In This Issue:
- PRI in the Media
- Steven Mosher to Speak at NRLC
- The Population Control Agenda
- Deepening Depopulation
- Did Smartphones Kill Birthrates?
- India Falls Below Replacement
- Singapore Rethinks Birthrate Strategy
- Communist China
- Bible Distribution Continues in China
- UN Misdeeds
- UN Faces Pro-Life Challenge
- Pro-Life Around the World
- UK Reviews Abortion Complications Bill
- Pro-Life on the Home Front
- FDA Investigates Abortion Pill
- New Jersey Advances Abortion Bill
- Pro-Life Laws and Miscarriage Care
- Abortion Pill Poisonings Tracker Unveiled
- Good News
- Baby Born at 22 Weeks
PRI in the Media
Steven Mosher to Speak at NRLC: PRI President Steven Mosher will speak at the 55th annual National Right to Life Conference, taking place June 12–13 in Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Mosher will participate in a session on “The Global Battle Over Abortion,” examining international efforts to expand abortion and the growing resistance to those efforts worldwide. The conference will bring together pro-life leaders, medical experts, and grassroots activists to discuss abortion policy, state legislation, and other key issues facing the pro-life movement.
The Population Control Agenda: Steven Mosher was cited in a recent piece for The Egyptian Gazette examining the concept of “demographic colonialism” and the use of population-control policies in developing nations. Drawing on Mr. Mosher’s book Population Control: Real Costs, Imaginary Benefits, the article argues that population-control programs have often been presented as humanitarian initiatives while serving broader geopolitical objectives.
Deepening Depopulation
Did Smartphones Kill Birthrates?: Two new studies have linked smartphones to plunging birthrates. In the U.S., the iPhone rollout in 2007 coincided with falling fertility rates, and counties with early AT&T coverage saw the sharpest declines. The most pronounced effects were among those ages 15 to 24, accounting for as much as half of the 2007–2011 drop. Globally, teenage fertility rates fell fastest in countries once smartphones became widespread, including Iran, Chile, Mexico, and Turkey, suggesting technology may be a major driver behind the near-global collapse in births.
“For many teenagers, the virtual reality offered by cellphones and screen time is replacing the real thing,” says Mr. Mosher. “Over time, their ability and interest in interacting with real people declines to the point where they become socially isolated. Few friends, no dates, and no marriage prospects naturally results in fewer babies.”
India Falls Below Replacement: India’s fertility rate has fallen below replacement level for the first time, dropping to 1.9 children per woman—down from 3.3 in the early 2000s and below the 2.1 needed to maintain population stability. Experts warn the decline could eventually lead to labor shortages and an aging society. The trend mirrors demographic challenges already facing other Asian nations, including China (1.0), Taiwan (0.86), and South Korea (0.75).
“The most populous country in the world—India, not China—has had below-replacement fertility for several years now,” says Mr. Mosher. “The latest numbers are 1.9 children per woman and falling. And the most Catholic parts of India—Goa and Kerala—have even lower birth rates than this average.”
Singapore Rethinks Birthrate Strategy: Singapore is shifting its approach to the birthrate crisis as fertility fell to a record low of just 0.87 children per woman in 2025. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong acknowledged that decades of pro-natalist incentives have produced limited results, despite nearly $7 billion in recent marriage and parenthood initiatives. As one-fifth of Singapore’s population reaches age 65 or older this year, officials are increasingly focused on supporting families, managing immigration, and offsetting demographic decline through technology and artificial intelligence.
Communist China
Bible Distribution Continues in China: Despite growing religious persecution in China, Bible distribution efforts continue through approved channels. Recent arrests of three individuals for distributing religious materials and six people involved in children’s Sunday school programs highlight the Chinese government’s increasing restrictions on Christian activity. Nevertheless, ministries such as Bibles for China remCain optimistic, continuing to distribute legally printed Bibles through registered churches while supporting believers who face pressure for sharing their faith and discipling their children.
UN Misdeeds
UN Faces Pro-Life Challenge: A series of conservative election victories across Latin America could strengthen pro-life and pro-family voices at the typically left-wing United Nations. Newly elected leaders in Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, and Bolivia have publicly opposed abortion and gender ideology, raising the possibility that more than 10 Latin American nations could align with the Trump administration on key UN debates.
Pro-Life Around the World
UK Reviews Abortion Complications Bill: A new bill introduced in the House of Lords would require the UK government to publish annual reports on abortion complications, including cases involving retained products of conception. The proposal follows a 2023 government review that found abortion complication rates recorded through hospital data were 2.6 times higher than official abortion statistics. When incomplete abortions were included, the complication rate was 18.16 per 1,000 abortions—nearly 12 times higher than the rate reported by abortion providers.
Pro-Life on the Home Front
FDA Investigates Abortion Pill: The FDA confirmed that its safety review of the abortion pill mifepristone has been underway for months and could be completed as early as July. The investigation follows growing concerns over the drug’s risks, including a 2025 study finding that 1 in 10 women experience serious adverse events after taking it. Pro-life groups welcomed the review but urged the Trump administration to go further by restoring in-person dispensing requirements and ending mail-order abortion pill distribution.
New Jersey Advances Abortion Bill: New Jersey lawmakers advanced legislation that would make the state the first in the nation to criminalize interference with access to abortion and transgender medical procedures. The bill would further position New Jersey as a refuge for abortion providers by shielding them from extradition requests from states that restrict such practices. Violators could face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $150,000. The measure could restrict pro-life outreach, undermine parental rights, and punish those seeking to protect women and unborn children.
“It’s astonishing to me how hellbent the Democrats are to promote the killing of the unborn and the transgender deception,” says Mr. Mosher. “What’s next? Mandating abortion and transgender surgery in some cases?”
Pro-Life Laws and Miscarriage Care: A new study claims pro-life laws may reduce the use of the abortion drug mifepristone in miscarriage treatment, but pro-life physicians say women continue to receive appropriate care through established alternatives. Miscarriage affects an estimated 10%–20% of pregnancies, and a 2024 study found only 3% of women experiencing miscarriage received the mifepristone-misoprostol drug combination. Pro-life doctors argue that misoprostol alone, expectant management, and surgical care remain effective options and warn that misinformation may discourage women from seeking needed medical treatment.
Abortion Pill Poisonings Tracker Unveiled: Heartbeat International has launched a new national tracker documenting reported cases of abortion pill poisonings, identifying incidents in at least 15 states where women were reportedly given abortion drugs without their knowledge or consent. The initiative follows reports from the organization’s Abortion Pill Rescue Network, which has helped save more than 8,000 babies. The tracker also highlights growing concerns about abortion pill safety, as a recent study found complications occur in nearly 11% of chemical abortions.
Good News
Baby Born at 22 Weeks: A baby girl born at just 22 weeks and 5 days gestation has become the youngest surviving baby ever delivered at a hospital in the UAE. Born on World Prematurity Day weighing only 400 grams, Talia spent 129 days in intensive care before going home weighing 2.6 kilograms. Doctors report no concerns about long-term health complications. Her survival highlights the remarkable advances in neonatal care and the resilience of premature babies.
Quote of the Week
“How can it be that the most wondrous and sacred human space—the womb—has become a place of unutterable violence.”
~ Pope Benedict XVI
