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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think late-term abortion rules may need tightening up?

999 replies

FestiveNut · 23/12/2018 09:11

Should people be able to abort healthy fetuses in a low risk pregnancy past 20 weeks gestation?

I read a very sad story concerning this earlier. I considered myself pro-choice in all circumstances but this thread has caused me to question that.

Should the threshold be lowered?

OP posts:
MaisyPops · 23/12/2018 09:44

I might not choose to have a late abortion but I don’t have to have one. It’s the same as people who would never choose to have an abortion themselves dictating that no one else can have one either
I agree.
It's why I think there should be a clear difference between an individual being pro life vs anti choice. An individual can be pro life without feeling arrogantly entitled to stop other women choosing.

It would be great if people started calling pro-life campaigners what they actually are: anti-women's choice campaigners / forced birth campaigners.

icannotremember · 23/12/2018 09:44

Yes, yabu.

MinecraftHolmes · 23/12/2018 09:45

Late term abortions (post the 24 week cut off) can only be for medical reasons, and are vanishingly rare. Abortion post 20 weeks is quite a traumatic procedure, and unlikely to be entered into lightly.

Forced birth is abhorrent - as another poster put it.

Xmaspuddin · 23/12/2018 09:45

I find it so totally confusing to live in a society where abortion ‘as early as possible, as late as necessary for any or no reason ‘ is acceptable
But at the same time if a woman killed her baby at birth she would be an evil child killer ?
I just don’t understand to me it’s very black and white
The choice is there, I’m not anti abortion it’s the fact that you could have one woman aborting v late for no reason and another if she gave birth at same gestation and just decided to kill her baby would be a Murderer ? It confuses me massively
Do babies get anaesthetic if it’s a late abortion ?

Racecardriver · 23/12/2018 09:46

@formerbabe the current law in England and Wales doesn’t permit abortions other than for medical reasons. Elective abortions are performed under the guise of ‘mental health’ justified abortions and law enforcement turns a blind eye. However this means that the process for an elective abortion is more onerous than they should be (because doctors are acting under a system designed for women with mental health problems rather than a choice).

Lovemusic33 · 23/12/2018 09:47

Myskirt how awful Sad I wonder what happened to her and if she chose to put her child up for adoption. I hope there was a happy ending.

I do think the choice should be there for women. I couldn’t abort myself but that’s my choice and I don’t judge others for what they choose.

KnockMeDown · 23/12/2018 09:47

As early as possible, as late as necessary, for any or no reason

This is just too simplistic. The bit that bothers me most is the 'for no reason '

What would you think of a mother who, for no reason, decides she no longer wants to parent her one day old baby? Her one week old, one month, one year, ten years? Why is that any different?

Those who say her body, her choice, well it's not just her body any more, another body is involved, whose rights and needs also should be considered.

positivitypelly · 23/12/2018 09:47

Yes MaisyPops, completely agree with you!

formerbabe · 23/12/2018 09:47

I believe the upper limit of 24 weeks for non medical reasons is appropriate. I can't agree with as late as necessary because it would mean agreeing in theory to babies at 40 weeks gestation being terminated for a social reason. This is bordering on infanticide as far as I'm concerned. I know it would be extremely unlikely to the point of never happening but changing the law means it would be a possibility.

24 weeks is sensible to me.

I am pro choice.

Lollypop27 · 23/12/2018 09:47

I don’t think it should change at all.

What I would or wouldn’t do myself has no bearing on it at all. Every woman should have a choice and we are lucky to live in a country where women do.

PurpleDaisies · 23/12/2018 09:48

I’m not sure that many people are pro choice if that means abortion (except for medical circumstances) to term. I fully support someone’s right to decide not to be pregnant any more, but I don’t think they should be able to decide whether the foetus is born dead or alive.

Cornettoninja · 23/12/2018 09:48

Early as possible, late as necessary.

This is fairly self regulating anyway as shown by the stats posted by a previous poster showing 2% of abortions take place after 20 weeks and a smaller percentage of those are not for medical reasons. Late terminations are not the same as earlier ones and aren’t an easy option.

