The deVeber Institute
for Bioethics and Social Research

A new German study, which analysed 1 065 202 pregnancies, revealed that

"Previous interruptions, miscarriages and IUFD are relevant risk factors for prematurity and are related with low birth weight of the new borns."

The Canadian Institute for Health Information recently released a report "Too Early, Too Small:  A Profile of Small Babies Across Canada." 

Dr. L.L. deVeber M.D. FRCP(C) questioned:

"I wonder if the Canadian Institute for Health Information looked at the effect of previous induced abortions in their study, since it is well established by many reported studies that the incidence of very low birth weight babies is increased four-fold following induced abortion."

In fact, the report did not mention previous induced abortions.

However, a recent review by Deirdre J. Murphy, MD MRCOG, "Epidemiology and environmental factors in preterm labour," stated:

"Induced abortion has been associated with very preterm delivery (<33 weeks) in the French regional EPIPAGE study (OR 1.5, 95% CU 1.1-2.0)[27] and this was confirmed by the International EUROPOP study across ten European countries.  The strength of association increased with decreasing gestational age and was consistent across countries with varying rates of induced abortions."

See Murphy's full review attached to this post.

On October 2, 2009, the deVeber Institute hosted a one-day conference

"Reproductive Decisions and Women's Well-Being"

In the National Post: Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Re: Why We Need Legal Abortion, letter to the editor, Feb. 13.

Dr. Gail Erlick Robinson repeats the myth that women who are denied a legal abortion will simply resort to an illegal one. Yet, evidence from a number of countries calls this into question. Ireland and Poland both have strong laws restricting induced abortion. And even though some Irish and Polish women seek abortions in other countries, the overall abortion rate in Ireland and Poland remains low.