Vital Signs: Abortion support wanes, except among billionaire philanthropists

Support for good causes? Although he’s most often described as a philanthropist, Warren Buffett is not a friend to all mankind. The billionaire financier has donated millions to the abortion industry and organizations that provide abortions, according to a recent article in the National Review.

Ranked the fourth richest person in the world by Forbes, Buffett pledged in 2006 to donate most of his fortune to charity. In 2011 alone, he gave more than $115 million to pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood, Abortion Access Project, and National Network of Abortion Funds. His other pro-abortion beneficiaries include the National Abortion Federation Hotline Fund, which gets more than 80 percent of its revenue from Buffett, DKT International, and Gynuity Health Projects.

Abortion poll. Despite support from wealthy backers, abortion is becoming less popular with regular people. Nearly half of Americans, 51 percent, say abortion should be limited, according to a CNN poll released March 6. Twenty percent of Americans believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances. But the poll also revealed that 27 percent of Americans say abortion should be completely legal.

The survey also revealed the majority of Americans disapprove of public funding for abortion. But 49 percent of Americans believe women receiving public subsidies for health insurance should be allowed to include abortion coverage in their insurance plans.

More legal challenges in Arizona. Planned Parenthood Arizona and Tucson Women’s Center filed suit against the state March 5 to block new rules limiting the use of abortion drugs.

The rules require the most common abortion-inducing drug be administered only at the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approved dosage, no later than seven weeks into a pregnancy. The rules released in January by the Arizona Department of Health Services are set to take effect April 1.

Though the FDA-approved dosage is higher than the current dosage prescribed by abortionists, the FDA protocol requires administering both doses at the abortion facility. Abortionists commonly observe women taking the first dose and then send them home with the second dose. And, abortionists don’t schedule the FDA-required follow-up visit, according to Josh Kredit, legal counsel for the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP).

The law’s opponents claim the FDA limitation will force more women to have surgical abortions. But CAP President Cathi Herrod called the regulation “common sense.”

“The abortion pill has been responsible for at least 21 deaths, yet Planned Parenthood is taking the state to court in order to dispense this dangerous medication outside FDA protocol,” Herrod said in a statement.

Shut down. Pro-life legislation passed in Texas last summer has successfully closed 19 abortion facilities, including the last ones in the Rio Grande Valley and in the 100-mile stretch between Houston and the Louisiana border. Abortion advocates claim the closures hurt communities, but Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life, said the facilities did not adequately protect patients. “Requiring a doctor at an abortion facility to have admitting privileges at a local hospital is common sense,” he said. “In the event of a serious complication from an abortion, the physician should be able to follow the patient to the emergency room to continue caring for his or her patient.”

Twenty-four Texas abortion facilities remain, but more closures could happen after additional restrictions take effect later this year.

Unwanted in Norway. More unborn Norwegian children diagnosed with Down syndrome were aborted than born, according to the country’s newly released 2012 Medical Birth Registry. Of the 118 babies diagnosed with Down syndrome, 69 were aborted, 49 were born, and 3 were stillborn, according to Life Site News. In 2009, only 32 percent of Down syndrome babies were aborted. Abortions for Down syndrome babies surpassed births for the first time since 1999 in 2012.

Life lost. A baby girl in Poland died Feb. 28 after surviving a failed 22-week abortion. The baby had Down syndrome and kidney problems, in addition to complications from her premature birth. But during her short time on Earth, she added to the debate surrounding Poland’s abortion law, which currently allows abortions until viability for babies diagnosed with an irreversible handicap or an incurable, life-threatening disease.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.