New Report Reveals 100,000 People Alive Today in NI Thanks to Pro-Life Laws
A new report has estimated that 100,000 people are alive in Northern Ireland today thanks to our pro-life laws.
Using a “statistically cautious approach”, the report estimates that there would have been 163,760 abortions in Northern Ireland had the 1967 Abortion Act been introduced here. This is compared to the 61,311 women from Northern Ireland who are estimated to have travelled to England or Wales for abortion over the last 50 years. The report concludes with a “credible and conservative estimate” that 100,000 people are alive today who would not be here had the 1967 Abortion Act been extended to Northern Ireland.
Precious Life welcomes the findings of this report. It is a wonderful contribution to the wealth of research which proves that Northern Ireland shines brightly as the jewel in the crown of the pro-life movement. Throughout the world, passionate and courageous pro-life campaigners are fighting with all their might to tear down the laws that have brought nothing but death and despair. In contrast, Northern Ireland is blessed with laws which value and protect the lives of both women and unborn children. Precious Life, the leading pro-life group in Northern Ireland, is fighting with all its might to ensure that that never changes.
“Ireland’s Gain”, a 2011 study by actuary and statistician Patrick Carroll, reported that Northern Ireland shows a low incidence of still births, low weight births, preterm births, cerebral palsy and maternal deaths, all of which are known consequences of abortion. Northern Ireland also benefits from low incidence of breast cancer and comparatively good mental health among women and a low incidence of certain diseases of the immune system, to which low abortion rates have contributed.
Precious Life truly has something to celebrate as it approaches its twentieth year of pro-life activism on the streets and lobbying at Stormont. Thanks to the passionate and courageous hard work of Bernadette Smyth, the director of Precious Life, and the hundreds of dedicated Precious Life volunteers, numerous attempts to get rid of our pro-life laws were defeated, including the 2008 parliamentary move to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.
Not only have our pro-life laws been saved, but many mothers and their precious babies have been saved too. Since Precious Life’s beginning almost twenty years ago, Bernadette Smyth has helped many women through very difficult times in their lives and helped them choose life for their little babies. By providing the best care and practical support they needed, Bernie showed them that everything would work out in the end.
Precious Life would like to thank all the wonderful people who have supported Precious Life through the years with their prayers, donations, and volunteering. Together we will ensure that mothers and their babies continue to be valued and protected in Northern Ireland.