 By Lloyd Powell, Albuquerque, New Mexico- Abortions are nothing new in the state of New Mexico. Most notably, Planned Parenthood has been one of front runners. The second lesser known option is Southwestern Women’s Options. Both of these clinics perform abortions not just for New Mexico but other states such as Texas and California. Despite the fact that these clinics are regularly opposed by Pro-Life organizations, the clinics still run effectively every day to end pregnancies through pill and surgical procedures. Most surprising in support of abortions comes from a name very familiar with New Mexico residents and students. The University of New Mexico operates their own free standing abortion center. The clinic named “UNM Center for Reproductive Health,” offers family planning and birth control options including late term surgical abortions through 24 weeks or 6 months of pregnancy. From their own web site they proudly declare that they are, “UNM Medical Group Clinic of the Year 2017, 2019, 2020.” It might be surprising to note that a clinic who has won so many awards for giving life and improving life would also offer services to end lives. On the affirmative side in preserving the lives of unborn babies are various Pro-Life organizations. These groups have offered alternatives to abortion by providing mobile ultrasound technology to show parents their unborn child, counseling, and free resources to help undecided parents make the best decision. Further, medical technology can now demonstrate evidence of active life of the unborn with heart beat and other substantiation that this is a baby, not a mere pile of random cells. In many cases, providing these resources and visible proof has resulted in women continuing their pregnancy for the full nine months and rejecting abortion, the death alternative. If you have been following some of the recent news regarding increased Pro-Life activity, you cannot avoid being drawn to realize the growing change in attitude among the population of the United States against unregulated abortion clinics and especially late terms abortions. In some states the legislatures have moved to curtail abortions. Further, in some of the local elections, politicians are pledging their support for a Pro-Life stance in their campaigns. In a recent move, the Pro-Life organization “Abortion Free New Mexico” has organized people from over a dozen churches from a wide variety of Christian groups and denominations to begin praying on the public sidewalk each day in April, May and June at the UNM abortion clinic near the airport when it is open. Some of the topics of prayer include praying for local and national laws to change, to help the families understand there are resources available to help with the baby if they are permitted to live, and to help abortion practitioners to turn from the act of abortion. Anyone who wants to participate in Pro-Life prayer can join Abortion Free New Mexico at the UNM Center for Reproductive Health Clinic at 2301 Yale Blvd SE. in Albuquerque daily in April, May and June. You can obtain more information by visiting AbortionFreeNM.com. Editors note: Lloyd Powell is a Day Coordinator for Abortion Free New Mexico's latest Prayer Initiative, No Sidewalk Without the Savior launching on April 1, 2022. Join Us for the Launch of, "No Sidewalk Without the Savior"
"Over the years we have had countless women come and tell us that because we were present, they chose life. Your presence is sometimes the sign that these women are looking for when they go for an abortion. You are essential and your prayers are necessary to make our city and state Abortion Free," stated Tara Shaver of Abortion Free New Mexico 
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 By Bud Shaver, Albuquerque, New Mexico- Join Abortion Free New Mexico on Friday, April 1st for the launch of our new prayer initiative, "No Sidewalk Without the Savior, which coincides with Faith to Action Friday, outside of the University of New Mexico's free standing abortion facility, UNM Center for Reproductive Health (UNMCRH). This facility performs late term abortions up to 24 weeks (6 months) of pregnancy.  The Spanish speaking "Isleta Church of Christ: Iglesia De Cristo" is the closest church (0.5 mile) from the UNM Center for Reproductive Health late-term abortion facility. After reaching out to, fellowshipping with and sharing a presentation with them about abortion in New Mexico and this new prayer initiative, "No Sidewalk Without the Savior" they enthusiastically agreed to allow us to meet on their property. Since April 1st is the launch date for this new initiative and it coincides with Faith to Action Friday we will gather first at Isleta Church of Christ for collective prayer & speakers, then we will take a short prayer walk together to the UNMCRH abortion facility. Join us for Faith to Action Friday & Launch of, "No Sidewalk Without the Savior" 
In Matthew 18:20 Jesus tells us that, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Will you join us on the sidewalk at one of the darkest places in Albuquerque? "No Sidewalk Without the Savior" is an effort to make sure that two people are prayerfully present outside of the UNM Center for Reproductive Health abortion facility every hour that they are open, because where two or three gather in the name of Jesus, He is present in their midst. When the body of Christ is present and availible, God is able to open hearts and minds to the reality of what is happening in our community and to also bring conviction to the women seeking abortions there. Abortion Free New Mexico is asking the pro-life community to come together and volunteer for just a one-hour weekly or monthly commitment at a location where the hope of Christ is so desperately needed. Will you join us to make sure that Jesus Christ is brought the sidewalk at one of Albuquerque's darkest places? Can YOU spare one hour and bring a friend or family member out to simply pray for the moms considering abortion and the precious babies in their wombs? "Over the years we have had countless women come and tell us that because we were present, they chose life. Your presence is sometimes the sign that these women are looking for when they go for an abortion. You are essential and your prayers are necessary to make our city and state Abortion Free," stated Tara Shaver of Abortion Free New Mexico  
By Bud Shaver
Albuquerque, New Mexico- According to the most recent data, published in 2019 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New Mexico unfortunately leads the nation with the highest percentage of late-term abortions. In other words, late-term abortions represent 11.6% of all abortions performed in New Mexico. TABLE 10 of the CDC Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2019 report shows that New Mexico performed 406 late-term abortions (over 21 weeks gestation) which was 11.6% of the total number of abortions performed in the state (3,485) that year. By comparison, of the 43 states that met the CDC's reporting requirements, (Nine states, California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York State, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin either did not report, did not report by gestational age, or did not meet reporting standards) Florida performed the most abortions according to TABLE 10 with 71,914 in 2019, however, 217 or 0.3% of the total number of abortions performed in Florida were over 21 weeks gestation. 
