Anyone else feel let down by the non reduction is abortuin time limits?

[NotABanana]

I think the second scan should be at 18 weeks and abortion should only be available up to 20 weeks in extreme circumstances. No excuse for 24 weeks imho.

Quoted from harleyd

why the hell would you feel let down?
its none of your goddamn business what any other woman does
you can decide whats right for you, not whats right for anyone else
and who the hell gives you the right to judge anyone on their decision to have a termination at whatever stage

You clearly feel very strongly. So do I, but I haven't been personal to you or anyone else so I would thank you to not be so rude to me.

he abnormality thing & the 20 week scan is a red herring though, as terminations for severe abnormality or severe risk to the mother's physical or mental health are available up to 40 weeks, and that wasn't being discussed. The 24 week limit is purely for 'social' terminations - ie the mother doesn't want to be pregnant for various reasons.

Twinkie, I hope you hardly ever have sex or have scores of children or are you Catholic views not convenient to go that far?
Perhaps you agree that nobody should use contraception, another Catholic view and that the orphanges in Romania are just a myth.

Vivace, I guess that is part of my concern. I have never understood how a woman can get to 24 weeks of pregnancy and then claim she needs an abortion for the sake of her mental health. If there were issues, wouldn't they have been apparent before? If it is a risk to her life, then that is different and I would be interested to here what they are. No problem learning or being put right on things when done in a cival manner.

It's just as much our business as discussions about those terrible mothers who wean too early or people who occasionally smack their toddlers. Or leave their children for short periods of time.

civil

This type of issue is always going to polarise people, but I don't think it's helpful to attack someone's religion.

For me, one of the most persuasive arguments was the juxtaposition of medical staff in one room desperately trying to save the life of a baby born at 23/24 weeks with other medical staff in the next room trying to end a similar life. Reducing the limit to 20 weeks puts some distance between those scenarios. I don't deny a woman's right to choose, but there should be a limit on when she can exercise it - otherwise why have any limit at all? 20 weeks is, in most circumstances, plenty of time to engage in the process.

I agree, Freckle.

NAB read the other thread. There were some good links to research and statistics done in this area that might make you feel differently. Only 1.6% of terminations happen in late pregnancy and there are "excuses" or rather reasons why some abortions happen so late. Not something anyone undertakes lightly. I am so glad that in the UK abortion is seen as a personal issue for each individual/family to work through with medical advice what is right for them and not the political/religious battle ground it is elsewhere. I don't think that the amendments should have been included at all, but very happy with the decision.

It's the right decision.

The prob with reducing the time limit is that you set a precedent and it makes it easier to reduce it again and again - and oops, suddenly abortion's illegal

I know this is taking it to extremes, but I do not want to see the act chipped away

I would def support scrapping the second signature rule and minimising the delays that tend to happen

As usual on these threads I am pretty saddened by women who think it's ok to impose their values on other women

I had an anomaly scan at 20 weeks and decided to have an amnio as my bloods during the second trimester indicated that I had a high risk of having a baby with Edwards syndrome, which is incompatible with life.

The results of the amnio can take up to 10 days (a friend at work had one which didn't "take" and had to have another one cultured over yet another 2 week period) taking you up to around 22 weeks, when you can choose to end the pregnancy or continue it and see your baby (almost certainly) die at or just after term.

I have a friend whose baby died when he was 3 days old because Edwards syndrome hadn't been picked up.

Until the testing "window" changes, I do not agree with reducing the number of weeks.

the right to life starts at conception for me>>

Why that late? surely abstaining prevents babies being born that would have if you had sex regularly? Who are we to deny them life?

I agree with doggiesayswoofwoof.
it's good it hasn't been reduced.

"20 weeks is, in most circumstances, plenty of time to engage in the process"

no it isn't freckle..see my post below

90% of all abortions are carried out before 12 weeks. As people have said many abnormalities don't show until 20 weeks.

I have to admit I was going on my gut feeling and small amount of knowledge. I stil maintain it didn't need to get personal.

I feel sad for the people who lost their child at 3 days. We were in a similar situation but we decided to have our baby. There is always more options and that is not meant in any other way as just how I feel.

I ahve said this before but Edward's Syndrome is not always incompatable with life.

I had better go. This is getting too personal for me now.

sorry NAB but that would have been my decision, and obviously it would not have been reached lightly

But that's the point really. It is personal. And difficult. So it should stay firmly out of the public arena. Bad enough to be in a position to have to make such a difficult choice without everyone else and their views getting involved. Should I ever be in a position to need an abortion at any point I'd want to be in a country which allowed as much space and time for me to make the right (for me and my family) choice.

I am sure it wouldn't bundle.

I am going now. Just checked back that I hadn't upset you.

no, you haven't upset me. I'm sorry if I upset you, really

Re Edward's syndrome - you would have been free to make your own decision if you got that diagnosis. so a change in the law would not have made any difference to you. It would, however, have made a massive difference to bundle and others like her.

Agree nooka.

Bundle, any change in the 24 week law wouldn't affect women in your sad position, as termination for abnormality is available up to term. It is only social abortions that have a 24 week limit. In practice they are incredibly hard to get as many doctors refuse to do terminations past 16 weeks on healthy foetuses and health women.
Nooka, I suspect if you want to be somewhere which allows as much time as possible, suspect this is it!