Narcissism 2: Murder of the Innocent

Abortion is “The direct murder of the innocent” – Pope Pius XI (1922-1939)

What is abortion?

Pope Pius XI provided us with one definition of abortion. There are others. Prior to the mid 1970’s abortion was a medical term used to describe the termination of a pregnancy before the fetus is viable. Generally this occurs before the twentieth week of pregnancy.

Also prior to the mid 1970’s the word “abortion” had another connotation for the general public. “It was associated with the sordid connotation of being a criminal act.” Pages 656-657 The Textbook of Basic Nursing.

Up until the decision rendered by the Texas courts in the Roe versus Wade case, within the medical profession there were different words used to describe the various causes or phases of abortion.

• Threatened Abortion – this is nature causing, occurring early in the pregnancy. If medical treatment is immediately sought the pregnancy can usually be saved.
• Inevitable Abortion – Nature causing with the pregnancy terminating as the abortive process is too far advanced for medical treatment to save it.
• Incomplete Abortion – is just as the term implies, the abortion induced by nature, was not complete; the woman usually under goes a surgical procedure to remove the remains of the pregnancy. Infection can result if this procedure is not done.
• Habitual Abortion – For some women it is difficult for them to carry a pregnancy to term. When repeated pregnancies result in a natural causing abortion it is called a habitual abortion.
• Therapeutic Abortion – a pregnancy that is terminated by a physician. In the United States, it was legally permitted only in instances in which the mother’s life was at risk. (This was the standard prior to the Roe vs. Wade case).
• Criminal Abortion – The termination of a pregnancy without medical justification.

However modernly, Merriam-Webster’s Colligate Encyclopedia sheds more light on abortion as the world perceives it today.  “Abortions occur today through intentional medical intervention and are performed to:

• Preserve the mother’s life or her health
• Prevent pregnancy resulting from rape or incest
• Prevent the birth of a child who is believed to be born with severe medical problems
• End the pregnancy because the mother and/or the father do not feel her or them, want a child at this time in their life.” (The reasons could be financial, social, or personal).