Recently, the liberal publication, The Nation, published an opinion piece that stated that NRLC agreed with the medical community that pregnancy begins with implantation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A correction immediately was sent to The Nation. However, this misinformation was cited by a contributor to The Nation (Molly Ivins) in her column which is syndicated through Creator's Syndicate and appears in many papers nationally.

Letters from NRLC and its affiliates, including VSHL, have been sent to newspapers stating the following position:

NRLC has always held that life begins at fertilization - the union of sperm cell and egg cell. At that moment a new life begins. All the genetic material is present - nothing will be added but time and nutrition. NRLC takes no position on the prevention of fertilization. However, once life begins at fertilization, that person deserves the same protection that you and I enjoy. Therefore NRLC opposes acts to destroy life after fertilization, including the prevention of implantation.

Originally published in VSHL Lifesaver August 1999.