Dr. Jeff Barrows of Christian Medical & Dental Associations explains that the science in favor of protecting the unborn has changed remarkably since the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. "For instance, there was really in essence no ultrasound available back in 1973," he shares. "It was highly experimental [and] very difficult to visualize early in pregnancy."
Today however, Barrows says, an ultrasound can be done as early as six weeks, even making it possible to see a baby's heartbeat.
"You can do 3D ultrasound, you can see a baby moving, you can see a baby sucking its thumb – so, the technology with ultrasound has changed drastically," he tells AFN. "We know also know now that babies as young as 10 to 12 weeks have the capacity to feel pain."
Meanwhile, Barrows explains why abortions are more dangerous for a woman the later they occur in a pregnancy.
"First of all, the actual procedure itself is more and more technically difficult the later in pregnancy," he says. "So, it is easier to what we call 'perforate' the uterus or put a hole in the uterus [and] it becomes more dangerous in terms of the amount of bleeding that happens with it. So, complication-wise it's a more difficult procedure later in pregnancy."
Barrows adds that issues like pre-term labor and breast cancer are increased in women.
"Especially if they are pregnant for the first time, the risk of breast cancer is increased markedly," he emphasizes. "And the later that the abortion is done in pregnancy, the greater the magnitude of increase in breast cancer later in life."
The comments from Barrows come as the Supreme Court considers arguments made Wednesday in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
