Fred Mecklenburg

Last updated

Fred Emil Mecklenburg (1935 [1] - April 6, 2020 [2] ) was an American obstetrician-gynecologist who had been active in opposition to legal abortion. He was a founder of the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, American Citizens Concerned for Life, and chairman of the National Right to Life Committee from 1973 to 1975. [3]

Contents

Life and career

Mecklenburg grew up in Minnesota. His wife, Marjory Mecklenburg grew up in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, and they were high school debating partners before marriage. [4] He and his wife have four children, one of whom is Karl Mecklenburg, a former American football player for the Denver Broncos. [5]

Mecklenburg attended University of Minnesota, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1957 and an additional degree in 1958. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1960 and was certified in obstetrics and gynaecology in 1968. [6] His residency was interrupted when he served for two years in the United States Army Medical Corps. He served as Director of Family Planning Programs, at University of Minnesota at a time when they opened a clinic off campus for married and unmarried students seeking family planning services. [7]

He had a practice in Edina, Minnesota until relocating to the Washington, D. C. area in 1981, when his wife was appointed by Ronald Reagan to Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She had previously served on an advisory panel for the Office of Technology Assessment investigating fertility planning technologies. [8] She later became Director of the Office of Population Affairs where she served until 1985. [9] [10]

Mecklenburg held an OB/GYN position with Kaiser Permanente in Reston, Virginia in the 1980s. Mecklenburg later joined the Inova Fairfax Women's Center in Virginia, and he is currently Chairman of the OB/GYN department. [6] [11]

Opposition to abortion

Mecklenburg and his wife became involved in the opposition to legal abortion in 1967. [12] Mecklenburg served as president of the pro-life organization Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, and his wife succeeded him in that position. Mecklenburg was a strong supporter of Planned Parenthood and urged the antiabortion movement not to object to family planning. [13]

In 1972, he authored a book chapter, "The Indications for Induced Abortion: A Physician's Perspective", which argued in part that pregnancy from rape "is extremely rare." [14] The chapter appeared in a book titled Abortion and Social Justice, written in response to arguments before the Supreme Court regarding legalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade . Mecklenburg added that a woman exposed to the trauma of rape "will not ovulate even if she is 'scheduled' to." [15] Mecklenburg said researchers in Nazi death camps observed this effect by "selecting women who were about to ovulate and sending them to the gas chambers, only to bring them back after their realistic mock-killing, to see what the effect this had on their ovulatory patterns. An extremely high percentage of these women did not ovulate." [15] Journalist Blythe Bernhard stated, "That article has influenced two generations of anti-abortion activists with the hope to build a medical case to ban all abortions without any exception." [16]

In 1975, Mecklenburg testified as an expert witness in a manslaughter prosecution against a Boston obstetrician, and criticized the abortion procedure used by the defendant. [17]

In the 1980s, Marjory Mecklenburg served as president of the National Right to Life Committee. [15] [18]

In 1988, Pennsylvania state Republican representative Stephen Freind, claiming to rely on Mecklenburg, publicly argued that rape prevents pregnancy with the odds of pregnancy being "one in millions and millions and millions." [19] [20] Mecklenburg responded in a prepared statement that he regretted his opinions were used to support Freind's position. [21] In 2012, Mecklenburg's 1972 article was mentioned as a possible source for similar comments made by U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin. [15]

Selected publications

Related Research Articles

Obstetrics and gynaecology is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics and gynaecology. The specialization is an important part of care for women's health.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Akin</span> American politician (1947–2021)

William Todd Akin was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 2nd congressional district from 2001 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party. Born in New York City, Akin grew up in the Greater St. Louis area. After receiving his bachelor's degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, Akin served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and worked in the computer and steel industries. In 1988, he was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives. He served in the state house until 2000, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, in which he served until 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beginning of pregnancy controversy</span> Cultural-linguistic, not scientific question

Controversy over the beginning of pregnancy occurs in different contexts, particularly as it is discussed within the debate of abortion in the United States. Because an abortion is defined as ending an established pregnancy, rather than as destroying a fertilized egg, depending on when pregnancy is considered to begin, some methods of birth control as well as some methods of infertility treatment might be classified as causing abortions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Elizabeth Hodgson</span> Physician, obstetrician, gynecologist

Jane Elizabeth Hodgson was an American obstetrician and gynecologist. Hodgson received a bachelor's degree from Carleton College and her M.D. from the University of Minnesota. She trained at the Jersey City Medical Center and at the Mayo Clinic.

Eric J. Keroack was an American obstetrician-gynecologist. He worked briefly in a pregnancy-related program at the United States Department of Health and Human Services during 2006–2007.

