Abortion limit should stay at 24 weeks - do you feel different about abortion after having a baby?

[TheDullWitch]

It is the 40th anniversary of the abortion act and I do feel that there is a generation of 20-somethings who take this right for granted and are doing nothing whilst others seek to chip it away.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7059169.stm

givemewine - I bet you have never been in the position of being pregnant with an unwanted pregnancy. As ConnorTraceptive said it's okay to have strong opinions when it's something you've never had to face.

I don't like the idea of late abortions at all. But I can see that for the very small minority of women who don't realise they're pregnant, they are a way out. I also feel that for those of you who are imagining bouncing babies at 24 weeks, the facts are very different. Yes, 10-15% of foetuses born at 24 weeks survive. Of those, around 50-80% will survive. Of those, around 25% will go on to lead 'normal' lives. At 23 weeks, the statistics are much more depressing and most babies die. It is not as simple as saying they are viable.

I'd like to think that all terminations happen early. But in some areas, the NHS waiting times are 6 weeks.

• I am pro choice and even more so after becoming a parent, for many reasons.

• I think that under normal circumstances and with the wide availability of contraception and information 24 wks is just too late.

• I would find it hard to have an abortion at any stage for whatever reason.

• I do not want to deny anyone the right to an abortion at any time because it is about CHOICE the few who abuse it do not justify a ban which I feel could have dangerous consequences.

teenagers should be using condoms anyway to protect against STDs so shouldn't just be girls' responsibility.

She had to stay in hosipital for 4 months being closely monitored.

She has suffered respiratory and digestive problems, as well as a mild brain hemorrhage. She continued to receive asthma medication and a small amount of oxygen after going home. However doctors believe the health concerns will not have major long-term effects and her prognosis is excellent.

So yes, she had to be looked after very closesly and she isn't the norm but it has happened and could happen again which is why i believe the deadline for social (not medical) reasons should be lowered to 20 weeks.

My views haven't changed since having children.

I had a termination at 16 - it was the right thing for me at the time. It wasn't an easy decision but it was my decision and that's as it should be. I can't imagine being forced to go through a pregnancy unwillingly.

I have children now, including one with SN and wouldn't want it to be made any more difficult to get a termination.

"Last year Amillia Taylor survived birth at 22 weeks weighing 10ozs. Today she is a healthy plump baby that is doing well and thriving. I believe that the support that their parents give them and the time they spend at the hospital makes a world of difference."

"The little pudger is now (aged 4 months 3 weeks) tipping the scales at 14lbs 3 ozs. She is able to hold her head up and sits with support.

Oxygen is still required at night while she sleeps, which is common for preemies who have spent extended times in the hospital.?

So not doing too badly then considering.

i think that somewhere around 16 weeks is an ok limit, for social reasons. there will always be exceptions to every rule and to wherever the bar is set.

my views have not changed, since i had my children, i was and still am in favour of safe, legal abortion for women .

what about those that don't know they are pregnant until they are 16 weeks though? i know someone who had negative pregnancy tests up until then.

How ridiculous for some of you to say 'if you want a late term abortion..' Who the fuck wants that?

The point is for all of you who would make abortion illegal is that it still won't stop it happening. That is the only hard fact here.

So in light of that are you saying that you would rather the child live a miserable life, the mother and other children too - or you would rather the mother died in the attempt to save resourses for the kids she already has and leave them orphans to satisfy your politics?

ok, then what about 17 weeks, or 18 weeks, or 19 weeks?

the limit has to be there somewhere

if a woman suspected she was pregnant and if she was , she didn;t want to carry on with the pregnancy, she could take steps well before 16 weeks to find out if she was. through blood tests or scans. where time is of the essence, you cannot sit and wait to see what happens.

In Sweden, abortion is provided free and on demand until week 18. After that, a woman must secure special permission from a medical board. I'd like to see this system here

'The point is for all of you who would make abortion illegal is that it still won't stop it happening. That is the only hard fact here.'

Agreed MT.

Message withdrawn

the girl i am talkin about had blood tests. these too came up saying she wasn't pregnant until 16 weeks.

on why women have late abortions

Only 1.4% of abortions are performed after 20 weeks.

In answer to the OP's question - I don't feel any differently since having a baby. Actually, if anything, I'm more pro-choice as I had such a traumatic pregnancy and birth I cannot imagine going through those months of hell unless I really, really wanted to have the baby.

scarybee - don't make assumptions. I actually have. My first child was unplanned and at a very bad time for me healthwise, I ended up most of the pg in hospital and in fact nearly died. But I couldn't ever think about getting rid of my baby. My doctors were pressing to terminate.

No. I am pro-choice although have always known that, should I get pregnant accidentally, I would have the baby.
Reducing the time limit on abortions is the first step towards removing the right to legal abortions completely.
Late terminations are rarely done for any reason other than the baby or the mother is at significant risk and the mothers involved rarely come out without emotional distress.
It is the pro-choicers first line of attack as it is the thing that people are most concerned about. If they achieve this goal, their stated aim is to keep pushing against the time limits until abortions are crimialised. I think it's a slippery slope.

did she have a scan?

as far as i know, this too is an exception and you cannot legislate for exceptins, it has to go on some sort of average and norm

I had a abortion at 21yo, before i had kids. There is no way at all i would go through that again, i was always against abortion until i was in the situation i was in (abusive relationship, got pg on the pill) i felt ihad no choice, and beleive me i live with the guilt - every day.

I had a nervous breakdown after i had my abortion (i had it done at 12 weeks)i made my decision and went to my GP at 6 weeks, but the waiting list on the NHS would have taken me well past the 12 week stage, so i paid and went private although i still had to wait 6 weeks to have it done.

They actually thought i had 2 uterus's when they did a internal when i went for my initial appointment at the BPAS, so the day i went for the abortion they did a scan, they actually showed me the screen and even offered me a picture once i came around from the operation. if i hadn't of been so numb and totally gutted i would have been disgusted at this, but took the picture and didn't say a word, i still had this scan picture up until a couple of years ago and it had gone all white with age.

They also offered me the "chance" to know the sex but said it would cost a further £50 for this

I still punish myself for what i did, even forced myself to watch that programme last week on abortion, and felt utterly sick and sobbed.

I feel that myself personally, didn't know the facts, i very naively thought my baby at 12 weeks wasn't formed at all, now i know different of course.I think the fact that women can still have a termination at 24 weeks horrific tbh, and obviously think this should be lowered severely.

Anyway sorry for the ramble.

the Swedish approach sounds preferable MT.

cod - that was the original question you know - do you feel differently

Sorry that last paragraph should say pro-lifers.

I'm lucky enough never to have had to experience it. But I wouldn't then use that ignorance to judge other women.

And abortion isn't used as contraception in a free and easy way. You can't even get the morning after pill on consecutive months

Message withdrawn

pucca - I am so sorry for your experience.