Missouri Gov. Blunt launches task force to investigate health effects of abortion

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt (R), an abortion-rights opponent, last week convened a task force to examine the potential physical, emotional, social and economic effects of abortion on women, the AP/Joplin Globe reports.

The Governor's Task Force on the Impact of Abortion on Women consists of only abortion opponents who were recruited by two antiabortion advocates, according to the AP/Globe.

Cindy Province -- co-founder of the Center for Bioethics and Culture-Missouri, who was asked by Blunt's administration to help recruit task force members -- said the task force intends to look for "truthful, honest information" from researchers about the procedure's effects on women. She added, "We're trying to get good evidence about the effect of abortion on women and make decisions about what the state can do to help women who find themselves in the situation of an unplanned pregnancy." John McCastle -- president of Alliance for Life-Missouri, who proposed the task force -- said he plans to investigate whether abortion leads to crime, as well as other issues. McCastle said he has read unspecified studies suggesting that a significant majority of female prisoners have had abortions.

"This is a very informal group of good people who believe in advancing the cause of life and believe that we should minimize the impact of abortion on society," Blunt said at a recent press conference. He said that he will begin the task force with the "presumption that abortion has a negative impact on Missouri children, Missouri women, Missouri men, because it's harmful to society." Peter Brownlie, president of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said that he "doubt[s] this governor is particularly interested in an objective overview of the impact of abortion." Blunt said, "I don't begin with assumption that [task force members] will have significant recommendations, but they very well may" (Lieb, AP/Joplin Globe, 10/28).