotic division of the zygote. (p. 19).
— Although life is a continuous process, fertilization… is a critical landmark because, under ordinary circumstances, a new, genetically distinct human organism is formed… (p. 31).
— Fertilization takes place normallyin the ampulla (lateral end) of the uterine tube (p. 31).
— “The term ‘pre-embryo’ is not used herefor the following reasons: (1) it is ill-definedbecause it is said to end with the appearance of the primitive streak or to include neurulation; (2) it is inaccuratebecause purely embryonic cells can already be distinguished after a few days, as can also the embryonic (not pre-embryonic!) disc; (3) it is unjustifiedbecause the accepted meaning of the word embryo includes all of the first 8 weeks; (4) it is equivocalbecause it may convey the erroneous idea that a new human organism is formed at only some considerable time after fertilization; and (5) it was introduced in 1986 ‘largely for public policy reasons’(Biggers).”… Just as postnatal age begins at birth, prenatal age begins at fertilization,” (p. 88).
— “Undesirable terms in Human Embryology”: “Pre-embryo”; ill defined and inaccurate; Use “embryo”(p. 12). [Note: O’Rahilly is one of the originators of The Carnegie Stages of Early Human Embryological Development, and has sat on the international committee for human embryology for decades]
** BRUCE M. CARLSON, Human Embryology and Developmental Biology (St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 1994): Human pregnancy begins with the fusion of an egg and a sperm. (p. 3); … finally, the fertilized egg, now properly called an embryo, must make its way into the uterus (p. 3)[2] ; … The sex of the future embryo is determined by the chromosomal complement of the spermatozoon … Through the mingling of maternal and paternal chromosomes, the zygote is a genetically unique product of chromosomal reassortment .. (p. 31); … “After the eighth week of pregnancy the period of organogenesis (embryonic period) is largely completed and the fetal period begins. (p. 407)
** BRUCE M. CARLSON, Human Embryology & Developmental Biology (St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 1999): “Human pregnancy begins with the fusion of an egg and a sperm, but a great deal of preparation [recedes this event. First both male and female sex cells must pass through a long series of changes (gametogenesis) that convert them genetically and phenotypically into mature gametes, which are capable of participating in the process of fertilization. Next, the gametes must be released from the gonads and make their way to the upper part of the uterine tube, where fertilization normally takes place. … Finally, the fertilized egg, now properly called an embryo, must make its way into the uterus ….”. (p. 2); … Fertilization age: dates the age of the embryo from the time of fertilization. (p. 23) … In the female, sperm transport begins in the upper vagina and ends in the ampulla of the uterine tube [fallopian tube] where the spermatozoa make contact with the ovulated egg. (p. 27) … After the eighth week of pregnancy the period of organogenesis (embryonic period) is largely completed, and the fetal period begins.” (p. 447). … The sex of the future embryo is determined by the chromosomal complement of the spermatozoon. (If the sperm contains 22 autosomes and an X chromosome, the embryo will be a genetic female, and if it contains 22 autosomes and a Y chromosome, the embryo will be a male.) … Through the mingling of maternal and paternal chromosomes, the zygote is a genetically unique product of chromosomal reassortment, which is important for the viability of any species. (p. 32)
** WILLIAM J. LARSEN, Human Embryology (New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1997): In this text, we begin our description of the developing human with the formation and differentiation of the male and female sex cells or gametes, which will unite at fertilization to initiate the embryonic development of a new individual. … Fertilization takes place in the oviduct [not the uterus]… resulting in the formation of a zygote containing a single diploid nucleus. Embryonic development is considered to begin at this point. (p. 1); … “These pronuclei fuse with each other to produce the single, diploid, 2N nucleus of the fertilized zygote. This moment of zygote formation may be taken as the beginning or zero time point of embryonic development. (p. 17).
