ALBUQUERQUE - In part four of a six-part series documenting late-term abortion in New Mexico, Abortion Free New Mexico (AFNM) takes a look at Southwestern Women's Options, the nation’s largest late-term abortion facility.
Southwestern Women's Options advertises on its website that elective abortions are available through 28 weeks with “Later Abortion for Maternal and Fetal Indications."
The latest undercover recording reveals just how arbitrary the standard is for determining if babies live or die at Southwestern Women's Options.
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, issued the following statement regarding the latest call:
"Once again, this undercover call reveals that abortions are taking place legally in our country even in the third trimester of pregnancy. We will continue to expose this evil in the weeks and months to come. We call on all Americans, including those who identify themselves as ‘pro-choice, to communicate to their legislators their opposition to these late-term procedures so that we can begin restoring protection to these children."
In the first call to Southwestern, a caller posed as a woman who was pregnant with a baby who had been diagnosed with Down syndrome. Without hesitation she was given an abortion appointment, despite being 33 weeks pregnant.
In a second call, an undercover caller posed as a healthy woman pregnant with a 30-week healthy pre-born baby whom she has decided to abort because her husband lost his job.
The third calling, a minor posing as the victim of incest by an older family member is seeking a late-term abortion at 26 weeks of pregnancy. Instead of urging the sexual assault victim to contact the authorities – as required by law -- the abortion clinic staff gives the young girl a phone number to the New Mexico Medicaid office so that she can obtain the $7,500 procedure for free.
The fourth call combines two earlier calls and adds new details, including that mothers so far advanced in their pregnancies should not be aborted in stand-alone clinics like Southwestern – although they are – and that the availability of third-trimester abortions depends on the “comfort” level of the abortionist.
“The bottom line is that SWO is willing to terminate a disabled child in spite of their own admission that late- term abortions shouldn't be done in an outpatient clinic because they pose significant risks to mothers,” Mrs. Shaver said.
"The 'comfort’ zone of the abortionists at Southwestern Women's Options, which appear to be based on an arbitrary eugenic standard, have ultimately led them to decide which babies should live or die. Barbaric late- term abortions are rejected by the majority of the American people because viable babies are being killed, and in our latest undercover recording, the abortion workers themselves admit that late-term abortions shouldn't be performed because they are too dangerous for the women seeking them. New Mexico abortion facilities need oversight and accountability that comes from common-sense regulations," Mrs. Shaver said.
Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.