Zika and abortion

Richard A. Sokerka

Battling the spread of the Zika virus, which is passed to humans through mosquito bites, has become No. 1 priority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A major concern for the CDC regarding the Zika virus is that it can be passed from a pregnant woman to her child in the womb, and infection during pregnancy has a chance to cause microcephaly, a severe brain defect.

The alarming warnings that women infected with Zika during pregnancy could possibly be carrying a child with birth defects have caused growing support for those women to consider having an abortion.

In an recent statement, Luis Almagro, the secretary general of the Organization of American States, called the Zika outbreak in Latin America “an opportunity for equal rights” and stated that in cases of infected pregnant women, “the legal interruption of pregnancy would be justifiable” based on “the risk to the life of the mother from the perspective of her dignity, the material conditions of her life and existence, but above all, her ability to make autonomous decisions about her life and health and the future of her offspring.”

But in a Catholic News Agency report, a number of Latin American pro-life leaders criticized the statement, saying the push for abortion demonstrates the “eugenics mentality” of the OAS.

Marcos León, vice president of the Pro-Life Generation in Paraguay, called “a complete disgrace” the fact that the OAS is promoting “the abortion culture.”

“It’s intolerable that in face of a problem like Zika, whose the real solution is found in prevention policies and eliminating the vector mosquito based on educating the citizenry and raising their awareness, that the voluntary elimination of human beings again be proposed as a ‘solution or palliation’ of the evils caused by this illness,” he said.

According to Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, “The Zika virus is a cause for concern, and we call upon governments and medical professionals to continue to develop appropriate treatments and interventions. But in no way does this justify recourse to abortion. The child in the womb is a patient too, and killing one’s patient is never an appropriate response.”

In a public health crisis like this, the voiceless in the womb need our voice to protect them.