Aspects of Abortion (Abortion)

Member Name: Caewan

Product:	Abortion
Date:	08/08/09 (105 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: keeps population down, gives women the choice

Disadvantages: used as a political tool

I've read a lot of reviews on this subject, some emotive, some inspiring, and I would like to add my voice here.

I support abortion is a gloss-over phrase, because, like everything, it depends on the situation. I believe everyone has a choice.
------------------------------------------------- ------------------

Abortion & Religion

For example, a poor Catholic woman living in Africa with seven children, pregnant with another, is a ploy of the Church. I can understand the Pope frowning upon abortion, as in the Bible abortion was carried out horrendously, usually killing both the mother and the foetus, and was therefore more akin to murder than the minor hospital procedure it is today. Before modern medicine, it was also seen as a 'voodoo' practice, using herbal abortifacients used to try and induce miscarriage. However, I do not see why, in today's culture of outpatient treatment and modern medicine, why religion should have anything to do with it. The family of nine, plus a pregnancy, poor as dirt would probably starve to death in today's climate of greed - how is that any better than a minor hospital procedure, allowing the family to at least have fair portions to eat? If not abortion, then why not contraception? Why not allow people to have safe sex, not produce any children, and not catch any veneral diseases? One of the reasons AIDs is so virulent is the fact the Pope cites contraception as blasphemy. Religion has a lot to answer for, in my opinion.
------------------------------------------------- ------------------

Abortion & Teenage Pregnancy

The UK has some of the most shockingly high figures of teenage pregnancy in the world. Many teenagers don't know, or simply don't care, about using contraception. Because of this, many teenagers are dropping out of school, not getting the neccesary qualifications for even the most menial jobs, and leeching off the taxpayer. And what about the child? From personal experience, many friends who were the product of a teenage pregnancy go on to have a baby in their teens as well; it seems to be a recurring pattern. Many of the children are not cared for properly by their parents, who are children themselves, and are left in the care of family members or social services. That is no life for a child - whether their parents are married or not is not the question, but every child deserves contact with both biological parents and family.

So what if the teenage mother had an abortion? She could go back into education, get a job, and give back to society as a worker. Note the word 'could' - she may not, but the chances of her giving back to society are higher if she had qualifications. Having the right to choose your future should be a given (such as the government slogan "our future: its in our hands"). Every woman should have the choice.
------------------------------------------------- ------------------

Abortion & Congenital defects

This is a tricky topic: if you (or your partner) were pregnant with a baby who had a congenital disorder, such as a genetic anamoly or a fatal/life-changing birth defect, would you abort it?
This answer is for me personally, and I feel for every person who had to go through that difficult decision, whatever their decision was...but for me, I would have an abortion. Why? I don't know if someone with that disorder had "quality of life", but I would not want that life for my child. In my opinion, it is kinder to let it go. This is just my opinion, of course, and I admire any family who has gone through those circumstances for their courage.
------------------------------------------------- ------------------

Abortion & Legality

Abortion is a much debated topic in legal terms. In most economically developed countries, its legal to have an abortion, and relatively easy to do so (i.e. ring a department, book an appointment, and go). Many people, however, think it should be completely illegal and held close to murder as an offence.

My opinion is that even if they made it illegal, it would still happen, just with added danger to the mother. Abortion has been going on for ancient times, and with our bloated population ever-rising, I think it has never been a more relevant.
------------------------------------------------- ------------------

At the end of the day, abortion is the choice of the mother, and it should always be a choice. Education is key with anything, and to stop people crusading against "baby murder" I believe aspects of abortion should be available resources in schools, such as sex education and drug education are. Early-term abortions are often just taking a pill, and even late abortions are minor surgery in comparison to many other procedures. This would not be consenting for teenagers to have abortions whenever they chose, it would be informing them of their options.

Abortion has been made neccesary by today's society, where the world is ghastly over-populated and people can't seem to grasp the idea of contraception. If the government changed its policy (unlikely, I know) to only hand out child-support for the first two or three children, its likely many people would have less children. It sounds cruel, almost as if denying the poor right to children due to them being poor...but if you can't afford a child, my blunt answer is to not have one. Get a job. Save money. Plan a child.

I think the most important aspect of this debate is that abortion should NOT be used as a form of contraception, but as a last resort it is relevant, neccesary and allows the choice. Choice is everything - you choose to have sex, you choose to use contraception (or not), you choose whether to have a child. How is that unfair?

- Thanks for reading, and I hope I didn't offend anyone.

Summary: /