Abortion Poll on AB

[angel-cake]

It is interesting that 33% have stated they would lower the limit to 12 weeks. I wonder how many who said this have had any direct experience of abortion.

Most pregnancies that are aborted before 12 weeks are due to unplanned and unwanted pregnancies. Going further down the line up to 24 weeks, it is often the result of discovering a severe abnormality in the foetus.

So basically, those 33% who voted that option are saying it is ok to abort an unplanned pregnancy because the baby is unwanted, but it's not ok for a couple, who have probably planned and much wanted the baby, to make a heartbreaking decision to have an abortion.

My opinion is that the abortion limit should stay at 24 weeks and a woman should be able make her own choice.

[MrXLA]

Further to tigwig's post which is very interesting, and again I'd like to remind you that I have not clarified my views on abortion.
How many of us would consider it acceptable to 'terminate' a 2 year old, 5 year old or 10 year old, because 'we' deemed that child to have a poor quality of life or felt that the stresses placed on the parents/family were too great.
Yet many of us seem able to openly to explain why we feel that a 'termination' PRIOR to birth is justifiable, is there really any difference?
Afterall everyone commenting on here was a gamete/zygote/fetus/baby once.
Everyone on here COULD HAVE been 'terminated' for any number of reasons some of which several of you have justified and yet you are here today alive.

[angel-cake]

Daffy - I don't think that one comment from one your daugher's friends makes a study!! Hopefully you have managed to pursuade your daughters to have a different opinion to their friends.

MrXLA, I think the girls you are talking about who have multiple abortions as contraception are, in fact, insane as I said earlier!

[MrXLA]

Is anyone on here adopted? Would you rather have been terminated?

[MrXLA]

Sadly angel-cake that is your oppinion, but rarely one shared by phyciatrists and I would ask that since you have chosen to deal with a very sensitive matter that you refrain from using inappropriate terms such as 'insane' to describe these women.

[angel-cake]

Sorry MrXLA but i dont think saying that any one of us could have been terminated is any kind of argument for anti-abortion. Of course, if we had been terminated we would never have known about it and comparing it to terminating a child of 2, 5 or whatever is just grasping at...... well, i dont know exactly what you are grasping at but it's a pointless comment.

My originaly post was actually just wondering whether the people who voted in that poll to lower the limit to 12 weeks, actually even had real reasons for their decision.

[MrXLA]

I did not say it was an anti-abortion argument.
My biggest concern regarding abortion is in fact not to do with whether or not it is carried out.
Its the REASONING behind it I have great difficulty with.

[angel-cake]

Having worked in the medical field for over 12 years (often coming across girls/women booking for termination) I have yet to come across a female who has used termination as a form of contraception.

[MrXLA]

I hadn't wished to complicate an already delicate subject but lets assume (and this IS based on a REAL situation):
- Mother is pregant with two babies at 23 weeks
- both are healthy
- If mother continues to term with both, both babies will die (and to make this simple we'll assume a 100% certainty)
- should one be terminated to save the other?

This is one reason why abortion is NOT black and white

NB - we'll also assume for clarity (meaning no disrespect to anyone) that the almighty will not intervene and save both.

[meglet]

Mr XLA, it seems you have now set out your stall.

What do you suggest as an alternative to termination? We already have the highest teen pregnancy rate in Europe.

And what is your opinion on women seeking terminations having been raped?

[MrXLA]

see my above post meglet

[MrXLA]

angel-cake I am not at liberty to divulge exact information other than to say that 2 weeks ago I was made aware of a case in which a young lady had 4 abortions over 18 months

[angel-cake]

If it was me and both were definitely going to die, then yes I would terminate one to save the other, or terminate both if there were no chance for either foetus.

[MrXLA]

it DOES happen!!!!

[meglet]

What were the circumstances surrounding those 4 terminations MrXLA?

[angel-cake]

And just to clarify, I am certainly not saying that abortion should ever be seen as an easy option. I wish these young people (and some older) who are ignorant would have more respect for themselves and take a bit more care. I think some parents have a lot to answer for in educating their children.

My main argument is that abortion should be available and anti-abortionists should keep their noses out.

[MrXLA]

so would I angel-cake but its rarely that clear cut which is why abortion in some form will always be with us (at least for the forseeable future)
- so the real question is and has always been:
When should abortions (or 'TOPS' as their known) be carries out and who is to decide the criteria that have to be met?
- the mother?
- the father?
- the doctor/s?

- one thing is certain nobody can ask the unborn child and that is for me why its a difficult issue

[whiskeysheri]

It's 1.6% of terminations that are carried out at such a late stage.

90% of abortions are carried out at 12 weeks or less gestation.

This is a good link: http://www.mariestopes.org.uk/pdf/late-abortio n.pdf

[angel-cake]

I still believe that abortions should be available to 24 weeks and that the pregnant woman should be able to have this option if, for any reason, she does not feel able to continue with the pregnancy.

[B00]

But some of have reasons angel- cake, which i feel you seem to have brushed under the carpet just because you don't agree with us.

I have seen two 21 week fetuses, and after seeing those I do not feel that women should be allowed (other than for medical reasons) to have abortions. These babies and they WERE babies had every feature that we associate with full term babies and it broke my heart to think that women/ girls have planned terminations beyond 21 weeks. Or if they did, I feel they should be shown their dead children- to bring home to them how dreadful this act beyond a certain time is.

[angel-cake]

So BOO, you are saying that women should not have abortions up to 24 weeks because it broke your heart to see these foetuses?

What reasons are you saying I am brushing under the carpet?

These women who have abortions late have made a difficult choice and don't need people who are not part of their lives telling them they are doing something wrong, that is all I am saying.