WALLS (Win Abortion Liability Law Suits) Bulletin #4
Brent Rooney
How can a plaintiff in an ACP (Abortion Cerbral Palsy) law suit
counter the argument that there is no APB (Abortion Preterm Birth)
risk? (Preterm birth is the leading cause of CP). When you bring
your PTB (Preterm Birth) medical expert to the stand, he/she will
present many arguments for the APB risk being valid, with perhaps
the most impressive being that TOP experts in the PTB field support
the APB risk. This bulletin will tell you about 3 of these experts:
Three top experts support abortion-preemie risk
Brent Rooney
Dr. Emile Papiernik (world's most respected PTB expert, a GIANT)
Judith Lumley (PhD) (great Australian PTB researcher)
Prof. Barbara Luke (highly renouned PTB researcher and
validated by Dr. Papiernik)
Dr. Emile Papiernik (world's most respected PTB expert, the 'Pope'
of Preemie Prevention [my phrase])
Why does France have under half the rate of preterm births
as the United States? Dr. Emile Papiernik headed a program
that cut the French preterm birth rate in half (between 1972 and
1989), thus making Papiernik the world's most respected preterm birth
expert. In 2004 Dr. Papiernik was co-author of a study of 10 European
countries that reported that 1 prior IA (Induced Abortion) elevated
very preterm birth risk by 34% (by 82% for more than 1 prior IA).
(Ancel PV, Lelong N, Papiernik E, Saurel-Cubizolles MJ, Kaminski M.
History of induced abortion as a risk factor for preterm birth in
European countries: results of EUROPOP survey. Human Repro 2004;19(3):
734-740; Dr PY Ancel or
Dr Emile Papiernik
In the PTB field the name Papiernik is GOLD. [A list of APB articles
that Dr. Papiernik co-authored is in Appendix A]
Judith Lumley (PhD, Mother and Child Health Research)
"Prior pregnancy losses are usually perceived as biological when
they are spontaneous and as social factors when induced. There is
increasing evidence that their impact on the risk of preterm birth is
virtually identical.21" [21: Prenatal Neonatal Medicine 1998;3:21-24]
Above quote from: Lumley J, BJOG 2003;110(Supp 20):3-7 .
Miscarriages (i.e. spontaneous abortions) are a well known strong
PTB risk factor. Lumley's 1998 article found that IAs boosted extreme
preterm (<28 weeks' gestation) birth risk. This finding was
confirmed by an April 2005 French study in the BJOG (British
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology). 'Pregnancy losses (induced)'
is a euphemism for induced abortion. Email: [email protected]
[A list of Judith Lumley's (PhD) published PTB articles in Appendix B]
Prof. Barbara Luke (ScD, U. Miami)
web: www.drbarbaraluke.com/aboutDrLuke.cfm
www.drbarbaraluke.com/prematurity.cfm
The March of Dimes has pre-announced Prof. Barbara
Luke as the winner of its 2005 Agnes Higgins Award in Maternal-
Fetal Nutrition. In 1995 Prof. Luke (U. Miami) readily conceded
the preterm birth risk of induced abortion:
"If you have had one or more induced abortions, your risk of
prematurity with this pregnancy increases by about 30 percent."
(Every Pregnant Woman's Guide to Preventing Premature Birth,
1995, p. 32; the preface to Luke's 1995 book was by Dr. Emile
Papiernik)
Dr. Emile Papiernik wrote the preface to Luke's 1995 book and stated:
"I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Luke's book [EPWG..] to
every pregnant woman and her family as the "best medicine"
to help ensure a healthy pregnancy."
Prof. Luke's 1995 book (239 pages), a classic in the field, covers
over 4 dozen different preterm birth risk factors. According to
U. Miami Prof. Luke, 2nd trimester IAs are even more dangerous
than first trimester procedures:
"The procedures for second-trimester abortions are
more involved, including dilating the cervix wider
and for longer periods, and scraping the inside of
the uterus. Women who have had several second-trimester
abortions may have a higher incidence of incompetent
cervix, a premature spontaneous dilation of the
cervix, because the cervix has been artificially
dilated several times before this pregnancy."
(p. 33) "Birth before 32 weeks is ten times more
likely with a diagnosis of incompetent cervix" (page 40).
Professor Luke's webpage: www.drbarbaraluke.com/aboutDrLuke.cfm
Email: [email protected]
[For what others think of Prof. Luke's 1995 book, see Appendix C]
What does the Editor-in-Chief at the British Journal of Obstetrics
and Gynaecology say about APB?
In a 16 January 2006 (18:15:50) email from the Editor-in-Chief
of BJOG (British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology), Dr. Philip
Steer, to Brent Rooney he wrote the following words about prior
TOPs (Termination Of Pregnancies) and premature birth:
".... the link between TOP and preterm labour (which none of
us dispute, the evidence is already overwhelming) ...."
