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Original poster

a question about late abortions...

122 replies

followthestarlover · 10/12/2005 22:45

am genuinely curious, and don't want this to turn into a big controversial thread!!!

I have been thinking about some of the links posted on the thread I started about the lady who survived being aborted... and the partial birth abortion technique which just sounds hideous.

I don't think I could bear to ever do that..even if I was dying, although obviously I have never been in that situation...

but I just wondered how they perform late abortions over here, please tell me it isn't like that?
and also, what reasons do they do them for? I think they do it if the mother has cancer that needs treating? is that right? what else?

also, how late can a late abortion be up to? I mean, say you only had 4 weeks to go.. would they induce you? what is the cut off?

I am just being really nosy here, and hope this doesn't upset/offend anyone

OP posts:
OnTheFlossDayOfChristmas · 11/12/2005 00:11

Drs all to often have to push it to the hilt to ensure they won't get sued, IME. Very few people, understandably, come forward and say, Don't do all you can to save my loved one. Usually, in cut and dry cases (ie terminal cancer) common sense does prevail, but not always. If there is a lack of paperwork full action has to be taken, whatever the likely consequence.

GoodKingWestCountryLass · 11/12/2005 15:05

Floss it's intersting you should mention this as our family faced that situation with my Grandmother. She had multiple strokes, dementia, fell and broke her hip, did not fully recover from that and then got pneumonia.

My brother who was very close to my Grandma wanted everything done to 'save her' but the hospital treatment was prolonging the inevitable. I eventually sat my Dad and Uncle down and got them to face the situation. The Drs agreed to withdraw antibiotics and let 'nature take its course' (my Grandma did receive nourishment and pain relief) and she died 5 days later

lou33 · 11/12/2005 16:17

UK regulations

noddyholder · 11/12/2005 16:21

My ds was born at 35 weeks weighing 6lbs 4 and was completely well breathing on his own etc and we went home the next morning He was just early I am shocked that an abortion could be performed later I honestly didn't know that

Tamba · 11/12/2005 16:28

I am completely pro-life (anti abortion) and find it all so sad, i think i saw a programme on tv a while ago that gave me nightmares.

noddyholder · 11/12/2005 16:32

I am not pro life and think it is a womans right to choose I have had a termination myself at 5 weeks and that was quite awful

hercules · 11/12/2005 16:33

Sounds horrible thing to say but I am not pro life and am pro choice.

NomDePlumPudding · 11/12/2005 16:38

Pro choice here too.

Tamba · 11/12/2005 16:43

What do you think it is that makes you pro choice? (not being contriversial, just wondering)

hercules · 11/12/2005 16:44

I strongly believe in womens rights.

noddyholder · 11/12/2005 16:45

There are just times when finding out you are pregnant is not good news and I have been in that situation and having a termination was the only choice

Blossomgoodwill · 11/12/2005 16:47

This is really annoying me. Some people don't have a choice. My very good friend found out at her 20 week scan that her babies skull hadn't formed properly and would never be viable in life .
It was such a tragedy and one my friend at such a young age (16 yrs) will ever forget. She was in labour for 2 days and had a horrendous time but had no choice.

tribpot · 11/12/2005 16:49

I think like many people I am both pro-choice and anti-abortion. I don't think I would ever have one myself (other than on medical grounds), but I recognise that not every woman is a relatively affluent, thirty-something woman like I am. Individual circumstances vary widely, and I don't feel that I have the right to take choice away from another woman, whatever I might think about it.

Hope that explains a bit why I am pro-choice.

hercules · 11/12/2005 16:51

Just read the rest of this thread. WCl

NomDePlumPudding · 11/12/2005 16:51

Tamba, I am pro-choice because I don't believe that going through with an unplanned or non-viable pregnancy is always the best way.

hercules · 11/12/2005 16:53

We are financially stable, been together for years, two kids but if I were to fall pregnant now I wouldnt keep it. The thought of another child fills me with dread no matter how much I love my two kids.

NotQuiteCockney · 11/12/2005 16:53

You know, the description of the late-term abortions sounds quite horrific, but the fact is, lots of medical procedures are gross and disgusting. But if a mother needs a late-term abortion, for whatever reason (and like many of you, I expect all of these are wanted for serious reasons), shouldn't doctors use the method that's safest for the mum?

(And not all women have 20-week scans, admittedly often because they wouldn't abort for problems.)

Tamba · 11/12/2005 16:54

I was just wondering as ive been doing an assignment on the concept of self - what makes us who we are, why we think the way we do etc. I dont want anyone to feel they need to justify there beliefs or actions cause obviously its none of my buisness and its a personal choice. (just wanted to explain why i asked.)

PantomimEDAMe · 11/12/2005 18:09

Agree with NQC. All surgical and many medical procedures are stomach-churning. The first time I saw orthopaedic surgery I couldn't believe how brutal it was. But no-one suggests banning hip replacements!

I'm pro-choice because to me it is a basic issue of human rights. Denying abortion would reduce the legal status of women to that of lesser beings. Of course abortion is very sad, but it is necessary in a civilised society. Sadly not every pregnancy is either viable or wanted.

NutcrackingXmas · 11/12/2005 18:18

I am also pro choice, but believe that an abortion for non medical reasons should only be allowed up to 12 weeks.

I don't think that there should be a cut off for abortions for medical reasons.

Heathcliffscathy · 11/12/2005 18:30

I am also strongly pro choice.

cases like the one where a late abortion was allowed due to a cleft palate are very disturbing to me though.

I had an abortion when i was 21. I went to the doctor when i was about 8 weeks but for some reason they made me wait until 12 weeks to do the termination. I still don't understand why.

It is a very unhappy thing to me, but definitely the right decision.

magnolianMistletoe · 11/12/2005 18:33

Have to agree completely with you nutcracker but Not all women know at 12 weeks that they are pregnant especially those with dodgy menstrual cycles.
I wouldn't have one myself unless it was for severe medical reasons and do think that 24 weeks is still to late (medical reasosn aside)

LadyTophamInAChristmasHatt · 11/12/2005 18:35

Havne't read the whole thread but whne I was PG with Ds2 we had some complications. I was tested for all sorts of syndromes and there was 1/4 chance he'd have major heart defect.
I asked my consultant how late a termination can be carried out and she said there isn't a time frame, it can be right up until your due date.
I was about 14 -16 weeks at the time and it shocked me to the core. I was already feeling the baby move.

I just cannot imagine how harrowing it would be.

LadyTophamInAChristmasHatt · 11/12/2005 18:39

"isn't a time frame in these circumstances"

NotQuiteCockney · 11/12/2005 18:54

I'm going by memory here, but I think that cleft palate case was more complicated than it sounded. Apparently some problems are associated with other problems - and I think cleft palate is often associated with heart problems. I know that hand/foot problems, e.g. club foot are often associated with heart problems.

I'm not saying I would abort a child for such a small thing, I'm just saying there may have been more going on there than appeared from the big media stories about it.

And of course if a mother (or couple) is so uncomfortable with the idea of a problem like this, there may be psychological issues there that make their choices more complicated than they would be for one of us.