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From: ejones@umassmed.ummed.edu
Newsgroups: talk.abortion,news.answers
Subject: talk.abortion FAQ 2/3 [DATA/INFO]
Date: 12 Jun 92 16:29:55 GMT
Expires: Wed, 1 Jul 1992 00:00:00 GMT
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Archive-name: abortion/part2
Last-modified: June 13, 1992

*(Note: Diff markers (*) have been added to make scanning this document
*much easier for those who have seen it before.)

In an attempt to make a fair FAQ for this group, I've come up with the
following document.  I hope you'll find the FAQ fair and impartial,
without any references to actions on one side that don't include a
similar action on the other side.  This FAQ is updated every month,
and I continue to read any and all comments sent to me.  Make your
comments to me as specific as possible, even to the point of writing
whole paragraphs tha you would like to see in there.  I would like to
make this FAQ a true group FAQ, with contributions from as many people
as possible.

This is the second of the three documents, one that includes some of
the relevant texts on talk.abortion.  The first document is the FAQ
itself.  The third document is of relevant Supreme Court Decisions.
All three documents will always be posted at the same time, on the
first and fifteenth of each month.

Thank you to everyone who helped create this FAQ.  I sincerely
appreciate the time and effort that you all put in on it.

Erik Jones
ejones@umassmed.ummed.edu

*************************************************************************
                        FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
                             ON TALK.ABORTION

                         DOCUMENT TWO (OF THREE):
                              RELEVANT TEXTS


*TABLE OF CONTENTS:
*------------------
*
*1) DICTIONARY DEFINITIONS
*
*2) COMMON GROUPS ACTIVE IN THE ABORTION ISSUE
*
*3) RELEVANT AMERICAN DOCUMENTS
*
*4) ABORTION STATISTICS
 

DICTIONARY DEFINITIONS:

To try to make everyone happy, I've used the Concise Oxford
Dictionary, 8th edition.  I've included only those sections of the
definitions that I thought were relevant to the abortion discussion.
If you think that another definition should be added from the COD,
please let me know.  Please remember that a person's personal
definition of any of these terms may very well be different from the
definition listed below.  We should not seek to impose the definition
from this one source upon anyone.  This list is for reference only.
By the way, this source was used because it was a handy online
dictionary at info.rutgers.edu.

 - abortion

    1. the expulsion of a foetus (naturally or esp. by medical induc-
       tion) from the womb before it is able to survive independently,
       esp. in the first 28 weeks of a human pregnancy

 - alive

    1. living, not dead.

    2. a. existing; continuing; in operation or action

    3. lively, active

    5. aware of; alert or responsive to

 - baby (n)

    1. a very young child or infant, esp. one not yet able to walk

    4. a. a young or newly born animal
       b. a thing that is small of its kind

 - death

    1. the final cessation of vital functions in an organism; the ending
       of life

    2. the event that terminates life

 - embryo

    1. a. an unborn or unhatched offspring
       b. a human offspring in the first eight weeks from conception

 - foetus

    1. an unborn or unhatched offspring of a mammal esp. a human one
       more than eight weeks after conception

 - kill

    1. a. deprive of life or vitality; put to death; cause the death of
       b. cause or bring about death

    2. destroy; put an end to

 - life

    1. the condition which distinguishes active animals and plants
       from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth,
       functional activity, and continual change preceding death.

    2. a. living things and their activity
       b. human presence or activity

    3. a. the period during which life lasts, or the period from
	  birth to the present time or from the present time to death
       b. the duration of a thing's existence or of its ability to
	  function

    4. a. a person's state of existence as a living individual
       b. a living person

 - misogyny

    1. the hatred of women

 - murder (n)

    1. the unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by another

 - person

    1. an individual human being
    2. the living body of any human being

 - zygote

    1. a cell formed by the union of two gametes


COMMON GROUPS ACTIVE IN THE ABORTION ISSUE:

Here are some names and addresses of some of the many organizations which
are active in the abortion issue, as well as brief synopses of the groups.
Corrections or additions may be sent to me.  Many thanks to Susan Garvin
for compiling these and sending them my way.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|American Civil Liberties Union		|American Life League		     |
|132 W. 43rd St.			|P.O. Box 1350			     |
|New York, NY  10036			|Stafford, VA  22554		     |
|(212) 944-9800				|(703) 659-4171			     |
|					|				     |
|Supports legal abortion		|Opposes all abortion, including     |
|Opposes parental consent laws		|to save the life of the mother      |
|					|Headed by Judie Brown               |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Catholics for a Free Choice		|Americans United for Life           |
|1436 U St. NW, Suite 301		|343 S. Dearborn St., Suite 1804     |
|Washington, DC  20009			|Chicago, IL  60604                  |
*|(202) 986-6093			|(312) 786-9494                      |
|					|    				     |
|Supports legal abortion		|Opposes legal abortion              |
|Promotes family planning		|Operates library and legal          |
|Headed by Frances Kissling		|resource center		     |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Christian Action Council		|Feminists for Life of America	     |
|101 W. Broad St., Suite 500		|811 E. 47th St.		     |
|Falls Church, VA  22046		|Kansas City, MO  64110		     |
|(703) 237-2100				|(816) 753-2130			     |
|					|				     |
|Opposes legal abortion			|Opposes legal abortion		     |
|Sponsors Crisis Pregnancy Centers	|Supports Human Life Amendment	     |
|Spearheaded drive to end United Way	|Supports Equal Rights Amendment     |
|funding for Planned Parenthood		|				     |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Alan Guttmacher Institute		|Human Life Foundation		     |
|111 Fifth Ave.				|150 E. 35th St.		     |
|New York, NY  10003			|New York, NY  10016		     |
|(212) 254-5656				|(212) 685-5210			     |
|					|				     |
|Supports legal abortion		|Opposes legal abortion		     |
|Provides statistics on abortion	|Provides financial support to groups|
|and voluntary population control	|which offer alternatives to abortion|
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|National Abortion Federation		|National Abortion Rights            |
|1436 U Street NW, Suite 103		|  Action League (NARAL)	     |
|Washington, DC  20009			|1101 14th Street NW		     |
|(202) 667-5881				|Washington, DC  20005		     |
|					|(202) 408-4600			     |
|Provides information to hospitals and	|			 	     |
|clinics that provide abortion services	|Supports legal abortion	     |
|Instructs women on how to choose an	|Headed by Kate Michaelman	     |
|abortion facility			|One of the largest memberships of   |
|					|lobbying groups for this purpose    |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|National Organization for Women	|National Right-to-Life Committee    |
|1000 16th St. NW, Suite 700		|419 Seventh St. NW, Suite 500       |
|Washington, DC 20004			|Washington, DC  20004	 	     |
|(202)331-0066				|(202) 626-8800			     |
|					|				     |
|Supports legal abortion		|Opposes legal abortion		     |
|Headed by Patricia Ireland		|Supports Human Life Amendment	     |
|Supports Equal Rights Amendment	|One of the largest memberships of   |
|					|lobbying groups for this purpose    |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Operation Rescue National		|Planned Parenthood Federation       |
*|P.O. Box 127    			|  of America			     |
*|Summerville, SC  29484-0127		|810 Seventh Ave.		     |
*|(803) 821-8441			|New York, NY  10019		     |
|					|(212) 541-7800			     |
|Opposes legal abortion			|				     |
|Direct action group			|Supports legal abortion	     |
|Founded by Randall Terry		|Provides contraception, abortion,   |
|Headed by Rev. Keith Tucci		|and sterilization services          |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Pro-Life Action League			|Sex Information and Educational     |
|6160 N. Cicero, Suite 210		|  Council of the U.S.		     |
|Chicago, IL 60646			|32 Washington Place		     |
|(312)-777-2900				|New York, NY  10003		     |
|					|(212) 673-3850			     |
|Lobbying and direct action group	|				     |
|Headed by Joseph Scheidler		|Supports legal abortion	     |
|					|Clearinghouse for sex information   |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

RELEVANT AMERICAN DOCUMENTS:

Please remember that talk.abortion is, indeed, an international forum.
The texts listed below have little or no bearing on the people of other 
countries.  Supreme Court decisions are contained within the third part
of the FAQ.  


 - The 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, 
    or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom 
    of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to 
    assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.


 - The 9th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

    The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not
    be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.


 - The 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America,
   Sections 1 and 5

    Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and
    subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United 
    States and of the State wherein they reside.  No State shall make or 
    enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of 
    citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person
    of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor deny 
    any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

    Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate 
    legislation, the provisions of this article.


 - The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America

    Unfortunately, the Declaration of Independence is not a legally
    binding document under any circumstances.  Therefore, although many
    people cite it under many circumstances, I have chosen not to cite the 
    document here.


 - The Freedom of Choice Bill

	To protect the reproductive rights of women, and for other
	purposes.

        Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives
	of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

	Section 1.  Short Title.

	     This Act may be cited as the "Freedom of Choice Act of 1989".

	Section 2.  Right to Choose.

	     (a) In General. - Except as provided in subsection (b), a
	         State may not restrict the right of a woman to choose 
		 to terminate a pregnancy -

	          (1)  before fetal viability; or
          
	          (2)  at any time, if such termination is necessary to
		       protect the life or health of the woman.

	     (b) Medical Necessity Requirements. - A State may impose
	         requirements medically necessary to protect the life 
		 or health of women referred to in subsection (a).