Abortion in Panama is illegal except in instances that the pregnancy is life-threatening or the health of the woman is at risk, or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abortion law in the United States by state</span>

The legality of abortion in the United States and the various restrictions imposed on the procedure vary significantly, depending on the laws of each state or other jurisdiction, although there is no uniform federal law. Some states prohibit abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with few exceptions; others permit it up to a certain point in a woman's pregnancy, while some allow abortion throughout a woman's pregnancy. In states where abortion is legal, several classes of restrictions on the procedure may exist, such as parental consent or notification laws, requirements that patients be shown an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion, mandatory waiting periods, and counseling requirements.

Stephen F. Freind is a retired American politician from Pennsylvania who was a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 166th district from 1976 until 1993. He unsuccessfully challenged Arlen Specter in the 1992 Republican primary election. He authored the Abortion Control Act of 1982, a law that includes, with some exceptions, "requirements that a married woman notify her husband, that there be a 24-hour wait before any abortion, and that doctors show patients a pamphlet with pictures of developing fetuses", as well as another law to prevent suits against doctors for wrongful birth or wrongful life for not giving information about risk of fetal abnormalities. The Abortion Control Act was mostly upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States except for the spousal notification provision in the case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

Abortion in Greece has been fully legalized since 1986, when Law 1609/1986 was passed effective from 3 July 1986. Partial legalization of abortion in Greece was passed in Law 821 in 1978 that provided for the legal termination of a pregnancy, with no time limitation, in the event of a threat to the health or life of the woman. This law also allowed for termination up to the 12th week of pregnancy due to psychiatric indications and to the 20th week due to fetal pathology. Following the passage of the 1986 law, abortions can be performed on-demand in hospitals for women whose pregnancies have not exceeded 12 weeks. In the case of rape or incest, an abortion can occur as late as 19 weeks, and as late as 24 weeks in the case of fetal abnormalities. In case of inevitable risk to the life of the pregnant woman or a risk of serious and continuous damage to her physical or mental health, termination of pregnancy is legal any time before birth. Girls under the age of 18 must get written permission from a parent or guardian before being allowed an abortion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States Senate election in Missouri</span>

The 2012 United States Senate election in Missouri was held on November 6, 2012, concurrently with the 2012 presidential election, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

John Charles Willke was an American author, physician, and anti-abortion activist. He served as president of National Right to Life and, along with his wife Barbara, authored a number of books on abortion and human sexuality. Willke was a leading promoter of the false claim that women's bodies resist pregnancy from forcible rape, an idea which continues to be promoted by some anti-abortion politicians.

"War on women" is a slogan in United States politics used to describe certain Republican Party policies and legislation as a wide-scale effort to restrict women's rights, especially reproductive rights, including abortion. Prominent Democrats such as Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Boxer, as well as feminists, have used the phrase to criticize proponents of these laws as trying to force their social views on women through legislation. The slogan has been used to describe Republican policies in areas such as access to reproductive health services, particularly birth control and abortion services; the definition of rape for the purpose of the public funding of abortion; the prosecution of criminal violence against women; and workplace discrimination against women.

During the 2012 United States election cycle, in federal and state elections, a series of controversies arose as a result of statements by Republican Party candidates about rape, pregnancy, contraception, abortion, and related topics. The first and most widely covered controversy concerned Republican U.S. Senate candidate Representative Todd Akin of Missouri, who stated that pregnancy rarely occurs as a result of what he called "legitimate rape". Medical experts said Akin's statement is false, and many women's rights groups found the phrase "legitimate rape" demeaning. Akin's comments had a far-reaching political impact, changing the focus of political campaigns across the country to the War on Women. Akin was eventually denounced by politicians in both the Republican and Democratic parties, most prominently by presidential candidate Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama; he lost the election on November 6 to Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill.

Pregnancy is a potential result of rape. It has been studied in the context of war, particularly as a tool for genocide, as well as in other unrelated contexts, such as rape by a stranger, statutory rape, incest, and underage pregnancy. The scientific consensus is that rape is at least as likely to lead to pregnancy as consensual sexual intercourse, with some studies suggesting rape may actually result in higher rates of pregnancy than consensual intercourse.

Marjory E. Malo Mecklenburg is an American government administrator. She has served as an advisor for the Office of Technology Assessment and was appointed by Ronald Reagan to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serving in the Office of Adolescent Pregnancy Programs and serving as Director of the Office of Population Affairs until 1985.

A six-week abortion ban, also called a "fetal heartbeat bill" by proponents, is a law in the United States which makes abortion illegal as early as six weeks gestational age, which is when proponents claim that a "fetal heartbeat" can be detected. Medical and reproductive health experts, including the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, say that the reference to a fetal heartbeat is medically inaccurate and misleading, for a conceptus is not called a fetus until eight weeks after fertilization, as well as that at four weeks after fertilization, the embryo has no heart, only a group of cells which will become a heart. Medical professionals advise that a true fetal heartbeat cannot be detected until around 17 to 20 weeks of gestation when the chambers of the heart have become sufficiently developed.

