Fact-Checking Planned Parenthood on HB 1948

Apr 7, 2016 | 1 comment

The scare tactics and outlandish verbiage used recently by Planned Parenthood – the largest abortion business in Pennsylvania – about House Bill (HB) 1948 truly shows their extreme views.

Let’s get some of the facts out there:

FACT: HB 1948 would end late-term and dismemberment abortions in Pennsylvania.

Ending late-term abortions is something over a dozen states legislatures have already passed and all but seven nations on the planet have as law.

Planned Parenthood, in a recent press release, claims this effort would be “the most extreme abortion ban in the country.” Yet in the same release, they mention that 99% of abortions happen before 20 weeks (HB 1948 would end late-term abortions by placing a limit on abortion at 20 weeks).

It is extreme that organizations like Planned Parenthood advocate for late-term abortion. More and more babies born at 22-23 weeks are able to live on their own. “Survival across the board has gone up for premature babies, particularly for the smallest babies, over the past two decades,” says Dr. Dennis Mujsce, medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. “Whereas only about a quarter of babies born at 23 weeks used to survive, now a third live. And where only half of babies born at 24 weeks used to be expected to live, now 60 to 65 percent do, he said. For babies born at 25 weeks, the rate of survival is now 80 to 85 percent, vs. only 75 percent before.”

Current Pennsylvania law allows abortion at 24 weeks 6 days. It’s only extreme to allow abortion at that same time.

State law also permits the abortion procedure of tearing limb for limb the body of an unborn baby while still in the womb – called dismemberment or dilation and evacuation (D & E). The use of this abortion procedures is already down in Pennsylvania by 55% since 2010 and presents significant risks to the health of the mother.

FACT: Late-term abortions are dangerous to the health of the mother and the post-viable baby.  

Planned Parenthood says ending late-term abortion would be “dangerous.” They said the same thing about making abortion clinics follow the same rules as every other surgical facility in the state after the uncovering of Kermit Gosnell’s uninspected and horrific abortion clinic.

Planned Parenthood was wrong about the impact of the Gosnell law. At the time, Planned Parenthood falsely claimed the legislative response to Gosnell (Act 122) would close the majority of abortion businesses in Pennsylvania. Yet four years after the law was implemented, the vast majority of abortion clinics are still in business and the number of Planned Parenthood surgical clinics has stayed the same.

Additionally, Planned Parenthood claims HB 1948 eliminates “safe” abortion later in pregnancy. What they did not share was a woman is 91 times more likely to die from a late-term abortion compared to a first-trimester abortion. Their own organization even recognizes the increased risk: “The risks [of surgical abortion] increase the longer you are pregnant. They also increase if you have sedation or general anesthesia [which would be necessary at or after 20 weeks gestation.]”

FACT: HB 1948 does not ban abortion.

Planned Parenthood falsely claims this legislation is “cruel,” “vicious,” and would “ban access to critical abortion services.”

Current Pennsylvania law was set up over a quarter-century ago that allows for late-term abortions up to 24 weeks, 6 days in pregnancy. HB 1948 would update the law to end late-term abortions due to the medical advancements and the increased risk to the health of the mother. It does nothing to the exemptions already granted by the Abortion Control Act when the health of the mother is at risk. And it continues to allow abortion before 20 weeks, which covers 99% of the current abortions in Pennsylvania.

The legislation also bans the use of dismemberment abortion procedures. Other procedures, like the most-commonly used suction curettage, would still be legal. It does not ban a woman from receiving an abortion.

Planned Parenthood wants elective late-term abortions at all costs, which is out of touch with what the latest medical research shows and what the majority of Pennsylvanians want.

Planned Parenthood is a political-spending abortion business that conducts over half of all abortions in Pennsylvania. They continue their abortion-leading status even though their services and number of patients have dropped substantially. They spent a record $1 million in the 2014 election to try and elect pro-abortion candidates. And they continue to receive millions of taxpayer dollars every year.

Planned Parenthood falsely claims HB 1948 is “out-of-touch” yet Quinnipiac, Gallup, Huffington Post, ABC News….poll after poll has shown the majority of Americans want to end late-term abortions. This gives us even more reason why the PA legislature should update our laws and pass HB 1948.

Women deserve better.

End late-term and dismemberment abortions in Pennsylvania.

Pass HB 1948 – tinyurl.com/endlateterm

Yes on HB 1948