New Breastfeeding Studies: Mainstream Media Still Ignores the Obvious (Updated)

In March of this year, National Review reported on new studies that, again, reveal the "alarming rate" of breast cancer among women who have had abortions. As National Review notes, "[M]illions of women worldwide who have had abortions over the past several decades are coming down with breast cancer at alarmingly increased rates. Dozens of papers are being published that show the trend."

Also, "A 2014 meta-analysis of 36 studies from mainland China reported a 44 percent overall increase in breast-cancer risk among women who had had an abortion. But the strongest evidence comes from South Asia — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka — where the typical woman marries young, has several children and breastfeeds them all, and never drinks alcohol or smokes cigarettes. In such populations, where there is little else besides abortion to cause breast cancer, relative risks for abortion average greater than fourfold and as high as twentyfold, according to at least a dozen South Asian studies in the past five years alone."

About two weeks ago I linked to a piece from the Christian Post entitled "Women at Risk: Abortion and Breast Cancer [ABC] Linked." It reports, "Of the approximate 74 research studies conducted on the ABC link since 1973, 58 show a direct connection between increased breast cancer rates and induced abortion. All of these studies were conducted by international medical organizations. A more recent study, conducted by a research fellow at Johns Hopkins University, also supports the ABC link."

Nevertheless, the liberal media, most of whom worship at the altar of their own sexual desires, along with those who profit from the killing of children in the womb, have for decades either ignored, or worse, deceived the public on, the ABC link. This is unsurprising, as abortion, like man-made global warming, the welfare state, the homosexual agenda, opposition to guns, and so on, is a tenet in the church of liberalism. How ironic that those who claim to be champions of science are so willfully ignorant when it comes to the science of the womb.

However, they've recently slipped up. No less than The New York Times, ABC News, and the Atlanta-Journal Constitution (AJC) have, in the last few days, reported on the benefits that breastfeeding provides mothers. In a bold headline, The New York Times declared, "Breast-Feeding Is Good for Mothers, Not Just Babies, Studies Suggest."

Most significantly, one study shows that "breast-feeding may help protect women from a particularly vicious type of breast cancer." As the AJC puts it, "Researchers found that mothers who breastfeed reduce their risk of a particularly aggressive type of breast cancer by 20 percent." 

As The Times puts it, "The study, published late last month in Annals of Oncology, found that breast-feeding reduced the risk of hormone receptor negative tumors, a very aggressive type of breast cancer, by up to 20 percent." The Times also notes, "Dr. Marisa Weiss, the paper’s senior author, said that pregnancy and lactation are important steps on the breast’s decades-long path to maturation, with lactation triggering changes in milk duct cells that make the breast more resistant to cancer.

"'The breast gland is immature and unable to do its job — which is to make milk — until it goes through the bat mitzvah of a full-term pregnancy,' Dr. Weiss said." 

Of course, it is seemingly lost on these liberals that an abortion violently, abruptly, and unnaturally interrupts all of this. What's more, none of this is new information. Over five years ago, "while carrying out research into how breastfeeding can protect women from developing the killer disease [breast cancer]," scientists at the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka found that while "breastfeeding offered significant protection from cancer, they also noted that the highest reported risk factor in developing the disease was abortion."

As researchers then found, the link between abortion and breast cancer "is caused by high levels of oestradiol, a hormone that stimulates breast growth during pregnancy. Its effects are minimized in women who take pregnancy to full term but it remains at dangerous levels in those who have abortions."

Over a decade ago, Dr. Angela Lanfranchi, MD, testifying under oath declared:

"Induced abortion boosts breast cancer risk because it stops the normal physiological changes in the breast that occur during a full term pregnancy and that lower a mother’s breast cancer risk. A woman who has a full term pregnancy at 20 has a 90% lower risk of breast cancer than a woman who waits until age 30. 

"Breast tissue after puberty and before a term pregnancy is immature and cancer-vulnerable. Seventy five percent of this tissue is Type 1 lobules where ductal cancers start and 25 percent is Type 2 lobules where lobular cancers start. Ductal cancers account for 85% of all breast cancers while lobular cancers account for 12-15% of breast cancers. 

As soon as a woman conceives, the embryo secretes human chorionic gonadotrophin or hCG, the hormone we check for in pregnancy tests. 

"HCG causes the mother’s ovaries to increase the levels of estrogen and progesterone in her body resulting in a doubling of the amount of breast tissue she has; in effect, she then has more Type 1 and 2 lobules where cancers start. 