The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology is a non-profit organization that provides board certification for practicing obstetricians and gynecologists in the United States and Canada. It was founded in 1927, incorporated in 1930, and is based in Dallas, Texas. It is one of 24 medical boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. ABOG's mission is to define the standards, certify obstetricians and gynecologists, and facilitate continuous learning to advance knowledge, practice, and professionalism in women's health.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Society of Family Planning</span> International professional organization

The Society of Family Planning (SFP) is an international non-profit professional organization established in 2005 specializing in "abortion and contraception science" composed of physicians, nurses, sociologists, public health practitioners and trainees in these fields. The majority of member physicians include specialists of obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, and adolescent medicine.

On June 30, 2022, a ten-year-old girl from Columbus, Ohio, United States, traveled to Indiana to get an abortion because abortion law in Ohio did not provide an exception for minor children who became pregnant because of rape. Her case drew national attention and commentary from public figures, due in part to its proximity to the June 24, 2022, decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states, including Ohio, to impose substantial limitations on abortion.

Ingrid Skop is an American obstetrics and gynecology physician and anti-abortion activist who is the vice president and director of medical affairs at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of the political advocacy group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. The Texas Tribune has called Skop "the first call for anyone looking for an OB/GYN to publicly defend abortion restrictions."

References

  1. ↑ Smith, Joe T. (1968). American directory of obstetricians and gynecologists: Volume 8.
  2. ↑ "Obituary, Washington Post". Legacy.com .
  3. ↑ Morgan, Lynn Marie; Michaels, Meredith W. (1999). Fetal Subjects, Feminist Positions. University of Pennsylvania Press, ISBN   9780812216899
  4. ↑ Thibodeau, Lynn (1977). The Happy Housewife. Carillon Books, ISBN   9780893100506
  5. ↑ (17 December 1994). MECK EAGER TO TACKLE LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL BRONCOS GREAT MOVING ON AFTER 12 SEASONS OF PROVING 'SLOW WHITE KID' COULD STAR IN NFL, Rocky Mountain News
  6. 1 2 Faculty: Fred E. Mecklenburg, M.D., A.B.O.G., F.A.C.O.G., VCU School of Medicine website, Retrieved 22 August 2012
  7. ↑ Associated Press (November 3, 1969). Family Clinic Opens On Campus. via Gettysburg Times
  8. ↑ United States Office of Technology Assessment (1981). World population and fertility planning technologies : the next 20 years. DIANE, ISBN   9781428924338
  9. ↑ Glaser, Vera (8 August 1981). Teen-Age Pregnancy: Reagan Health Aide Says Teens Should Learn to Say No, Evening Independent
  10. ↑ Anderson, Jack and Joseph Spear (26 August 1987). U.S. paid for mom's trips, Ellensburg Daily Record
  11. ↑ (9 March 2000). At Hospitals, Babies are Big Business, The Washington Post ("Fred E. Mecklenburg, who came to Inova Fairfax in 1981...")
  12. ↑ (May 16, 1993). Driven to extremes. St. Paul Pioneer Press
  13. ↑ Critchlow, Donald T. (2001). Intended Consequences: Birth Control, Abortion, and the Federal Government in Modern America. Oxford University Press, ISBN   9780195145939
  14. ↑ Mecklenburg, Fred E. (1972). The Indications for Induced Abortion: A Physician's Perspective. In Abortion and Social Justice, Thomas Hilgers and Dennis Horan, eds., p. 50. Sheed & Ward, ISBN   9780836205428
  15. 1 2 3 4 Townsend, Tim (August 21, 2012). "Akin appears to have picked up conclusions from 1972 article now hotly disputed". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  16. ↑ Bernhard, Blythe (August 22, 2012). The roots of Rep. Todd Akin’s “legitimate” rape remarks. Washington Post
  17. ↑ Mydans, Seth (22 January 1975). Abortion Case May Be Dismissed, The Telegraph (Nashua) (Associated Press story)
  18. ↑ Associated Press (February 27, 1985). Resignation of Population Official Ends Expense Account Probe.
  19. ↑ Kliff, Sarah (August 20, 2012). "Rep. Todd Akin is wrong about rape and pregnancy, but he's not alone". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  20. ↑ "Freind admits he erred, exaggerated on rapes". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 30, 1988.
  21. ↑ Wolf, Don (2 April 1988). Freind deserted in abortion stand, Pittsburgh Press
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.