1 Study by Tietze and Lewit, Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, December 1971 vol. No. 14 No. 4. * Includes hospital private and all clinic patients. I would like to include several facts either addressed in this paper and are commonly accepted and proven as factual based on documented evidence elsewhere. (Medical literature) (1) Pregnancies will be terminated legally or illegally. (2) There is no indication that the present laws as practiced neither favor nor promote genocidal tendicies toward any ethnic group. (3) Restrictive laws only eliminate those persons from receiving termination of low socio-economic means and low educational levels. (4) The risk of pregnancy is greater in those who can least afford it. (5) The risk of pregnancy is increased over the risk of abortion. (6) Abortion is a medical judgment between a patient and physician; a decision that should be voluntaily requested by the patient and voluntarily performed by medical staff. It suffices to say that pregnancy termination is not a replacement for proper contraceptive techniques and that the primary impetus of the family planning and child spacing should encompass a proper selection and medically supervised contraceptive method. You will find four pages of exhibits at the conclusion of my presentation. I trust you will find time to scan these for additional information as regards to infant loss, prenatal care, teenage pregnancy and personal image. Mr. Chairman, I thank you. NEW PATIENTS SEEN BY PLANNED PARENTHOOD ASSOCIATION OF INDIANAPOLIS IN 1971 The risk factors for infant loss as shown above were developed from an analysis of all the 1971 Marion County resident live births, infant deaths, and premature births. Chances for losing an infant are much greater for these high risk women. On the other hand, factors related to high risk and infant loss are very complex and a word of caution is indicated. The list of risk of infant loss factors helped. BIRTHS AND PRENATAL CARE IN MARION COUNTY (MARION COUNTY PARENTS) Source: Annual statistical supplement division of public health, the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County. Vital statistics section, 1971. Note. These figures are obtained from individual birth records which indicate the number of prenatal visits as reported by the attending physician. TRENDS OF ADOLESCENT PREGNANCY IN INDIANAPOLIS Indianapolis, comprised of a metropolitan area of approximately 508,000 population, and in this area 15,628 deliveries occurred in 1970. Of the 15,000 plus deliveries, 2,200 were 18 and under. Note is made of the large number of females who were delivering their 2nd and 3rd infant at this early age in life. A POEM TO A YOUNG TEENAGE PARENT NO BETTER THAN ME I am only human As nature allows, Governed by virtues and morals and vows, Doomed to be judged By persons I see, All in God's eyes No better than me. Followed by snickers And comments and stares, I try to pretend that I really don't care, Carrying a child That's destined to be Doomed in their eyes No better than me. My mind has matured As my judgment has grown. I know now I never Have once stood alone. God has opened my eyes That those who must judge Are no better than me. REFERENCES 1. Baird D: The obstetrician and society. Am J Public Health 60:637, 1970. 2. Cusher IM: Outcomes of induced abortion: Medical clinical-view. Studies in Family Planning, No. 53 New York: The Population Council, 1970, P 4. 3. Planned Parenthood/World Population: Pregnancy and Abortion Counseling in California. Alemeda-San Francisco, 1970. 4. Muller CF: Socioeconomic outcomes of present abortion policy. Am J Pub Health 61:6, 1971. 5. New York State Department of Health: Preliminary Report on Abortions Performed in New York State from July 1-October 31, 1970 (Dec 17, 1970). 6. Pion RJ, Wagner NN, Butler JT, et al: Abortion request and post-operative response, a Washington Community Survey. Northwest Med 69:693–698, 1970. 7. Statistical Report: Div of Pub Health, Health and Hospital Corporation, Indianapolis, 1971. 8. Planned Parenthood Statistical Report: Health Services Management, Data Analysis, Indianapolis, Indiana. Dr. JOHNSON. Because I think some of the statements I will make will bear directly on my own position, I would like to say a little bit about myself. I am Frank Johnson, obstetrciian and gynecologist, with a license. to practice in the State of Indiana. I am a private practicing physician, in a limited sense. I hold an assistant professorship in obstetrics and gynecology at Indiana University School of Medicine. I have been a volunteer physician for the Planned Parenthood Organization of Indianapolis since 1964. I graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1965 and completed my residency in obstetrics and gynecology in 1969. I qualified as a diplomate of the Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1971. I think that a little bit about my activities will give you some idea of how I came to have some part in this kind of endeavor. Presently, I am the medical director of two teenage pregnancy programs. I am the director for Maternal and Infant Care Services for Marion County. I have been a board member of the Human Rights Commission. I am a board member of the American Cancer Society of Marion County. I am a board member of the CAP Organization— Community Action Against Poverty. I was on the Governors' Welfare Task Force for Welfare Reform. And I am a board member of the Child Coordinated Care Committee. I was one of the formulators of the recent meeting of the Quality of Life for the State of Indiana. I am the director of the Maternal and High Risk Clinic. I am an elder in the Presbyterian Church-in case someone feels that I am against religion, for some reason and I am a member of the fivemember Mortality Committee of Indiana. Before going into my presentation, very briefly I would like to state that I think that maybe the record should be clear on one or two points, instances. Number one, it has been alluded to, prior to this time, that ovulation occurs around 14 days, and from that time, that is the time that the lady can get pregnant. The truth of it is that a lady may ovulate any place between 6 days and 28 days, and we have no idea, in general, when the ovulates. The 14 days is nothing more than an average. Senator BAYH. Six days? Dr. JOHNSON. Six days from the start of her menstrual period, up until the 27th or 28th day. And we do not know, unless we are keeping some record on her, exactly where she ovulates. Senator BAYH. How do we know about that distinction? Dr. Johnson. We have proof that ladies have ovulated at that time by doing hysterectomies and by examining specimens at times at which we have done surveys. Senator BAYH. 6 to 28? Dr. JOHNSON. Yes, sir. And the 14 days that is quoted in the textbook is nothing more than an average. As a matter of fact, I suspect if you went through a group of 100 women, you would find only a small group of them who would be ovulating on their 14th day. If you are doing fertility, you can find this to be true very easily. The other thing is that the pregnancy test is not dependable, in general, until approximately 41 days after the last menstrual period. This is so because there are other hormones in the body which are confused with hemochorial-mammotropic. In specific, I am talking about FSHLH, which tends to confuse the pregnancy test; so you get false tests if you try to do it earlier than that, and it is not dependable. So, if you quote that you can determine the pregnancy prior to that time, you may have false tests. Senator BAYH. Excuse me for interrupting here— Dr. JOHNSON. I will try to slow down. Senator BAYH. No, no, do not; that is all right. I speak here again in layman's terminology-as I said earlier, this is deep water for me. The test that is given to women who wonder whether they are pregnant, the rabbit tests or whatever Dr. JOHNSON. Right now we do a different test, but it is essentially the same thing. Senator BAYH. All right; how far along in the cycle does a woman have to be before that test has credibility? |