** Geoffrey Sher, Virginia Marriage Davis, Jean Stoess, In Vitro Fertilization:The A.R.T. of Making Babies (New York: Facts On File, 1998): The moment a sperm penetrates the egg’s zona pellucida, a reaction in the egg fuses the zona and the perivitelline membrane into an impermeable shield that prevents other sperm from entering. … Propelled by contractions of the fallopian tube, the dividing embryo begins its three- or four-day journey back to the uterus and continues to divide after it reaches the uterus. (The fertilization process occurs near the middle of the fallopian tube — not in the uterus.) (p. 18)
** Lewin, Benjamin, Genes VII(New York: Oxford University Press, 2000):
— “A genome consists of the entire set of chromosomes for any particular organism, and therefore comprises a series of DNA molecules, each of which contains a series of many genes. The ultimate definition of a genome is to determine the sequence of the DNA of each chromosome. (p. 4)
… “Genes not residing within the nucleus are generally described as extranuclear; they are transcribed and translated in the same organelle compartment (mitochondrion or chloroplast) in which they reside. By contrast, nuclear genesare expressed by means of cytoplasmic protein synthesis.” (p. 81)
** Read, Andrew P., and Tom Strachan, Human Molecular Genetics 2, 2nd ed. (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999):
— “In animal cells, DNA is found in both the nucleus and the mitochondria.” (p. 10)
— “The mitochondria also have ribosomes and a limited capacity for protein synthesis.” (p. 18)
— “The human genome is the term used to describe the total genetic information (DNA content) in human cells.It really comprises two genomes: a complexnucleargenome…, and a simple mitochondrial genome…Mitochondria possess their own ribosomes and the few polypeptide-encoding genes in the mitochondrial genome produce mRMAs, which are translated on the mitochondrial ribosomes.” (p. 139)
Human Asexual Reproduction:
** Tom Strachan and Andrew P. Read, Human Molecular Genetics 2 (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999), pp. 508-509].
— The term ‘clones’ indicates genetic identityand so can describe genetically identical molecules(DNA clones), genetically identicalcellsor genetically identical organisms. Animal clones occur naturallyas a result of sexual reproduction. For example, genetically identical twins [momozygotic twins] are clones… A form of animal cloning can also occur as a result of artificial manipulationto bring about a type of asexual reproduction. The genetic manipulation in this case uses nuclear transfer technology: a nucleus is removed from a donor cell then transplanted into an oocyte whose own nucleus has previously been removed…. The individual providing the donor nucleus and the individual that develops from the ‘renucleated’ oocyte are usually described as “clones”, but it should be noted that they share only the same nuclear DNA; they do not share the same mitochondrial DNA, unlike genetically identical twins…. Wilmut et al (1997) reported successful cloning of an adult sheep. For the first time, an adult nucleus had been reprogrammed to becometotipotent once more, just like the genetic material in the fertilized oocytefrom which the donor cell had ultimately developed…. Successful cloning of adult animals has forced us to accept that genome modifications once considered irreversible can be reversed and that the genomes of adult cells can be reprogrammed by factors in the oocyte to make themtotipotent once again.
** Carlson, Bruce M., Human Embryology and Developmental Biology, 2nd ed. (St. Louis, MO: Mosby, 1999):
— Early mammalian embryogenesis is considered to be a highly regulative process.Regulationis the ability of an embryo or an organ primordium to produce a normal structure if parts have been removed or added. At the cellular level, it means that the fates of cells in a regulative system are not irretrievably fixed and that the cells can still respond to environmental cues. (p. 44).
— Some types of twinning represent a natural experiment that demonstrates the highly regulative nature of early human embryos,… (p. 48).
— Monozygotic twins and some triplets, on the other hand, are the product of one fertilized egg. They arise by the subdivision and splitting of a single embryo.Although monozygotic twins could… arise by the splitting of a two-cell embryo, it is commonly accepted that most arise by the subdivision of the inner cell mass in a blastocyst. Because the majority of monozygotic twins are perfectly normal, the early human embryo can obviously be subdivided and each component regulated to form a normal embryo.(p. 49)
— Of the experimental techniques used to demonstrate regulative properties of early embryos, the simplest is to separate the blastomeres of early cleavage-stage embryos and determine whether each one can give rise to an entire embryo. This method has been used to demonstrate that single blastomeres, from two- and sometimes four-cell embryos can form normal embryos,… (p. 44).
