In This Issue:
- Deepening Depopulation
- A Fragile Rebound in Korean Births
- War Drives Birth Rates Down
- The Price of Parenthood in America
- Communist China
- Fear Follows Jimmy Lai Verdict
- UN Misdeeds
- U.S. Issues Warning to UNICEF
- Science Gone Mad
- IVF Mix-Up Sparks Genetic Testing
- Pro-Life Around the World
- Same-Day Assisted Suicide in Canada
- Spain Targets Pro-Life Protests
- Zimbabwe Blocks Abortion Clause
- Pro-Life on the Home Front
- Kentucky Targets Abortion Pill
- Virginia Advances Abortion Pill Reversal
- Illinois Launches New Abortion Fund
- Good News
- Wisconsin Expands Care for Mothers
“We applaud the many pro-life advances made by the Trump administration over the past year,” says Mr. Mosher. “But we cannot rest on our laurels. 1.1 million abortions a year in the U.S. is 1.1 million abortions too many. There are three things that we must do. First, end mail-order abortion across the United States by imposing restrictions on the abortion drug at the federal level. Second, increase the Pro-Life majority in the House and Senate this fall by electing candidates who are passionate about ending abortion. Making waves is the only way to make a difference. Third, we must redouble our efforts to help those in crisis pregnancies make decisions for life.”
Deepening Depopulation
A Fragile Rebound in Korean Births: South Korea recorded its largest rise in births in nearly two decades, with 254,500 babies born in 2025. This was a 6.8% increase from the previous year. The total fertility rate rose from 0.75 to 0.80, marking two consecutive years of growth after nearly a decade of steady decline. New research suggests the rebound was driven mainly by behavioral change, with a significant number of women in their 30s choosing to have children. Still, South Korea has the lowest fertility rate among OECD nations, and the population continues to shrink as deaths outnumber births.
War Drives Birth Rates Down: Four years of war have worsened already-fragile birth rates in Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine’s total fertility rate fell from 1.22 in 2021 to 1.00 in 2025, with officials warning it may be as low as 0.8–0.9, as deaths and insecurity drive the “critical decline.” Russia’s fertility rate also declined, from 1.51 in 2021 to 1.37 in 2025, despite cash incentives. Analysts warn prolonged war, labor shortages, and fear are driving long-term economic and population decline.
The Price of Parenthood in America: A new LendingTree study shows childcare is increasingly unaffordable for American families, contributing to record-low birth rates. Federal guidelines define childcare as affordable at 7% of household income, yet caring for an infant and a 4-year-old averages $28,190 per year, requiring an income of about $403,000. The typical two-child household earns just $145,656. In the United States, fertility fell below 1.6 children per woman in 2024, with 3.6 million births in 2025, as rising costs make family formation financially daunting.
Communist China
Fear Follows Jimmy Lai Verdict: China’s February 2026 Hong Kong White Paper portrays the National Security Law as a success, claiming human rights are “fully respected and protected” and noting that national security cases account for less than 0.2% of prosecutions. Critics argue the law’s vague definitions are meant to intimidate, not merely punish. That reality is underscored by the 20-year prison sentence of Jimmy Lai, treated in the document as routine justice. While Beijing claims to present a picture of stability and prosperity, many see a city increasingly governed by fear, conformity, and shrinking political freedom.
“The people of Hong Kong are increasingly fearful of their new rulers,” says Mr. Mosher. “With the de facto death sentence handed down to Catholic democracy activist Jimmy Lai, everyone in that once-great city understands that they could be next. And that is exactly the point of their ongoing persecution of Jimmy Lai.”
UN Misdeeds
U.S. Issues Warning to UNICEF: The U.S. government has warned UNICEF that it could lose American funding unless it removes abortion and gender ideology from its programming. Speaking at the executive board meeting, U.S. Ambassador Dan Negrea criticized UNICEF’s promotion of “sexual and reproductive health,” gender terminology that does not recognize two biological sexes, and DEI initiatives. The U.S., UNICEF’s largest donor, has already withdrawn from more than 60 international organizations, and has expanded the Mexico City Policy to bar U.S. funds from supporting abortion and gender ideology abroad.
