The Panorama abortion documentary tried to discredit Christians. But it failed

The BBC’s recent Panorama documentary, which delved into the operation of crisis pregnancy centres in the UK, made clear the lengths that pro-abortion activists will go to discredit pro-life groups - and anyone who tells the truth about abortion.

Crisis pregnancy centres exist to support women experiencing a crisis pregnancy and equip them with all information and support necessary. The reality is that if mothers are told about the reality of abortion, they may reject it. Many are motivated by their Christian faith to serve women in need. This description is typical: “In line with its Christian ethos, Tyneside Pregnancy Advice Centre is committed to providing a caring, compassionate and professional service to pregnant women and their families.” 

Divya Talwar’s investigation followed undercover reporters as they attended crisis pregnancy centres, pretending to be women in need of urgent information about abortion. The comments made by crisis pregnancy centre advisors were recorded, and then critiqued by three commentators, two of which, Katherine O’Brien and Jonathan Lord, are employees of UK abortion giants British Pregnancy Advice Service (BPAS) and Marie Stopes (MSI).

Deny and discredit

These three pro-abortion commentators did not hesitate to attempt to deny and discredit the information received by the undercover reporters. All information provided by the crisis pregnancy centres was discounted as trying to cause “guilt and manipulation”.

When asked about the process of a chemical abortion, one advisor described how it involved the use of two drugs, which caused the baby to die of “hunger and thirst” and “pass” out of the mother’s body.

MSI’s Dr Lord jumped quickly to assert how “none of this is rooted in reality”. Yet it is. The abortion drug, Mifepristone, works by blocking the effects of progesterone, which is required for the unborn child to continue development. The second drug, Misoprostol, then expels the dead unborn child from the mother’s body.

The use of ultrasound technology is also heavily criticised as a “stalling” tactic. Joe Holmes of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy even appears to imply that simply viewing an ultrasound of an unborn child means a woman is being “coerced” into not having an abortion.

Ignoring the stories

The most astounding moment of denial arrives when Dr Lord is asked if ‘post abortion syndrome’ exists. He replies that it is “completely made up” and “there is no evidence for it whatsoever.”

Yet many women are negatively affected by an abortion experience. Evidence-based review, Abortion and Women’s Health, reveals the truly horrific impact that abortion can have upon the mental health of some women.

Key findings include that a woman who undergoes an abortion is six times more likely to commit suicide than a woman who gives birth. A woman is 30 per cent more likely to suffer from depression compared to a woman who gives birth, and 25 per cent more likely to suffer from anxiety.

Speaking to Her Voice, which gives a platform to women adversely affected by abortion, Alison described her experience following an abortion. She said: “My immediate reaction of relief was short-lived. It was replaced by shame, guilt, self-condemnation, darkness, depression, fear and terror. It felt as if my life was over.”

Women who are negatively affected by abortion are routinely ignored by abortion activists because their experience does not fit the narrative of abortion being a ‘positive’ or ‘empowering’ experience. On the contrary, pro-life centres care for women, before and after abortion. Far from condemning women who have had abortions, it is pro-lifers who offer post-abortion counselling, and help these women to find healing. They are motivated not just by the scientific truth that abortion ends a human life, but by true compassion, often grounded in their Christian faith, for everyone impacted by abortion. 

The full story

At the beginning of the Panorama investigation, Dr Lord states that “abortion is about an informed choice.” If this is correct, one must question why those who advocate for it are so desperate to conceal the truth about the reality of so many women’s experience of abortion, and lambast anyone who dares inform them of it as “fearmongers”.

Women who are negatively affected by abortion are ignored because their experience does not fit the narrative

The abortion industry portrays women who have abortions as empowered and informed. Yet this is far from universally true. An uninformed choice is no choice at all, and by concealing information, the abortion industry seems to regard women as too infantile to be given the uncensored truth.

The blatant reality is that if mothers have the opportunity to consider information about the reality of abortion, they may reject it, inevitably leading to the downfall of the abortion industry. The BBC’s Panorama has exposed just that.