— The relationship between the positionof the blastomeres and their ultimate developmental fate was incorporated into the inside-outside hypothesis. The outer blastomeresultimately differentiate into the trophoblast, whereas the inner blastomeres form the inner cell mass, from which the body of the embryo arises. Although this hypothesis has been supported by a variety of experiments, the mechanisms by which the blastomeres recognize their positions and then differentiate accordingly have remained elusive and are still little understood. If marked blastomeres from disaggregated embryos are placed on the outside of another early embryo, they typically contribute to the formation of the trophoblast. Conversely, if the same marked cells are introduced into the interior of the host embryo, they participate in formation of the inner cell mass.Outer cells in the early mammalian embryo are linked by tight and gap junctions… Experiments of this type demonstrate that the developmental potential or potency (the types of cells that a precursor cell can form) of many cells is greater than their normal developmental fate (the types of cells that a precursor cell normally forms). (p. 45).
— Another means of demonstrating the regulative properties of early mammalian embryosis to dissociate mouse embryos into separate blastomeres and then to combine the blastomeres of two or three embryos. The combined blastomeres soon aggregate and reorganize to become a single large embryo, which then goes on to become a normalappearing tetraparental or hexaparental mouse.By various techniques of making chimeric embryos, it is even possible to combine blastomeres to produce interspecies chimeras(e.g., a sheep-goat). (p. 45).
— Blastomere removal and addition experiments have convincingly demonstrated the regulative nature(i.e., the strong tendency for the system to be restored to wholeness) of early mammalian embryos. Such knowledge is important in understanding the reason exposure of early human embryos to unfavorable environmental influences typically results in either death or a normal embryo. (p. 46).
— Classic strategiesfor investigating developmental properties of embryos are (1) removing a part and determining the way the remainder of the embryo compensates for the loss(such experiments are called deletion experiments)[1] and (2) adding a part and determining the way the embryo integrates the added materialinto its overall body plan (such experiments are called addition experiments).[2] Although some deletion experiments have been done, the strategy of addition experiments has proved to be most fruitful in elucidating mechanisms controlling mammalian embryogenesis. (p. 46).
** Elder, Kay T. “Laboratory techniques: Oocyte collection and embryo culture,” in ed. Peter Brinsden, A Textbook of in vitro Fertilization and Assisted Reproduction, 2nd ed. (New York: The Parthenon Publishing Group, 1999):
— Surprisingly, fragmented embryos, repaired or not, do implant and often come to term. This demonstrates the highly robust nature of the human embryo, as it can apparently lose over half of its cellular mass and still recover. (p. 197)
** Larsen, William, Essentials of Human Embryology(New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1998):
— If the splitting occurred during cleavage– for example, if the two blastomeres produced by the first cleavage division become separated – the monozygotic twin blastomeres will implant separately, like dizygotic twin blastomeres, and will not share fetal membranes. Alternatively, if the twins are formed by splitting of the inner cell mass within the blastocyst, they will occupy the same chorion but will be enclosed by separate amnions and will use separate placentae, each placenta developing around the connecting stalk of its respective embryo. Finally, if the twins are formed by splitting of a bilaminar germ disc, they will occupy the same amnion. (p. 325)
** Ronan O’Rahilly and Fabiola Muller, Human Embryology & Teratology (New York: Wiley-Liss, 2001):
— Biopsy of an embryo can be performed by removing one cell from a 4-cell, or two cells from an 8-cell, embryo. This does not seem to decrease the developmental capacity of the remaining cells. (p. 37).
— The embryo enters the uterine cavity after about half a week… Each cell (blastomere) is considered to be still totipotent (capable, on isolation, of forming a complete embryo), and separation of these early cells is believed to account for one-third of cases of monozygotic twinning, (p. 37).
** National Bioethics Advisory Commission. Cloning Human Beings: Report and Recommendations. (Rockville, MD: June 1997):
— The Commission began its discussions fully recognizing that any effort in humans to transfer a somatic cell nucleus into an enucleated egg involves the creation of an embryo, with the apparent potential to be implanted in utero and developed to term. (p. 3).
** National Institutes of Health. Background Paper: Cloning: Present uses and Promises, Jan. 29, 1998.
— This experiment [producing Dolly] demonstrated that, when appropriately manipulated and placed in the correct environment, the genetic material of somatic cells can regain its full potential to direct embryonic, fetal, and subsequent development. (p. 3).
Dr. Dianne N. Irving (1994), a former research biochemist at the NIH/NCI in radiation biology and Professor of Philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies, also gave a relevant testimony before HERP.
Some parts of the website make use of cookies for optimization.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Other
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