"After mid pregnancy at 20 weeks, the fetus/placenta makes hPL, another hormone that starts maturing her breast tissue so that it can make milk. It is only after 32 weeks that she has made enough of the mature Type 4 lobules that are cancer resistant so that she lowers her risk of breast cancer."

Additionally, another recent study "suggests that breast-feeding may act as a sort of 'reset' button for metabolism after pregnancy, helping women who had gestational diabetes avoid becoming lifelong diabetics." 

Also, these findings "complement earlier research showing that women who breast-feed have a lower risk for breast and ovarian cancers, Type 2 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis."

Thus, the abortion industry and its apologists are not only responsible for the slaughter of tens-of-millions of women in the womb, but in their efforts to protect this barbaric and immoral practice, they are also responsible for the deaths of hundreds-of-thousands of their adult female customers. 

Just who is conducting the "War on Women?"

Update: 

A comment on Free Republic (thanks DWW!), where this piece was linked, said the following:

"When a woman has a spontaneous miscarriage the hormones kick in the way they do after a full pregnancy when the hormones do their work to shut off the system, so to speak. 

"Now, if a woman has an abortion, these cells remain open and do not close because they are given the hormonal signal to close. When the cells remain open they have no protection from invading cancer cells. That is why breastfeeding is one of the best ways to protect the breasts from getting cancer. 

"To sum it up - an abortion keeps the breast tissue in an open position which is an invitation to cancer."

This is an important point that I neglected to address above. A "spontaneous abortion" (more commonly called a "miscarriage") is vastly different than an "induced (elective) abortion" when it comes to increased dangers of breast cancer. As Karen Malec, president and co-founder of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer notes, 

"Most miscarriages do not raise breast cancer risk because most are abnormal first trimester pregnancies without the surge in hormones that accompanies normal pregnancies. If the mother is not being overexposed to estrogen while it's in the presence of progesterone, then her cancer-susceptible lobules are not being stimulated to multiply. Her breasts aren't being stimulated to grow, and she's not growing more places for cancers to start. By contrast, most abortions are normal pregnancies which have elevated pregnancy hormone levels that stimulate breast growth. Second trimester miscarriages and early premature births before 32 weeks gestation also raise breast cancer risk."

(See a version of this column at American Thinker.)

Copyright 2015, Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor and his wife Michelle are the authors of: Debt Free Living in a Debt Filled World
tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com

When Liberal's Attack

The liberal backlash against Governor Palin is beginning to resemble the same attacks that Clarence Thomas had to endure. With the same lustily vengeful fervor as was leveled against Thomas, liberals have gone after Palin. Not surprisingly, the line of attack is similar to the one used against Thomas and is also a topic with which liberals seem very comfortable: a sex scandal.

Some liberals have recently accused Palin of faking her last pregnancy. These liberals contend that she did this to hide the fact that her oldest daughter, Bristol, was actually the one pregnant, and that Trig, the Down syndrome child born in April is actually Sarah Palin’s grandchild, not her son.

The Palins have now revealed that 17-year-old Bristol is currently about 5 months pregnant. This, of course, makes it impossible for her to be the mother of Trig.

With many liberals it’s not enough that you’re a minority or a female; what’s more important to them is that you tow the liberal party line. It just goes to show that it really isn’t about the color of your skin (or your gender), but about the content of your character. However, the kind of character for which they are looking must make one pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-evolution, anti-Creation, anti-Ten Commandments, anti-gun, and so on.

Much has been made of Governor Palin demonstrating her pro-life beliefs by delivering a Down syndrome child back in April. But little has been said about Bristol Palin, despite being 17 and unmarried, choosing to let her child live in this deadly abortion age in which we find ourselves. Twice now, under very difficult circumstances, the Palins have lived out their pro-life character.

As a contrast in character, consider the Palins’ response to their 17-year-old daughter becoming pregnant, and Governor Palin giving birth to a Down syndrome child, with what Barack Obama said when hypothesizing about one of his own daughters becoming pregnant, and his voting record on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act (BAIPA).

Speaking of Bristol’s pregnancy the Palins said, “Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned. As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support. Bristol and the young man she will marry are going to realize very quickly the difficulties of raising a child, which is why they will have the love and support of our entire family.”

Compare this to Barack Obama’s comments in April of this year when he said, “Look, I got two daughters — 9 years old and 6 years old—I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.” Here, in only a hypothetical situation, Obama demonstrated his staunch anti-life character.

