The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG) has issued a helpful statement on the Zika virus and the effort by the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights to exploit its spread to promote abortion and repeal of national laws against the practice. The statement contains a number of useful links regarding what is known about the virus and the recommendations of responsible agencies. Footnotes are supplied by Charlotte Lozier Institute. The AAPLOG website can be accessed at www.aaplog.org.
The statement follows:
A mosquito borne virus discovered in 1947 and found throughout the tropics is being used now as a wedge to force abortion legalization worldwide.
Yet, the association between zika virus and cases of microcephaly in Brazil has not been clearly demonstrated. In fact, the increase in microcephaly cases in Brazil predates the introduction of Zika virus:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/microcephaly-brazil-zika-reality-1.3442580
http://www.who.int/bulletin/online_first/16-170639.pdf?ua=1
And a majority of the cases of microcephaly in Brazil are not associated with Zika infection. Of interest, in Colombia, where 25,645 cases of ZIKA virus have been reported by the Ministry of Health, and approximately 3,100 cases were in pregnant women, no increase in microcephaly has been reported.
ACOG has issued a compendium of useful links on Zika and published very reasonable guidelines.
The CDC recommendations are for the pregnant mother infected with Zika to receive high-risk care, not killing of the unborn: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/pdfs/mm6505e1er.pdf
It is scientifically irresponsible and a clear abuse of power for the UNHCHR[1] to use the Zika virus as an excuse to force sovereign nations to overturn their laws protecting unborn human beings. AAPLOG joins with Congressman Farenthold[2] in calling on the UNHCHR to revise or retract the recent statement and the abuse of power displayed by urging abortion on sovereign nations who protect human life.
[1] United Nations High Commission on Human Rights
[2] Rep. Blake Farenthold and 50 other members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed a letter to United Nations High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on February 25, 2016.
Chuck Donovan is president of the Charlotte Lozier Institute.
