Mailbag: Hoag’s stand on abortions is disingenuous

I object to Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian’s decision to cease providing a full range of women’s services, ostensibly because not enough procedures are performed.

The dilation and curettage (D&C;) procedure, used to abort in the early stages of pregnancy, is the same procedure used for a miscarriage. These are common procedures, and it is disingenuous to claim that not enough are performed and thus they need to be eliminated.

If they followed their own logic, one might presume that they would shut down many of their surgical services for operations performed less than their own stated standard of 100 times per year, but they have not.

Hoag has given the impression that St. Joseph Health did not require a cessation of abortion services, but a careful reading of Hoag President Robert Braithwaite’s words indicate only that St. Joseph “did not pressure” Hoag to make this decision. However, the fact that he takes an intransigent stance (“the chances of reversing that decision aren’t there”) in the face of community outrage screams oversight by St. Joseph.

I find these actions reprehensible and regret that Hoag has decided to drag its own reputation through the mud.

Dr. Susan Skinner

Newport Beach

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A pro-life poem

Re. “Mailbag: As doctors, we oppose abortion ban” (June 11): This letter makes one wonder if the doctors have forgotten their oath to do no harm.

Doctors know that every abortion kills a living child. My prayer is that every mother with child will hear the gentle whisper inside her womb saying, “Mom, take my hand, not my life.”

This poem speaks to my position:

“Broken Wings”

Broken wings, I cannot fly,

Should bring a tear to your eye.

I will never, ever be able to soar,

Is someone out there keeping score?

Little coffins stretch East to West,

We just may have killed America’s best.

I think of Saul and the people’s demand,

Once again, God has removed his hand.

Forty years, 55 million children dead,

Writing on the wall needs to be read.

Only chance for a new start,

Let broken wings, break your heart.

Terry McDermott

Irvine

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Abortion headline is misleading

Re. “Abortion advocates challenge Hoag ban” (June 15): Headline writers need to take heed of controversial wording.

In reference to the front page in Sunday’s Daily Pilot, those who are “pro-choice” are not “abortion advocates.” The intent, I assume, was to indicate a challenge to the ban by Hoag Memorial Hospital Prebyterian on abortions. However, the intent of the headline made it appear that pro-choice advocates are “for abortion,” which is absolutely untrue.

It’s about “choice.”

Myra Neben

Irvine