Contact: Karen Malec, Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, 847-421-4000

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Mar. 7 /Christian Newswire/ -- The 'Adolescent Health Care Safety Act,' HB 317, (sponsored by Rep. John Fritchey) is a misnamed bill that puts teenagers' health at risk.  It enables teenagers to have abortions behind their parents' backs.  Instead of notifying their parents, teens can notify a sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, clergyman, social worker, doctor, counselor, etc.

Because of the immaturity of the adolescent anatomy, teenagers who have abortions fall into a high risk group for breast cancer and subsequent premature births. [3,4,5,6,7,8]

Last year, the Institute of Medicine included "prior first trimester abortion" as a risk factor for premature birth. [1]  Premature birth is associated with cerebral palsy for children and breast cancer for mothers.

On its website, Planned Parenthood of Australia lists some health risks of abortion, including accepted risk factors for premature birth (infection and cervical and uterine anomaly), suicide, Asherman's syndrome, impaired fertility (a risk factor for breast cancer), etc.  [2]

Cancer groups admit that an early first full term pregnancy reduces risk considerably.  Consequently, even Dr. Lynn Rosenberg of Boston Medical School, an expert witness for the Center for Reproductive Rights agreed during testimony in 1999 that the young woman who has an abortion has a higher risk than the one who has a baby. [9]

"Parents are the best health care decision-makers for their children," said Karen Malec, president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer.  "They alone have a comprehensive knowledge of the family's health history."

The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer is an international women's organization founded to protect the health and save the lives of women by educating and providing information on abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer.

References can be viewed online at: www.abortionbreastcancer.com/press_releases/070307/index.htm