Also, as I wrote about recently here, Obama demonstrated just how anti-life he is in what amounts to infanticide. His opposition to a proposed Illinois law (a virtual copy of the federal BAIPA), which would have protected infants born alive during abortions, and his subsequent deception about it, reveal the lengths to which he will go to protect abortion on demand.

In the twisted world in which many liberals live, Obama is the hero and Palin the villain. Unlike what Clarence Thomas had to endure, with a mostly liberal Congress sitting in judgment of him, thankfully the American people will get to decide what kind of character they want in the White House.

Copyright 2008, Trevor Grant Thomas

At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
Trevor and his wife Michelle are the authors of: Debt Free Living in a Debt Filled World
tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com

The Gainesville Care Center

Recently a local organization, with little or no media coverage I might add, celebrated a significant milestone. Gainesville Care Center, in late March, celebrated its 20th anniversary. To celebrate with them, about 800 folks packed the Georgia Mountains Center for a catered meal and to hear Fox News Channel’s Judge Andrew Napolitano speak.

Beginning in 1987 with a full-time staff of one and an annual operating budget of just over $13,000, the Care Center offered the services of pregnancy testing and providing maternity and baby clothing. That first year the Center’s 15 volunteer client assistants ministered to 182 often very young and very scared young ladies.

Currently the Care Center has a paid staff of seven and an annual operating budget around $240,000. There are 42 volunteer client assistants, three volunteer nurses, and five volunteer sonographers. This year they will provide services to over 1,200 individuals, female and male. The Center now offers a dozen programs and services which range from pregnancy testing and ultrasounds, to STD testing (for male and female), to post abortion support (for male and female). They also educate clients on the “adoption option” and then refer them to Christian adoption agencies in the area.

In the 20 years of the Care Center’s existence, over 25,000 clients have been helped. Nearly 1,000 children have been spared from abortion as a result of the Care Center’s work.

Estimates vary, but currently in the U.S. there are anywhere from 2,300 to 4,000 such “pregnancy resource centers.” These centers now outnumber abortion providers (just over 1,800) in the U.S. They are at the heart of the current abortion battle. According to a recent Time magazine article, “the Bush Administration has made them a centerpiece of compassionate conservatism.”

Many centers are independently operated, but typically most are affiliated with one of three national organizations: Care Net, Heartbeat International, or the U.S. National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA). Gainesville Care Center is affiliated with both Care Net and NIFLA. According to their Web site, “Care Net is the largest pregnancy center affiliation organization in North America with a network of more than 1,000 Christian pregnancy centers.”

Heartbeat International operated the first pregnancy resource centers in the U.S. and today, with just over 1,000 in 37 countries, is the largest operator of such centers worldwide. NIFLA operates around 1,000 centers spread across all 50 U.S. states.

Pregnancy resource centers have been around since just after the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, which legalized abortion on demand. The vision for Gainesville Care Center was birthed in 1985. The “core group” then consisted of Don and Sylvia Delozier, Jim and Ethel Boone, and Brad and Mary Dunagan. The doors opened in 1987 with Sylvia Delozier serving as the executive director.

The current director, who has held that position for the last 13 years, is Ann Gainey. Many local churches, businesses, and individuals help support the center financially. Local nurses and physicians volunteer their time to serve at the center or on the board of directors. Mrs. Gainey adds that, “We are blessed to have so many local churches, businesses, and individuals help support the ministry financially. The Care Center could not open its doors each day to hurting people in our community were it not for the local nurses, client assistants, sonographers, and physicians who volunteer their time so faithfully. Also, we are grateful that Georgia’s current Lt. Governor and Hall county resident, Casey Cagle, who is a former board member, now serves on the honorary board.”

Along with the other services provided, since 1994, the Care Center’s abstinence educators have presented a program on sexual purity and STD education in the city, county, and private middle and high schools, as well as area colleges. The Gainesville Care Center also offers a myriad of programs and services to churches, civic groups, and other local organizations.

Those who visit Gainesville Care Center looking for help are treated with respect, compassion, and care by the 50+ volunteers and staff whose goal it is to show them the love of Jesus in real and practical ways. Call 770-535-1413 to find out how you can be a part of this vital ministry in our community.

Copyright 2015, Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor and his wife Michelle are the authors of: Debt Free Living in a Debt Filled World
tthomas@trevorgrantthomas.com