the consequence: higher maternal mortality rates, says tilson. >> where women get unintended, unwanted pregnancies, hey will do anything to terminate the pregnancy. and where there are not safe services available, they will go to the backstreet. >> reporter: abortion is only a small part of what you do, yes it is a principled stand, but in deference to the danger you face why not swallow hard and essentially go with the gag rule? >> the reason is rights and principles. yes, women and girls will lose their lives because of this gag rule but we're not going to be gagged. >> reporter: for her part, trump advisor dannenfelser says the mexico city rule is also based on principle. >> the trump administration, and most of america, does not believe that taxpayer funding ought to go to abortion. and it certainly shouldn't go to nations that generally are very, very pro-life, which is true all across africa. the cultural imperialism that exists at the heart of this idea, that they can't be happy unless they have abortion like we do, is outrageous. >> reporter: she insists new aid groups will ste