[ Dr. Philip Steer's email address: ]
Final Words belong to a Pediatrician
So, what we have is THREE (3) world class PTB experts,
Dr. Emile Papiernik, Judith Lumley (PhD), Prof. Barbara Luke (ScD),
who support the APB (Abortion Preterm Birth) risk. In a 1998 book
pediatrician Dr. Elliot Gersh included the following risk factor for
cerebral palsy:
"Incompetent cervix (premature dilation) leading to premature
delivery" (Gersh ES. Children with Cerebral Palsy
1998; chapter 1:page 14; DD: 618.92836 C53G1, ISBN: 0933149824 )
...................
Brent Rooney
Reduce Preterm Risk Coalition
3456 Dunbar St. (146)
Vancouver, Canada V6S 2C2
email: [email protected]
web: http://www.vcn.bc.ca/~whatsup
http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/rooney.pdf
http://www.jpands.org/vol8no2/rooney.pdf
http://www.jpands.org/vol9no3/correspondence.pdf
..............................................................
Appendix A: Three APB studies co-authored by Dr. Emile Papiernik
(the GIANT in the PTB field)
1. Ancel PV, Lelong N, Papiernik E, Saurel-Cubizolles MJ, Kaminski M.
History of induced abortion as a risk factor for preterm birth in
European countries: results of EUROPOP survey. Human Repro 2004;
19(3): 734-740.
2. Ancel PY, Saurel-Cubizolles, Di Renzo GC, Papiernik E, Breart G.
Social Differences of very preterm birth in Europe: interaction
with obstetric history. American J Epi 1999;149(10):908-915
3. Ancel P-V, Saurel-Cubizolles M-J, Renzo GCD,
Papiernik E, Breart G. Very and moderate preterm
births: are the risk factors different? British
J Obstetrics and Gynaecology 1999;106:1162-1170
[this study did not distinguish between induced and spontaneous
abortions in pregnancies prior to preterm births]
...
email: Dr Emile Papiernik
..............
Appendix B: PTB articles by Judith Lumley (PhD)
1 Lumley J. The association between prior spontaneous
abortion, prior induced abortion and preterm birth in
first singleton births. Prenat Neonat Med 1998;3:21-24.
2 Lumley J. The epidemiology of preterm birth. Bailliere's
Clin Obstet Gynecology. 1993;7(3):477-498
3 Lumley J. Defining the problem: the epidemiology of preterm
birth. British J Obstet/Gynaec. 2003;110(Suppl. 20):3-7
4 Lumley J. Very low birth-weight (less than 1500g) and previous
induced abortion: Victoria 1982-1983. Aust NZ J Obstet Gynecol
1986;26:268-272
5 Judith Lumley, Lyndsey Watson, Max Watson, Carol Bower.
Modeling the potential impact of population-wide periconceptional
folate/multivitamin supplementation on multiple births.
British J Obstet/Gynaec. 2001;108(9):937-942
[over 50% of multiple births are preterm]
6 Lumley J. How important is social class as a factor in preterm
birth? Lancet 1997;349:1040-1041 [a 2 page COMMENTARY]
...............
Appendix C: What others say about Prof. Barbara Luke
From the back cover of her 1995 book [EPWG ...]
1. "This compete and accurate book should have great appeal to the
discriminating woman who is pregnant or planning pregnancy, as
a means of maximizing her chances for a successful pregnancy."
-Roy M. Pitkin, M.D., editor, Obstetrics and Gynecology
2. "Every Pregnant Woman's Guide to Preventing Premature Birth
is an important contemporary book that should be recommended
for today's pregnant women, women considering pregnancy, and
all those professionals who attend the health care of women."
-George D. Wilbanks, Jr. M.D., president, American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
[Dr. Wilbanks wrote the forward to Prof. Luke's 1995 book]
There is no more respected person in the field of prematurity
than Dr. Emile Papiernik of France who lead a national program
that reduced preterm birth rates by over 50%. Papiernik wrote
the preface to Luke's 1995 book and stated:
"I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Luke's book [EPWG..] to
every pregnant woman and her family as the "best medicine"
to help ensure a healthy pregnancy."
Barbara Luke (ScD, U. Miami) as been pre-announced as the 2005
winner of the March of Dimes 'Agnes Higgins Award in Maternal-
Fetal Nutrition'.
web: www.drbarbaraluke.com/aboutDrLuke.cfm
www.drbarbaraluke.com/prematurity.cfm
................
Appendix D: 13 studies support very preterm or VLBW (<1500 grams) risk
1 Moreau C, Kaminski M, Ancel PY, Bouyer J, et al. Previous induced
abortions and the risk of very preterm delivery: results of the
EPIPAGE study. British J Obstetrics Gynaecology 2005;112(4):430-437
[France] [abstract online:
www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1111/
j.1471-0528.2004.00478.x/abs/ ]
2 Lumley J. The association between prior spontaneous abortion, prior
induced abortion and preterm birth in first singleton births.
Prenat Neonat Med 1998;3:21-24.
