Abortion debate

[Kerri]

Hi, I don't know if anyone saw the dispatches program on abortion and showed exatly what happens during an early, mid term and late abortion, but I'm so glad it was shown, it really affected me.

Let me first say I have always thought I was pro-choice; that a woman should be able to have an abortion if suits her. My views have somewhat changed for a few reasons; I'm not here to cause arguements or hurt anyone, just express my views.

The reporter asked one of the pro-choice ladies/someone from Marie Stopes if she though women were being kept in the dark, as to what really happens during these later abortions; to which she was told that it is wrong to think that as it implies women are ignorant, when they are infact educated about what happens. This is not true, I am an educated woman I have read up lots on the stages of foetal development and different abortions, but it is very different when you see everything on film.

I am shocked, there is so much I did not realise. I think the American videos of abortion should be shown in the UK in schools to all women and men to show the facts. The 3 abortions shown; the 1st early stage, the second later stage where I could see hands, feet, spine and skull, all cut up and the 24 wk stage, where birth was induced and it was a small baby (which could survive), was wrapped in paper, really affected me and I am so glad it was shown. If this was shown in schools I think girls and boys would be alot more careful using protection, as they would realise how serious abortion really is.

Now before people complain that women make a very serious choice and know this is serious before the abortion, I really think alot of woman do not really realise how serious it is before they actually undergo the proceedure (Obviously there are exceptions everyone is different). I also think within the young community, especially where I am from it is taken quite lightly in fact. Many young people do not use contraception. Roughly 50% of my friends have had abortions and I have heard comments of; 'oh never mind if I get pregnant I will just have an abortion', lots of times; I am 21, I too have even thought this after having accidents, which I am now disgusted with myself, all because of an accident where I was too lazy. Out of these friends who thought abortion was a simple and easy solution, all of them are upset by what they went through and are emotionally scarred in some way from it, because it wasn't simple and is not shown to be as serious as it is. Those who don't feel any emotion regarding the proceedure, that is really worrying. It's not simply clean it out and get on with your life, it is the most precious thing in the world, it is the start of a life and it really isn't taken seriously enough.

Pro-choice campaigners say its a womans choice what happens with her body and her choice to terminate a pregnancy, which I always agreed with, but I'm now really thinking why isn't more empathesis put on the woman and the man to make the right choices before sex if they do not want a baby, to prevent this life from forming in the first place.

These stats may not be exact but I'm sure I'm near:

Using condoms alone correctly there is less than a 3% chance of pregnancy

Using the pill correctly there is a 1% chance of becoming pregnant, the condom combined with the pill are even better

A womans fertile period roughly lasts one week out of a whole month, so a girl should know this and be extra careful in this stage

Failing these methods, if a girl and a guy have unprotected sex or the above methods failed there is the morning after pill which is 95% effective within 24 hours of unprotected sex, 85% between 25 - 48 hours and 58% if taken between 49 - 72 hours

And the IUD (intrauterine device) is almost 100% effective as a method of emergency contraception and is therefore the most effective way of preventing an unplanned pregnancy.

Now I am thinking why there are so many unwanted pregnancies when there are lots of effective methods of contraception listed above, that really should be enough to prevent the majority of unwanted pregnancies. After watching this program I believe it is because abortion is not taken seriously enough, as it is not really shown in this country what exactly happens. Afterall, if everyone took abortions seriously and did everything they could to prevent having one by using contraception correctly, there would only be the pregnancies left where everything was done to avoid the pregnancy, but the methods of contraception failed and this wouldn't be anyone's fault, or rapes, or where the baby could have severe health problems or where the mother could be severely damaged physically or mentally by pregnancy; abortion should be availble here, but not just easily available for the 'accidents' where the girl and guy involved just couldn't be bothered to use contraception.

Speaking from a personal view, I never took it as seriously until I watched this program. I have had a few mistakes, thankfully I never fell pregnant and never needed an abortion. Those mistakes were purely because myself and the guy involved were being too lazy and dismissive of the seriousness of abortion, to use the above methods of contraception and I am now really disgusted with myself.

I am so pleased this program was shown, as I now take this much more seriously and don't ever wish to be in this situation. Mainly because of the footage of the 3 abortions and this is why I think it should be shown to girls and guys in school. Abortion would be taken more seriously, it would help to lower teenage pregnancies and help in lowering the transmission of STIs, as people would be more serious about contraceptives.

I do not think abortion should be fully illegal, as in some situations where having a baby would be severly damaging to the woman's mental or physical health or the baby itself will have severe health problems; it is not fair for the woman or baby. However, the problem is that, for abortions to be performed now anyway the doctor has to agree that having the baby will effect the mental or physical health of the woman, however, most of the women want an abortion, want one as having a baby will simply disturb their lifestyle (this is not a presumption this is the reason all my friends had abortions), and the doctors allow it, which I just think is a petty excuse for the waste of a life, demeaning the seriousness of what an abortion should really be used for and allows people to run away from responsibilities; this life could have been prevented by many of the simple methods mentioned above, if a little thought was put into the seriousness of what two people were taking part in.

I do strongly agree that the age limit needs to be lowered, as it is totally wrong that a foetus can be aborted at a stage where it is possible to survive.

Also, as you can tell, I think the seriousness of abortion needs to be emphasised, as it really is not taken seriously enough.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Brilliant and thoughtful post Kerri [not that I agree with everything!] The web link I posted earlier in this thread shows the disturbing process of abortion and discarded body parts - very revolting.

However, not to detract from the seriousness of this, I can't help recalling when I see Marie Stopes' name that acerbic quote from Muriel Spark: "I used to think it a pity that her mother rather than she had not thought of birth control."

[Kerri]

This is some of the dispatches film

Dispatches

It is quite graphic, but it's what happens, this is pro-choice, you cannot sanitise it so much.

Oh and I am now more verging on a pro-life side, as I feel there are very few situations where abortion should be allowed, always for rape, but this accounts for few abortions, usually rape victims are given Levonelle (the morning after pill) to prevent pregnancy, but a small percentage of times it does not work and some rape victims don't come forward for help in time etc, most definately not for those who just couldn't be bothered with contraception and are more concerned with living their life as they have been without the inconvenience of a child, I'm pretty sure from personal experience from friends etc that this accounts for a great deal or abortions (There are many effective contraception methods that two people should consider using before taking part in something that can form a new life and I can only think that the seriousness of the abortion proceedure is not stressed enough and it is sanitised to an extent, where people just don't bother with contraception without a thought for the consequences) and some situations where the mental and physical health of mother or baby would be severly damaged, but this would be a very cloudy area to judge.

I feel that the dehumanisation of it is very wrong. This lack of respect for life on many levels, not just abortion, is the root cause of many problems in society.