Letter: Technology may bring end to abortion

Abortion was a major issue in last year's national election. Unfortunately, media coverage focused almost exclusively on "women's rights" The media seldom addressed the "rights of the unborn." The fundamental issue in the abortion debate becomes "is the unborn a human being?" If not, an abortion is no different from pulling a wisdom tooth. If the unborn is a human being then abortion is murder!

This issue was addressed by Dr. Jerome Lejeune, known as the father of modern genetics. In 1981, Dr. Lejeune testified to a Senate subcommittee looking into the question of when life begins and stated, "To accept the fact that after fertilization has taken place, a new human has come into being, is no longer a matter of taste or opinion."

But that was over 40 years ago. What do we know now and how does it compare to what was known at the time of Roe v. Wade in the early '70s? Back then, ultrasound equipment was very crude. Modern ultrasound and other technology tells us that DNA, which defines us as unique humans, is established at conception. We can detect heart beats between 18 and 24 days after conception. At nine weeks the unborn is able to bend its fingers around an object and suck its thumb.

Doctors now perform surgery on the unborn.

The one thing still hindering the acceptance of the unborn as human beings is location. Because the unborn is out of sight, abortion can more readily be rationalized. Out of sight, out of mind, unless an ultrasound is taken. In that case, studies have indicated that 80% of mothers contemplating an abortion will deliver after viewing an ultrasound.

Hopefully continued advances in technology will confirm what most of us know in our hearts. Abortion, like slavery, is unthinkable.

Richard Kaiser

Elk Grove Village