Planned Parenthood has reversed course on its long-standing position that fetal heartbeats are not “real.”
In a shocking move, the abortion giant admitted on its website that unborn babies have beating hearts.
At weeks 5-6 of pregnancy “a very basic beating heart and circulatory system is formed,” it says.
Previously, Planned Parenthood relied on the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), whose “Guide to Language and Abortion” stated that “a fetal heartbeat exists only after the heart chambers have formed and can be detected by ultrasound, which usually occurs around 17 to 20 weeks of pregnancy,” National Review (NR) reports.
But the group has since distanced itself from writing ACOG’s claim to a recent footnote in a South Carolina court filing that “After consulting with experts,” the group “understand(s) that a heart was formed much earlier than that.”
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ACOG is supposed to be a neutral association of medical experts, but it is pro-abortion.
Count CBN News reportedin September ACOG wrote a stunning op-ed in The Washington Post calling for abortion on demand – at any time and for any reason.
In addition to calling for unlimited abortions, the group says abortions are safe.
“It improves and saves lives, and it should be available without restrictions, without limitations, and without barriers – just like any other critical part of health care,” the board members wrote.
Dr. Ingrid Skop, a board-certified OB-GYN who has practiced in Texas for nearly 30 years and serves as vice president and director of medical affairs at the Charlotte Lozier Institute told CBN’s Faith Nation “This meaningless proclamation from ACOG” is not a surprise.
“Sadly it doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen the progression over the years of more and more pro-abortion positions being taken by ACOG leadership…(but) the reality is that only seven to 14 percent of obstetrician trainees will perform the elective abortion.”
Skop added, “It’s good that this discussion is happening so that the American public has the realization that yes, late abortions do happen, yes, they are dangerous, they kill babies in elective, healthy ones. babies, to healthy mothers.”
Christopher Miller, a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, said ACOG has never provided an explanation of how they came to the conclusion that fetal heartbeats are not present until later in pregnancy.
“One would expect ACOG, an organization that bills itself as a ‘premier professional membership organization’ and a ‘leading provider of authoritative scientific data,’ to know all this. Instead, ACOG says there is no heartbeat until 17-20 weeks because the heart’s chambers are not formed until that point. That is wrong,” he wrote to NR.
LifeNews notes: This article was published by CBN News and reprinted with permission.