	Section 3.  Definition of State.

	     As used in this Act, the term "State" includes the District of
	     Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each other 
	     territory or possession of the United States.


- The Human Rights Amendment

(This was drafted by James Bopp, General Counsel for the National Right
to Life Committee.)

    Section 1: The right to life is the paramount and most fundamental
               right of a person.  

    Section 2: With respect to the right to life guaranteed to persons
               by the fifth and fourteenth articles of amendment to 
               the Constitution, the word "person" applies to all human
               beings, irrespective of age, health, function, or con-
               dition of dependency, including their unborn offspring
               at every stage of their biological development including 
               fertilization. 

    Section 3: No unborn person shall be deprived of life by any person:
               Provided, however, that nothing in this article shall
               prohibit a law allowing justification to be shown for
               only those medical procedures required to prevent the
               death of either the pregnant woman or her unborn off-
               spring as long as such law requires every reasonable
               effort to be made to preserve the life of each.

    Section 4: Congress and the several States shall have power to
               enforce this article by appropriate legislation.


*ABORTION STATISTICS AND INFORMATION:
*
*- Abortion Statistics Chart
*
*	From the 1990 World Almanac, thanks to E. Elizabeth Bartley.
*
*       (Please note that all the percentage distributions exclude 
*       the unknowns.)
*
*============================================================================
*|                              |  1972   |  1976   |   1980    |   1985    |
*|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|Reported # of legal abortions | 586,760 | 988,267 | 1,297,606 | 1,328,570 |
*|Ratio per 1000 live births    |  180.1  |  312.0  |   359.2   |   353.8   |
*|Rate per 1000 women aged      |   13    |   21    |    25     |    24     |
*|     15-44 years              |         |         |           |           |
*|==========================================================================|
*|  Age of woman (in years)     |  1972   |  1976   |   1980    |   1985    |
*|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|19 and under                  |  32.6%  |  32.1%  |   29.2%   |   26.3%   |
*|20-24                         |  32.5%  |  33.3%  |   35.5%   |   34.7%   |
*|25 and over                   |  34.9%  |  34.6%  |   35.3%   |   39.0%   |
*|==========================================================================|
*|  Race of woman               |  1972   |  1976   |   1980    |   1985    |
*|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|White                         |  77.0%  |  66.6%  |   69.6%   |   66.6%   |
*|Black and other               |  23.0%  |  33.4%  |   30.1%   |   33.4%   |
*|==========================================================================|
*|  Marital status of woman     |  1972   |  1976   |   1980    |   1985    |
*|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|Married                       |  29.7%  |  24.6%  |   23.1%   |   19.3%   |
*|Unmarried                     |  70.3%  |  75.4%  |   76.9%   |   80.7%   |
*|==========================================================================|
*|  Weeks gestation at          |         |         |           |           |
*|  time of abortion            |  1972   |  1976   |   1980    |   1985    |
*|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|8 and under                   |  34.0%  |  47.0%  |   51.7%   |   50.8%   |
*|9-10                          |  30.7%  |  28.0%  |   26.2%   |   26.2%   |
*|11-12                         |  17.5%  |  14.4%  |   12.2%   |   12.3%   |
*|13-15                         |   8.4%  |   4.5%  |    5.2%   |    5.9%   |
*|16-20                         |   8.2%  |   5.1%  |    3.9%   |    3.9%   |
*|21 and over                   |   1.3%  |   0.9%  |    0.9%   |    0.8%   |
*|==========================================================================|
*|  Type of procedure performed |  1972   |  1976   |   1980    |   1985    |
*|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|Curettage                     |  88.6%  |  92.8%  |   95.5%   |   97.8%   |
*|  Suction                     |  65.2%  |  82.6%  |   89.8%   |   92.9%   |
*|  Sharp                       |  23.4%  |  10.2%  |    5.7%   |    5.0%   |
*|Intrauterine instillation     |  10.4%  |   6.0%  |    3.1%   |    1.5%   |
*|Hysterotomy/hysterectomy      |   0.6%  |   0.2%  |    0.1%   |   <0.05%  |
*|Other                         |   0.5%  |   0.9%  |    1.3%   |    0.7%   |
*============================================================================
*
*
*- Fetal Development Chart
*
*         (Many thanks to E. Elizabeth Bartley for forwarding this
*         text to me.)
*
*   From: Clinical Embryology for Medical Students, Third Edition
*         by Richard S. Snell, M.D., Ph.D., pp. 70-75
*===========================================================================
*| Fetus  |                                  |                             |
*|  Age   | Gross appearance                 |     Nervous system          |
*|(weeks) |                                  |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  1st   | Fertilization		     |                             |
*|        | Cleavage of zygote		     |                             |
*|        | Blastocyst enters uterine        |                             |
*|        |   cavity                         |                             |
*|        | Trophoblast, inner cell mass     |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  2nd   | Zona pellucida disappears.       |                             |
*|        | Blastocyst enlarges.             |                             |
*|        | Implantation.                    |                             |
*|        | Syncytiotrophoblast and          |                             |
*|        |   cytotrophoblast formed.        |                             |
*|        | Primary chorionic villi.         |                             |
*|        | Formation of embryonic disk,     |                             |