3 Lumley J. The epidemiology of preterm birth. Bailliere's
Clin Obstet Gynecology. 1993;7(3):477-498
4 Martius JA, Steck T, Oehler MK, Wulf K-H. Risk factors associated
with preterm (<37+0 weeks) and early preterm (<32+0 weeks): univariate
and multivariate analysis of 106 345 singleton births from 1994
statewide perinatal survey of Bavaria. European J Obstetrics &
Gynecology Reproductive Biology 1998;80:183-189
5 Ancel PY, Saurel-Cubizolles, Di Renzo GC, Papiernik E, Breart G.
Social Differences of very preterm birth in Europe: interaction
with obstetric history. American J Epi 1999;149(10):908-915
6 Levin A, Schoenbaum S, Monson R, Stubblefield P, Ryan K. Association
of Abortion With Subsequent Pregnancy Loss. JAMA 1980;243(24):2495-2499
7 Zhou W, Sorenson HT, Olsen J. Induced Abortion and Subsequent
Pregnancy Duration. Obstetrics & Gynecology 1999;94:948-953
[defines VPB as <34 weeks]
8 Lumley J. Very low birth-weight (less than 1500g) and previous
induced abortion: Victoria 1982-1983. Aust NZ J Obstet Gynecol
1986;26:268-272
9 Ancel PV, Lelong N, Papiernik E, Saurel-Cubizolles MJ, Kaminski M.
History of induced abortion as a risk factor for preterm birth in
European countries: results of EUROPOP survey. Human Repro 2004;
19(3): 734-740.
10 Reime B, Schuecking BA, Wenzlaff P. Perinatal outcomes of
teenage pregnancies according to gravidity and obstetric history.
Annals of Epidemiology 2004;14(8):619-619 [German]
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=GatewayURL&_method=
citationSearch&_uoikey=B6T44-4D8V8F5-2R&_origin=
SDEMFRASCII&_version=1&md5=e73601c4adf512cbb49d79b556183ab7
11 Grimmer I, Buhrer C, Dudenhausen JW. Preconceptional factors
associated with very low birth weight delivery: a case control
study. BMC Public Health 2002;2:10 [German]
12 Van Der Slikke JW, Treffers PE. Influence of induced abortion on
gestational duration in subsequent pregnancies. BMJ 1978;1:270-272
[>95% confident of preterm risk for gestation less than 32 weeks]
13 Legrillo V. Quickenton P, Therriault GD, et al. Effect of induced
abortion on subsequent reproductive function. Final report to NICHD.
Albany, NY: New York State Health Department, 1980.
............
Appendix E: Brief list of highly respected medical journals that
have carried SIGNIFICANT APB studies:
1. British Medical Journal
2. Journal of the American Medical Association
3. Lancet
4. New England Journal of Medicine
5. Human Reproduction [Dr. Emile Papiernik is a co-author of the study]
6. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
7. Obstetrics and Gynecology
8. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
9. European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive
Biology
10. American Journal of Public Health
.............
Appendix F: The full list of 60 significant articles finding higher
risk risk of PTB for women with prior SIAs (Surgical
Induced Abortions)
web: www.vcn.bc.ca/~whatsup/APB-Major.html
................
Appendix G: 2004 'Ancel-Papiernik' study
[Human Reproduction 2004;19(3):734-740]
[Dr. Emile Papiernik was the head of a national French program
that reduced the preterm birth rate of France by 52% (!!)
between 1972 and 1989. There is no more respected preterm
birth expert than Dr. Emile Papiernik]
The 'Ancel-Papiernik' abstract
History of induced abortion as a risk factor for preterm
birth in European countries; results of the EUROPOP survey.
Pierre-Yves Ancel, Nathalie Lelong, Emile Papiernik,
Marie-Josephe Saurel-Cubizolles and Monique Kaminski.
Human Reproduction 2004;19(3):734-740
[ email for Ancel: [email protected] ]
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate
the relationship between history of induced abortion and
preterm delivery in various parts of Europe, and according
to the main cause of preterm birth.
METHODS: We used data from a case-control survey,
the EUROPOP study; 2938 preterm births and 4781 controls
at term from ten European countries were included. Based
on national statistics, we distinguished three groups
of countries with high, intermediate and low rates of
induced abortion.
RESULTS: Previous induced abortions were significantly
associated with preterm delivery and the risk of preterm
birth increased with the number of abortions. Odds ratios
did not differ significantly between the three groups of
countries. The extent of association with previous induced
abortion varied according to the cause of preterm delivery.
Previous induced abortions significantly increased the risk
of preterm delivery after idiopathic preterm labour, preterm
premature rupture of membranes and ante-partum haemorrhage, but
not preterm delivery after maternal hypertension. The strength
of associated increased with decreasing gestational age at birth.
CONCLUSIONS: Identifying subgroups of preterm births on the basis of
the complications involved in delivery increases our understanding
of the mechanisms by which previous induced abortion affects
subsequent pregnancy outcomes.
................................................................
[ end of abstact: Human Reproduction 2004;19(3):734-740
The countries included in this study: Germany, Finland,
Scotland, Sweden, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Romania,
Russia, and Hungary ]
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