Abortion - Your view

[Fingerprint]

Abortion is obviously a very emotive, sensitive and difficult subject. I want to hear peoples views on abortion, it can be from your religious point of view or just from your moral point of view. Is it ever morally right to terminate a pregnancy prior to childbirth and if so when and under what circumstances?

I used to take the view that abortion was always wrong. I felt that human life began once the woman's egg was fertilised by a male sperm. I'm not an expert on the subject but from the limited information I have read I believe that medical research proves that the fetus is a living organism from the moment of conception.

Recently a friend of mine has been dealing with a very difficult situation and contemplating abortion, and this has lead me to rethink my views. I'm also aware that the abortion issue is not black and white especially when you consider issues such as incest, rape or pregnancies which may out the Mother's health at risk.

Discuss

[alijangra]

I am pro-choice but I believe the time limit should be lowered except in cases of danger to the mothers life. Lowering it to 16 weeks would be a good start.

[Lonnie]

Obviously, there are different viewpoints on this very emotive subject, mine is that the only time it should be considered, is if the life of the mother is in danger.

[ReinaLuna]

Fingerprint, I guess you said almost everything I was going to say!!
Through a religious point of view, being a catholic I "should" be absolutely against it. However I don't follow rules I don't agree with just because "the priest says", otherwise I wouldn't be using pills as a contraceptive thing, I wouldn't even be living with my boyfriend without being married.
So, when somebody asks me if I am against or for the abortion I always reply "it depends"!
I am against the total liberation of it, because there are so many irresponsible kids out there with an active sexual life, and I've seen people saying "no probs if I get pregnant I just take it" like if it was only another contraceptive option!!
I am FOR it in cases of rape, mother's life in danger, or even those cases when the baby is brainless or very ill, and the doctors say baby will live for some hours only. I find it very distressful, don't know what I would do, I haven't had children yet, but I think I wouldn't cope with carrying a baby in my belly for 9 months just for him to die minutes after being born... too much suffering!

[mibn2cweus]

The choice to give birth is a mother's right and responsibility and nobody else's business unless and until a mother seeks another's advise or help. No one has the right to stick their nose or any other part of their body into anyone else�s without their consent. If a mother is forced against her will to give birth this just adds one more child to the world�s population that requires the love and care that is best provided by a devoted mother. The world already has plenty of children suffering from a lack of much needed care for there to be any justification for forcibly adding to their numbers. Such attention would be better turned toward solving the growing problems of children having children, the suffering of the living all around us and making the world a place a mother would be happy to bring a child into and raise them to become responsible adults.

The best way to reduce the incidence of unwanted pregnancies is to eliminate unwanted conception through education and the encouragement of responsible behavior. No one in their right mind would argue against that . . . but that's another topic altogether . . .

[naomi24]

If you believe that killing an unborn child is fundamentally ethically and morally wrong, then it cannot be justified even in exceptional circumstances. It's hypocritical to suggest that a baby conceived in normal circumstances should survive whilst another conceived in dire circumstances should die.

The decision is a terrible and heartbreaking one for any woman to have to make, but she must be allowed to make that choice, without outside interference. I agree with alijangra that the time limit should be considerably lower than it is at present.

[Theland]

I think abortion on demand is totally wrong.

[naomi24]

When is abortion right then, Theland?

[Theland]

Rape, or any other situation where the mothers physical or mental health is compromised.

[naomi24]

Theland: Isn't that playing god?

[wizard69]

Finger, as a catholic dont you think that a ban on contraception and unwanted pegnancies go hand in hand?

[wizard69]

Morning, Theland and naomi

[Theland]

Morning Wizard.

[Theland]

Naomi - No. I think abortion on demand is though.

[naomi24]

Morning Wizard. Good point, if I may say so.

Theland, what authorises you to decide who should live and who should die? By picking and choosing, and deciding that a woman should go ahead with something she doesn't want to do, you are playing god. Why can't you allow the woman to decide?

[Lonnie]

Its been said, that the choice to give birth is the mothers right, I don't think so.

Actions and consequences, the purpose of the sex act, is to create babies, quite simple really, if you don't want to risk having a baby, don't indulge in carnal pleasures.

Sorry if this upsets anyone, but if a woman finds herself pregnant, its her duty and responsibility to go full term and have it, then, if she doesn't want it, there are plenty of loving families who would adopt it.

[naomi24]

Lonnie, how easy that is for a man to say.

[Fingerprint]

Quite a few different opinions already and some interesting views.

Wizard - I suppose theoretically in a perfect world a ban on contraception and abortion would go hand in hand. I use contraception with my wife and have been using contraception since I became sexually active as a teenager (in fact 90% of Catholcs do). At the same time I also sympathise and in some ways agree with the Catholic stance on contraception. I know this is a contradiction but then I'm not a saint and nothing in the world is that black and white.

I think abortion is a bit more complicated, and I can agree to some extent with most of the views on here. I think Naomi made a good point that if you choose who should live and die then you are playing God but at the same time I think Thelands point that abortion with no mitigating circumstances such as rape or incest is wrong.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Actually, the purpose of the sex act is not soley procreation for a few lucky species - including us. Were this the case, we would only have sex when ovulation were occuring. The very fact that we don't (and so many other mammals do) shows that sex has a purpose beyond that of procreation.

I'd also duspute alijangra's point about lowering the limit, though I understand the reasoning. However, many deformaties of the fetus are not detectable before 20 weeks. These can include Spina bifida, Anencephaly, Hydrocephalus, Congenital heart disease, defects of the abdominal wall, kidney abnormalities, shortened bones, Diaphragmatic Hernia, Cleft lip and palate, Down's Syndrome and cerebral palsy.

To take one of the most emotive examples, check out this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anencephaly

I think most people wouldn't want to have the option of having an abortion removed if they discovered this apalling and horrific thing had happened. That's why, like it or not, the current limit is there; it's to do with when fetal anomalies become apparent.

[Lonnie]

Hi naomi24, Yes, as a man, it is easy for me to say that, and of course, I can only look at this issue from that side, but on the 'right to life' side, i've believed that view for many years, although, I don't condemn the women that do have abortions, not knowing their personal circumstances.

If i've offended you, I sincerely apologise.