Science Gone Mad
IVF Mix-Up Sparks Genetic Testing: An IVF error at the Fertility Center of Orlando has prompted expedited genetic testing to identify the biological parents of a baby girl. Attorneys will first test one couple, with fewer than 20 couples placed in two “risk pools” if broader testing is required. Lawyers continue to press for answers about the clinic’s embryo labeling and handling procedures, underscoring how IVF treats human embryos as interchangeable products.
Read more about IVF here.
Pro-Life Around the World
Same-Day Assisted Suicide in Canada: A new report from Ontario’s Medical Assistance in Dying Death Review Committee (MDRC) reveals that 65 people in 2023 were killed by assisted suicide or euthanasia the same day they requested it, with another 154 dying the following day of their request. This fast-track system—made possible after Canada removed its former 10-day waiting period—risks coercion, especially when palliative care is unavailable. Reviewers noted that “poor quality end-of-life care” often drives these requests, raising grave concerns about Canada’s assisted suicide regime.
Spain Targets Pro-Life Protests: Spain’s socialist government is considering banning pro-life prayer and gatherings within 200 meters of abortion clinics by establishing a “security perimeter” around the facilities. The proposal mirrors measures adopted in England and Wales, where 150-meter exclusion zones were introduced in 2023, criminalizing even silent prayer near abortion clinics. Pro-life groups argue that Spain already punishes intimidation and warn that the move would prioritize abortion access over constitutional rights.
Zimbabwe Blocks Abortion Clause: Zimbabwe’s Senate has decisively blocked an attempt to weaken protections for the unborn, rejecting an abortion clause quietly slipped into legislation without public awareness. Lawmakers recognized the danger of altering life-and-death policy without public debate and refused to bow to growing international pressure to liberalize abortion. Pro-life advocates praised the move as a courageous defense of unborn children. The decision affirms Zimbabwe’s commitment to protecting life and resisting global efforts to erode longstanding legal safeguards for the unborn.
Pro-Life on the Home Front
Kentucky Targets Abortion Pill: Lawmakers in Kentucky have introduced House Bill 646, which would make it a felony to traffic or import abortion-inducing drugs into the state, adding them to Kentucky’s list of controlled substances. The bill also allows civil lawsuits against distributors, prescribers, and manufacturers for harm caused by the pills, while explicitly shielding women from criminal penalties. Rep. Nancy Tate said abortion pills are being mailed into Kentucky despite its near-total abortion ban, and this measure is needed to enforce existing law and protect women and unborn children.
Virginia Advances Abortion Pill Reversal: A West Virginia Senate committee has advanced SB 805, a bill that would make abortion pill reversal (APR) available through the state’s Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program. If passed, the measure would ensure that women who regret beginning a chemical abortion can still save their babies. APR uses progesterone to attempt to counteract mifepristone. According to the Abortion Pill Rescue Network, over 8,000 babies have already been saved through the process. The bill now advances to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.
Illinois Launches New Abortion Fund: Illinois has launched a new taxpayer-backed abortion initiative, the Prairie State Access Fund, announced by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in January. The fund will partner with private abortion groups, including Planned Parenthood and the Chicago Abortion Fund, to further expand abortion access in Illinois, already one of the most permissive abortion states in the nation. Illinois currently sees the highest volume of out-of-state abortion patients, with Planned Parenthood reporting patients from 48 states.
Good News
Wisconsin Expands Care for Mothers: Wisconsin lawmakers have passed two bipartisan women’s health bills backed by Pro-Life Wisconsin. Senate Bill 23 extends Medicaid coverage for mothers from 60 days to a full 12 months postpartum. With the governor’s expected signature, Wisconsin will join 48 states and the District of Columbia in offering year-long postpartum care. Lawmakers also approved Gail’s Law, requiring full insurance coverage for supplemental breast cancer screenings. Pro-life advocates say extended maternal care will support vulnerable mothers and help protect both women and their unborn children in Wisconsin.
Quote of the Week
“For generations that are often anxious and stressed, babies are rays of light. They don’t solve problems, but they make us forget them for a moment. They bring to the surface a capacity for wonder that we thought was buried. Their fragile laughter is not trivial: it tells us that life, despite everything, continues to offer itself, and that its beauty is sometimes revealed in the smallest things.”
~ Claire de Campeau