*|        |   ectoderm, endoderm, amnion,    |                             |
*|        |   and yolk sac.                  |                             |
*|        | Extra-embryonic mesoderm.        |                             |
*|        | Extra-embryonic coelom.          |                             |
*|        | Primitive streak.                |                             |
*|        | Mesoderm and notochord.          |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  3rd   | Head and tail folds              | Neural plate.               |
*|        |                                  | Neural folds.               |
*|        |                                  | Partial fusion of neural    |
*|  	  |				     |   folds.                    |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  4th   | Body narrow and tubular;         | Neural tube.                |
*|        |   C-shaped.                      | Three primary vesicles of   |
*|        | Connection with yolk sac very    |   brain.                    |
*|        |   narrowed; limb buds appear.    |                             |
*|        | Placenta begins to form.         |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  5th   | Head increases greatly in size.  | Telencephalon.              |
*|        | Face is forming.                 | Diencephalon.               |
*|        | Limb buds show limb, forelimb,   | Mesencephalon.              |
*|        |   hand, or foot.                 | Metencephalon.              |
*|        |                                  | Myelencephalon.             |
*|        |                                  | Cerebral hemisphere.        |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  6th   | Head dominant.                   | Flextures of brain obvious. |
*|        | Oral and nasal cavities	     |                             |
*|  	  |   confluent			     |                             |
*|        | Curvature of embryo diminished.  |                             |
*|        | Fingers and toes recognizable.   |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  8th   | Head nearly as large as rest of  | Rapid growth of central     |
*|        |   body.                          |   nervous system.           |
*|        | Facial features more distinct.   | Expansion of fore-brain     |
*|        | Eyes directed more anteriorly.   |   vesicle.                  |
*|        | Neck established.                |                             |
*|        | Limbs more developed.            |                             |
*|        | Digits of hands and feet         |                             |
*|        |   separated.                     |                             |
*|        | Fetus covered with epitrichium.  |                             |
*|        | Retrogression of tail.           |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  12th  | Rapid growth in fetal length.    | Brain and spinal cord well  |
*|        | Head still relatively large.     |   developed.                |
*|        | Eyes look anteriorly.            | Cauda equina.               |
*|        | External ears on side of head.   | Filum terminale.            |
*|        | Eyelids fused.                   |                             |
*|        | Lanugo present.                  |                             |
*|        | Nails.                           |                             |
*|        | Sex recognition possible.        |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  16th  | Further rapid growth in fetal    | Cerebellum prominent.       |
*|        |   length.                        | Myelination begins in spinal|
*|        | Eyes widely separated but        |   cord.                     |
*|        |   eyelids fused.                 |                             |
*|        | Auricles of ear high up on side  |                             |
*|        |   of head.                       |                             |
*|        | Fetus looks human.               |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  20th  | Lanugo covers entire body.       |                             |
*|        | Vernix caseosa present.          |                             |
*|        | Hair present on head.            |                             |
*|        | Mother detects quickening.       |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  24th  | Skin wrinkled and red.           | Myelination begins in brain.|
*|        | Head still relatively large.     |                             |
*|        | Face child-like.                 |                             |
*|        | Eyebrows and eyelashes present.  |                             |
*|        | Eyelids open.                    |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  28th  | Skin wrinkled.                   |                             |
*|        | Subcutaneous fat appearing.      |                             |
*|        | Fetal contours more rounded.     |                             |
*|        | Hair on head longer.             |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  32th  | Fetus looks wrinkled and scraggy.|                             |
*|        | Lanugo hair has disappeared from |                             |
*|	  |   face.                          |                             |
*|        | Vernix caseosa thick.            |                             |
*|        | Nails reach end of fingers.      |                             |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  36th  | Fetus looks plumper and rounder. | Cerebral fissures and       |
*|        |                                  |   convolutions rapidly      |
*|        |                                  |   developing.               |
*|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*|  40th  | Fetus fully developed.           | Lower end of spinal cord L3.|
*|        | More subcutaneous fat present.   |                             |
*|        | Lanugo hair disappear.           |                             |
*|        | Nails project beyond ends of     |                             |
*|	  |   fingers and toes.              |                             |
*===========================================================================

******************************************************************************