I was pro choice before my dd was born and having her further cemented my views. I desperately wanted dd but pregnancy, birth and caring for a baby almost broke me physically and mentally. If I hadn’t wanted her then it would have been inhumane torture.

ghostyslovesheets · 23/12/2018 09:48

No - any limit is a slippery slope - as early as possible as late as necessary- no one would have a late abortion for fun!

fullforce · 23/12/2018 09:49

I stopped growing in the womb at 22/23 weeks and was born via c-section at 2 months prem. I was 2 pounds 7 ounces and you wouldn’t be able to tell I was prem by looking at me. No health problems and was out of hospital in 2 months. I really do believe babies at 20+ weeks can survive outside the womb if given the chance and the right treatment but it’s obviously some women’s only choice when there are debilitating medical issues presented

oliviatrivia · 23/12/2018 09:50

I developed a severe infection at 21 weeks pregnant that caused my waters to break. My healthy baby had no chance of survival with no fluid around him and the infection was threatening my life. I was induced and delivered my baby boy.

To this day I wonder if officially that was considered a late term termination, statistically.

These things are never black and white.

TheGirlWhoLived · 23/12/2018 09:50

By that same logic though @xmaspudding, would any woman that does not take due care and attention during her late pregnancy and accidentally falls down a flight of stairs, would then be liable for manslaughter?

As early as possible, as late as necessary for any or no reason. A woman’s body is precisely hers to do with as she wants, it is a very grave decision but she must have the right to make it

Bowlofbabelfish · 23/12/2018 09:50

Late term abortions are very uncommon and are almost always of much wanted babies due to conditions incompatible with life in mother or foetus. It’s an unpleasant procedure past a certain gestatyand no one does it lightly.

I support free access to abortion. In all circumstances

If sex based abortion is on the rise, the answe is NOT to restrict women’s bodily autonomy. The answer is to look at why society values females so little and to address any person/societal/cultural pressuresthe woman may face.

wonderstuff · 23/12/2018 09:51

I also think as early as possible as late as necessary for any or no reason. If you don’t agree with abortion don’t have one. I personally had absolutely horrific pregnancies, very much wanted but I considered abortion during the two that lasted past 10 weeks because I was so ill, I continued with them and I love my kids but I’d never ever do it again. I can’t imagine how horrendous it must be to be forced to continue with a pregnancy you don’t want.

Late abortion is very rare and I doubt anyone takes it lightly.

EwItsAHooman · 23/12/2018 09:53

Those who say her body, her choice, well it's not just her body any more, another body is involved, whose rights and needs also should be considered.

The woman's rights and the woman's body take priority over those of the foetus. No one is obligated to risk their long-term physical and health or even their life for someone else.

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 23/12/2018 09:53

Yes

Because I believe we have the right to full autonomy over our own bodies

That’s what pro choice is about not a set of rules on what is or is not ok

frazzledasarock · 23/12/2018 09:54

No, I think it’s a slippery slope.

I think abortion should be easy and an option as early as possible and allowed whenever wanted.

People setting the limits aren’t living with the consequences.

NoParticularPattern · 23/12/2018 09:54

I can’t imagin any woman would decide on a late abortion on a whim just because she now fancied a drink or didn’t want to be pregnant any longer. I imagine that for a very significant majority the later abortions are performed in cases of fetal abnormality or dangers to the mothers health rather than “just because”.

I couldn’t do it, but I have never been in a position to make such a decision as all my pregnancies have been very much wanted. However the right to choose should always remain. I would support abortion up to term for any woman who finds herself in a position to need one regardless of my personal stance or what I think I might do.

Trills · 23/12/2018 09:55

I think the rules around abortions need loosening, not tightening.

We shouldn't have to make claims about how continuing with the pregnancy would damage our mental health and get the approval of two doctors.

"I don't want to be pregnant" should be enough.

TheOrangeOwl · 23/12/2018 09:55

Completely agree with early as possible, late as necessary.

Whilst I couldn't imagine how it must feel for these poor women who have had to feel their baby moving and grown a bump to have to terminate, I think that it would not be a decision any woman takes easily or lightly. If you don't want a baby, you don't want it and that is 100% your choice. I'm just very thankful to be living in a country that allows women to choose.

brizzledrizzle · 23/12/2018 09:55

I think it's a very small number. Personally I am anti-abortion and wouldn't have one at any stage of pregnancy (though this is hypothetical since I'm post menopause) but I'm not other women and they may find it acceptable or end up in a situation where they need to do it so I tend to think it should be available. Better a late term abortion in an NHS/private hospital than in the back streets.