The Life Institute has said that reports of an increase in the number of women attending necessary medical check-ups after abortion was indicative of the unsafe nature of the procedure for both mother and baby. The Irish Times has reported that the number of women attending post-abortion medical check-ups is on the rise, quoting figures which showed that almost 600 availed themselves of free health check-ups on their return, while hundreds of others attended counselling sessions at more than 50 centres nationwide as they dealt with the emotional trauma of having an abortion.

“The situation is quite extraordinary in that no matter how much babies and mothers suffer, the abortion agencies profit,” said Niamh Uí Bhriain of the Life Institute. “We’re constantly being told that, while the babt always dies, abortion is a safe procedure for women, yet we know that the complications can lead to infertility and even death, while the literature is proves beyond doubt that abortion comes with a high psychological cost.

“But abortion referral agencies charge the taxpayer to arrange abortions. Then they charge the taxpayer further to provide counseling when women are traumatized by the very procedure which the agencies themselves arranged – even though they conceal the likelihood of this trauma during so-called counseling when arranging the abortion.”

Ms Uí Bhriain said that instead of attacking pro-life counselors the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, which channels taxpayer funds to abortion referral agencies, should be running advertising campaigns telling the truth about the real nature of abortion and its effects on mothers and their babies.

The Life Institute spokeswoman said that as long as abortion was being promoted by the CPA as a “positive option” the numbers of women presenting with medical problems following abortion would continue to rise.