Former abortion doctor coming to Ottawa to dispel abortion myths
Dr. Levatino played the abortionist in the pro-life movie Unplanned

Craig Macartney
Spur Ottawa Writer

The National Campus Life Network (NCLN) is hosting a free screening of the pro-life movie Unplanned at an event featuring a presentation from Doctor Anthony Levatino. Levatino played the abortionist in the movie, but is better known as an obstetric gynecologist who performed nearly 1,200 abortions before his life was powerfully changed. He will speak at the event to dispel myths about abortion so people are better informed about the procedure.

“As Christians it is important that we are informed about the reality of abortion in this country,” says Ruth Shaw, NCLN Executive Director. “Dr. Levatino will break through all the rhetoric we hear and ground us in reality.”

NCLN works on university campuses, encouraging dialogue and informing students about the realities of abortion. Recently, they expanded their work to Grade 12 students. This event, however, they wanted to open for everyone ages 13 and older. It starts at 6 p.m. on August 16, at the Metropolitan Bible Church.

“I did 1,196 abortions in private practice. There were only two that had anything to do with rape or incest.”

“The reason 13-year-olds (and above) should participate is because the things they are seeing and hearing are a lot more graphic, sexually, in schools these days,” explains Frida Abaroa, NCLN’s operations officer. “We know they are prompted to be sexually active and are being handed contraceptives at school, if they want them, and that legally they can have an abortion without their parents even knowing. We believe they should be informed as equally as the rest of the community.”

Most Canadians identify as “pro-choice”, but Abaroa says that is because they do not know what an abortion really involves. The pro-abortion lobby is funded by its multi-billion-dollar industry that masks the realities and risks of abortion. Abaroa believes strongly that no industry should exploit women like that.

“When we talk about it with students in university, it is like a broken record the kind of answers they give us. They’re not really informed about what is happening. They give answers like, ‘It’s just a clump of cells. Abortion is like having a really bad dental appointment.’ But they don’t really know the details of what is happening or the result of it. They have never really thought about what comes out of the woman because of the abortion or how it really happens.”

“To do an abortion like that, you have to literally tear that baby apart, limb from limb.”

That’s where Unplanned and Dr. Levatino come in. All through medical school and as a gynaecologist, Levatino was adamantly pro-abortion. He performed abortions for eight years, but started to have questions when his wife struggled with infertility and they tried to adopt.

“I am trying to find a baby to bring home and care for, and here I am grinding them up in suction machines. I’m throwing these kids in the garbage.”

They eventually adopted a girl named Heather and then his wife got pregnant with a son. Once he had kids, his doubts evaporated. He continued doing abortions for women up to 24-weeks pregnant.

“How big is a 24-week baby? Look at your hand,” he says. “From the middle of your middle finger to your wrist, that’s a 20-week baby—not 24 weeks—measured head to rump. They grow like crazy at that age. To do an abortion like that, you have to literally tear that baby apart, limb from limb.”

“If you really look at facts, you can win on abortion every single time.”

Everything changed for Levatino when he lost his daughter.

“I was in a crisis and I showed up to do that next abortion. All of a sudden, it was like, ‘What the hell am I doing? This is someone’s son or daughter I just tore apart.’ We are killing our own sons and daughters by the millions. I can tell you from personal experience, the vast majority of abortions are strictly elective. ‘I don’t want to be pregnant.’ I did 1,196 abortions in private practice. Of all the abortions I did, there were only two that had anything to do with rape or incest.”

While the cultural debate about abortion rages on, Levatino says pro-lifers need two things to influence someone’s view on the topic: love and facts. As a Christian virtue, love should be present in any such discussion. Understanding the facts is where this presentation aims to equip people.

“If you really look at facts, you can win on abortion every single time. Most people are blissfully ignorant and want to stay that way about abortion. You want to champion life, you can’t afford to be blissfully ignorant. You have to understand what is being done here.”