Since 2010, Abortion Free New Mexico leaders Bud and Tara Shaver have reported (and coined the designation) that Albuquerque, New Mexico is the, "late-term abortion capital of the country" based on the groundbreaking research and undercover investigations that they have conducted. Virtually every major news source in the country has reported on this fact.
The New York Times was one of the earliest to report that Albuquerque, New Mexico is known as the "late-term abortion capital of the country" in 2013: Albuquerque has become the latest flash point in the abortion wars, with Operation Rescue, the militant group based in Kansas, calling it the “late-term abortion capital of the country.” This is because a private clinic, Southwestern Women’s Options, is one of only a few nationwide that offers abortions after the sixth month of pregnancy.
The CDC report Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2019 published on November 26, 2021 confirms what Abortion Free New Mexico has been sounding the alarm on for many years. It is important to note that while New Mexico performed the second highest number (406) of late-term abortions in 2019 behind New York City (1,096) only 2.2 percent of the total number of abortions performed (49,784) in New York City were late-term abortions. Additionally, according to a survey conducted by Abortion Free New Mexico, in conjunction with this report, no abortion clinic in the entire state of New York will perform an abortion beyond 24 weeks gestation. New Mexico on the other hand will perform full-term abortions up to the day of birth. In fact, Abortion Free New Mexico conducted an undercover investigation in 2017 that revealed that late-term abortionists at Southwestern Women's Options located in Albuquerque, New Mexico will perform a full-term abortion at 37 weeks of pregnancy.
The designation that Albuquerque, New Mexico is the "late-term abortion capital of the country" takes into consideration not only the high number of late-term abortions performed after 20-21 weeks gestation, but also the fact that New Mexico has become the hub for abortion tourism where women travel to New Mexico for full-term abortions well into the third trimester because their state has either:
For example, while New York performs abortions over 21 weeks gestation, women travel from New York to New Mexico to obtain third trimester abortions. In fact, in 2013 Abortion Free New Mexico leaders, with the help of Operation Rescue brought national attention to the fact that a woman was severely injured after traveling from New York to obtain an abortion at 35 weeks gestation at Southwestern Women's Options, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Southwestern Women's Options, owned and operated by Curtis Boyd who specializes in third trimester abortions, is drawing women from all across the nation, and even the world, for the latest possible full-term abortions. Disturbingly, Albuquerque based late-term abortionist, Curtis Boyd, takes great pride in this. A fact that he openly admitted when asked in a 2017 interview, So when he’s asked about what he thinks when he hears Albuquerque described as “the late-term abortion capital of the nation”—a term the Shavers take credit for coining—Boyd responds wryly.
It is necessary to note that both Maryland and Colorado are also destinations for third-trimester abortions, however Maryland did not meet the CDC reporting requirements and according to the CDC data, Colorado performed 173 late-term abortions (1.3 percent of the total abortion rate) in 2019 compared to 406 late-term abortions performed in New Mexico. Late-term abortions are performed over a 3-4 day period. It includes an injection into the mother's womb on the first day which causes a fetal heart attack. Over the course of the next few days, the cervix is artificially dilated so that the mother can be induced to deliver her stillborn child. This is called the induction method and occurs at an out patient clinic setting or in a local hotel. Late-term abortions are never performed when the mother's life is at risk, the procedure alone takes too much time to benefit a woman who is in a dire situation. In fact, this abortion method has many risks and is responsible for the death of at least one local New Mexico woman, Keisha Atkins in 2017. A late-term abortion in New Mexico can cost as much as $17,000.
The University of New Mexico (UNM) also performs late-term abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy at their free standing abortion facility in Albuquerque, NM. This location in particular is the the focus of Abortion Free New Mexico's "No Sidewalk Without the Savior" prayer campaign that is launching on April 1, 2022. For more information and to sign up click here.
Tara Shaver of Abortion Free New Mexico issued the following statement, "New Mexico currently has zero laws protecting pregnant women and their unborn babies from dangerous and barbaric late-term abortions. It is the absence of laws and the unwillingness of our legislators to come to the table to seek the wellbeing of both mother and child that has made us an abortion magnet, even in the latest stages of pregnancy. Abortion Free New Mexico is working many angles to build a culture that protects life, because every life is unique, precious and unrepeatable." |
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