August 22, 2012 (Omaha, NEBRASKA) – According to Thomas W. Hilgers, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist who directs a reproductive ultrasound center that specializes in the study of naturally-occurring ovulation events at the National Center for Women’s Health in Omaha, Nebraska, “the question of rape always stirs the emotions whenever it is introduced into the abortion debate. Unfortunately, the emotional impact of rape often clouds a legitimate and truthful discussion.”

In the State of Nebraska from the years 2005 through 2011, there were 26,521 abortions reported to the Nebraska Health & Human Services Division. Of those abortions, 65 were performed for the indication of “sexual assault.” This is a rate of 0.2% of all the abortions performed. Hilgers says, “In other words, 99.8% of all the abortions performed in the State of Nebraska (and this would be relatively representative of other states as well) are performed for reasons other than rape. It should also be pointed out that, during the same period of time, the abortions performed for the indication of ‘incest’ numbered two and the incidence was 0.01%.”

During this period of time, there were 4,111 forcible rapes and sexual assaults reported in the State of Nebraska for those 65 abortions. “Presuming that all of the forcible rapes have been reported, this is a pregnancy rate of 1.6%, which is considerably lower than one would expect for a random act of intercourse, the pregnancy rate of which should range from 2% to 4%,” said Hilgers. “This concurs with recent statements that the pregnancy rate from forcible rape and sexual assault is lower than it is in normal fertility. Furthermore, of those rape victims, 98.4% of them will not be helped in any fashion by abortion; and, for those who are aborted, they are then potentially confronted with a double dose of psychological trauma.”

Our studies of human ovulation by ultrasound (which number over 3,000 separate cycles) and also our study of the natural fertility system show that ovulation can be delayed by stressful events, and that this actually is quite common. Thus, the idea that a woman’s body can “shut down” ovulation and prevent pregnancy is also a true statement. Of course, this is not under the woman’s control. It is an effect of the complex mechanisms of human ovulation and its interaction with stress,” said Hilgers.

“We have the responsibility of finding the rapist and prosecuting him to the full extent of the law and being very firm about it,” Dr. Hilgers said. “We also have the responsibility to the woman who is the victim of rape. But when 98.4% of rape victims do not become pregnant but suffer the emotional trauma of the rape, then crisis intervention and support is extremely helpful and important. More emphasis on this type of support needs to be provided.”

Dr. Hilgers is an obstetrician-gynecologist who specializes in reproductive medicine and surgery. He is also the Director of a nationally accredited Reproductive Ultrasound Center and the Director of the National Center for Women’s Health in Omaha, Nebraska. He is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology in the Creighton University School of Medicine and the Director of the Pope Paul VI Institute for the Study of Human Reproduction.

Pope Paul VI Institute & National Center for Women’s Health

Have you followed us in the news lately? We have had articles written about the Institute and about the Creighton Model System and NaProTechnology recently featured in the Chicago Tribune, Legatus Magazine, and Columbia Magazine!

Also, the NaPro approach to diagnosing and treating infertility will be the topic of discussion on the upcoming August 10th broadcast of Catholic Answers!

Follow the Pope Paul VI Institute and the Creighton Model System and NaProTechnology in the news at www.popepaulvi.com/inthenews.htm!

Listen to Catholic Answers Live for an all-new interview on Friday, August 10th at 5:00 p.m. CDT (6:00 p.m. EDT or 3:00 p.m. PDT)! The topic will be Overcoming Infertility.

To hear the interview, visit KVSS at http://spiritcatholicradio.com/ and click on the the Listen Live button. Tune in on your radio at Spirit 102.7FM in Omaha/Lincoln/Western Iowa, Spirit 88.3FM in Northeast Nebraska, Spirit 90.1FM in North Platte, or Spirit 91.5FM in Grand Island/Hastings/Kearney.

Don’t forget to share this news with your family and friends too!

Also, you will find this information on our web site.

