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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To this that the abortion age should be lowered

183 replies

Hai1988 · 22/07/2010 13:12

Hi all i just wanted to know what peoples thoughts were on this?

At the moment the cut off time to have an abortion is 24 weeks, but on here there has just been a story about twins born at 23 weeks!!

I think the cut off time should go right down to 12 weeks.

What do you lot think??

OP posts:
azazello · 22/07/2010 13:41

IMO abortion is about balancing the rights of the mother to not have to go through labour/ be pregnant/ have an unwanted baby and balancing the right to life of the baby.

IMO, the rights of the foetus to live outweigh the mother's right to have an abortion at the point at which the foetus could live outside the womb. It ain't 12 weeks love.

If there is serious medical evidence that babies can survive from say 22 weeks then I would probably support a reduction in the abortion limit. At the moment there isn't and it was reviewed recently.

MrsChemist · 22/07/2010 13:41

No one just says, "you know what? I fancy an abortion today."

Who are you to say that other peoples' reasons aren't good enough?

FluffyDonkey · 22/07/2010 13:41

"You ask what young girls are suposed to do if they get pregnant.

Well if they have got them selfs pregnant and didnt know before 12 weeks then they have the baby or there is adoption, there are lots of ppl out there who would love to care for all these "unwanted children" "

And in the meantime they are just walking, talking incubators?

valiumSingleton · 22/07/2010 13:41

I'M NOT 'in favour of late abortions' as the 2nd poster phrased it, but I don't think the time limit shoudl be reduced. At the moment, 20 week scans are often performed at 21 weeks or a bit later even, and by the time bad news was absorbed, and maybe a 2nd opinion sought, and a decision made, it could easily be 24 wks.

BaronessBomburst · 22/07/2010 13:42

I've always been slightly intrigued by people who are pro-life/anti-abortion but eat meat. An animal has more life consciousness than a foetus.

Or am I the only vegetarian that believes that abortian has it's place?

EricNorthmansmistress · 22/07/2010 13:42

@ Butterfly. 'Abortions for fun industry'.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 22/07/2010 13:43

It can severely harm young girls to go through a pregnancy and birth when their body isn't ready for it.

They don't get themselves pregnant FFS - is sex education really that bad these days?

Lauriefairycake · 22/07/2010 13:44

at 'abortions for fun'

Maybe they could open one on Brighton Pier?

sanielle · 22/07/2010 13:44

Clearly she means if there is no medicla reason. Which is what she said

valiumSingleton · 22/07/2010 13:44

Well, never thought of it like that, but it has always struck me as really odd that people can summons up so much compassion for a cluster of cells, but feel none for a fully formed grown adult capable of feeling pain, shame, anxiety, regret, fear, loss, longing........

weird imo.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 22/07/2010 13:44

Vegetarian and bloody love abortion here, Baroness.

Lauriefairycake · 22/07/2010 13:45

Medical reasons cover psychological too - not sure the OP understands that

Original poster
Hai1988 · 22/07/2010 13:45

As i said in my last post i am very sorry to have offending anyone

Laurie very mature !! I am trying to type as fast as i can as this thread is growing fast and i cant keep up with all these posts, so i am sorry if my spelling is not up to ur standard.

When i said "no reason" i mean if young girls or anyone really gets pregnant and wants to "get rid" cus they cant be arsed to raise a child"

Look again i am sorry, but i have heard this l8ly and it readlly got to me!

OP posts:
paisleyleaf · 22/07/2010 13:45

"Well, I agree that the abortions for pleasure and fun industry should be toned down a bit."

Good one!

littleducks · 22/07/2010 13:45

I do feel truely uncomfortable about the current abortion laws, i'm not sure what is better but i dont like the way the law stands atm

However i wouldnt campaign for it to be changed, i didnt have all the screening tests in my pregnancies as i felt it would be a waste of nhs resources as i would not be aborting for any reason (though admittedly as i am relatively young the probabilities are lower). But I dont think i could force my stance onto women who would not want to continue with the pregnancies and so just continue quietly to do my own thing.

I think that abortion should still be allowed if the mothers life is at risk and the medical team at the time will decide if a caesarean or an abortion is applicable.

FluffyDonkey · 22/07/2010 13:46

I agree with valium.

There is always a reason. Thankfully it is not up to you (Hai) to decide if that reason is "good enough"

whoneedssleepanyway · 22/07/2010 13:46

Medical reasons cover psychological too - not sure the OP understands that

Laurie you took the words right out of my mouth

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 22/07/2010 13:47

No-one should be forced to have a baby they don't want. Birth control and abortions are some of the most fundamental rights that every woman should have. If you can't be arsed to raise a child, I am certainly not going to make you do it, you will probably do a shit job of it and the child and society willl reap the "benefits".

Lauriefairycake · 22/07/2010 13:47

I have never met anyone in the time I was a sexual health worker who wanted to get rid of a baby because they 'couldn't be arsed to raise a child'.

There are very few (negligible) women who use abortion as contraception - perhaps the OP met the only one.

FluffyDonkey · 22/07/2010 13:49

"When i said "no reason" i mean if young girls or anyone really gets pregnant and wants to "get rid" cus they cant be arsed to raise a child""

So is it better to give birth and do a half-arsed job raising an unwanted child?

Or put them up for adoption with all the issues that surround that?

FluffyDonkey · 22/07/2010 13:49

everyone else says it better than I do

Original poster
Hai1988 · 22/07/2010 13:51

Perhaps i did laurie

OP posts:
D0G · 22/07/2010 13:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

AMumInScotland · 22/07/2010 13:52

Hai1988 - I'm guessing that you're pretty young and that this is the first time you've thought much about issues like abortion? It's a very emotive subject, and when you don't know much about the world it is easy to say "It shouldn't happen" and from that go on to "they should change the law".

But I hope you're starting to understand from the comments on here that this whole issue is a lot more complex than you first thought, and there isn't an easy answer which will cover all the situations which people find themselves in.

If you ask anyone here, "Would you like there to be fewer abortions" then I'm sure everyone would say yes. But that doesn't mean that people should not be able to have an abortion if they feel strongly that its a choice they have to make. They don't go into it without any thought, or come out of it without being hurt. But sometimes a "bad" thing is the better choice than the alternative.

going · 22/07/2010 13:52

Deciding to have an abortion at any stage must be difficult for anyone. Late abortions are very hard physically - the woman will have to go through labour and deliver the baby. I had a miscarriage at 20 weeks and it was my longest labour. The actual labour can be a painful as a full term labour but with an easier pushing stage. I really don't think anyone choosing to have a late abortion is looking for an easy way out - it's very hard physically and mentally.