Make plans to attend the 2012 physician-couple retreat in February! Fr. Jaroslaw Szymczak from the Holy Family Institute in Warsaw, Poland will be the retreat master. Each weekend session includes a lecture, a workshop, and couple dialogue. Presenters at the retreat include Dr. Thomas W. Hilgers, who will offer two CME lectures, and his wife Sue Hilgers.

Download the brochure/registration form and the poster.

February 9th – 11th, 2012 – Omaha, Nebraska
Opening Mass – 4:00 p.m. Thursday, February 9th | Departure – Sunday, February 12th

Location: Pope Paul VI Institute Chapel of the Holy Family and Comfort Inn & Suites.

A weekend retreat focusing on marriage, family, and the practice of women’s medicine in a Culture of Life.
* Daily Mass
* Silent reflection and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
* Sessions (with lecture, workshops, couple dialogue) include:
– Idealized Visions Versus Reality
– Respect and Acceptance of Differences
– Gift–Not Demand
– A Time for Us
– Dialogue and Communication
– Sealing the Gift of Sexuality

* Continuing medical education lectures (tentative)**

What participants said…

“My husband and I would like to encourage all physicians and their spouses to come and visit with others even if you are just considering the training program. To hear and see the other strong, intelligent, capable physicians talk about their experiences of conversion and to know others like yourself are practicing successfully in the world today without contraception was a great encouragement. It was essential to me in changing my practice; it gave me the courage to do what I already believed. When my husband was also able to understand the issues, I was so worried but he became completely supportive of my decision no matter the consequences. As most people, I needed more than my conviction to live out this belief. I needed a supportive network of colleagues and a partner who believed in it with equal passion. This conference gave me both of these gifts. Thanks! ”

“The retreat was an awesome experience for us. I can’t wait for next year’s retreat.” — Spouse

“The retreat leaders were excellent.” — Physician and spouse

“Fr. Jay was an excellent retreat leader.” — Physician

“Workshops were awesome. The individual dialogue was good as well. Looking forward to our homework! The retreat was an awesome experience for us.” — Spouse

“Liked the workshop (dialogue approach). Conducive to small groups, given the nature of the topics.” — Physician

“It was a great help to hear from Dr. and Mrs. Sue Hilgers on how they balanced family life with their calling to NaPro.” –Spouse

“I thought the retreat allowed for a deeper level of discussions with my fiance than I had experienced on the engaged encounter retreat. We were also given tools to learn to work together and understand better each other’s perspectives. It is clear to me that Fr. Jay has extensive experience with married couples and hardships of the vocation of marriage. I hope that with the knowledge gained and the graces obtained in this retreat my fiance and I will be better equipped to embark on this journey called marriage.” — Physician (wedding date: June 11, 2011)

To view this program live online, visit EWTN Television and click on “Television” in the top black menu bar, then select “Live TV – English” and choose your viewing area.

An alternate show time will be 3:00 a.m. ET/2:00 a.m. CST.

Also, check out Dr. Catherine Keefe‘s radio interview on Spirit Catholic Radio Network’s Daybreak with TJ and Rachel (click the red “Listen Live” button at the top of the page). An interview with her will air this Tuesday, January 24th at 8:00 a.m. CST. She will be speaking about NaProTechnology and her trip to Colombia where she presented this new women’s health science.

Thomas Hilgers, MD will be debating one of Poland’s leading IVF physicians on Friday, September 23rd (9:00 am CEST/ 2:00 am CST) following his Thursday, September 22nd (11:00 am CEST/ 4:00 am CST) lectures on NaProTechnology at the Polish Society of Perinatal Medicine meeting in Poznan, Poland. Both meetings will be broadcast live on the Internet. Tune in to hear the live webcasts of Dr. Hilgers as he presents the culture of life and the benefits of NaProTechnology at a conference for perinatologists in Poland.

To link to the live webstream, click here: http://tv.man.poznan.pl/Hilgers/index_1_en.html

This is an exciting opportunity for the physicians of Poland and for people around the world to hear about the medical, surgical, and ethical superiority of NaProTechnology to in-vitro fertilization. Thanks for your prayers as Dr. Hilgers speaks out for LIFE!!!

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