Late abortion

[snowtinker]

www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/10015/

Article on defending the right to late abortion - suggesting that while we are pretty much all signed up to early abortion, lates have become increasingly controversial, but that they shouldn't be, ie no moral difference between foetus at 6 weeks or 16 weeks, and that there are many reasons why women do not seek services until later. Any thoughts on this - should we "sacrifice" right to late abortion in exchange for fuss free access to earlier ones a la much of Europe, how do you think things will pan out under this gov? Did pregnancy change your view on late abortion - or indeed abortion at any stage - at all?

I don't think anyone undergoes a late abortion lightly.

I don't think late abortion should be outlawed as some abnormalities are only discovered lately.

What GetOrfMoiLand said.

I also think that in order to minimise the number of late abortions it's important to make it easier for women to get abortions if they need them. I think I'm right in saying that the late abortions that do happen (I think they're a tiny minority) are often due to women facing delays and prevarication or pressure not to have the abortion so end up waiting for longer than they want to.

It's a horrible situation for any woman to be in and I don't think anyone takes that decision lightly. Especially not at later stages when the woman will have felt the foetus move and seen it on a scan etc.

What GORM said (enjoying the pannetone thread!). I had a 50% chance of a late abortion with DD as I have a genetic condition. It was the last thing I wanted and no-one pretended it would be easy. People like me are very small in number, but I think you need to have the option.

In a way, my pregnancies did turn me against late abortions but medical science is where it is. Hopefully there will be less need for them as detection improves, although there are still late presentations as not everyone knows they are pregnant. DD was fine and her name means good luck, it feels very fitting.

Aside from the issue of abnormalities I think it is in everyone's best interests to have as few 2nd trimester abortions as possible. I wouldn't want this achieved through criminalisation, though. Whatever you think about the status of a 2nd trimester foetus a 2nd trimester abortion is more dangerous for the woman, therefore from a preventative health viewpoint efforts should be made to minimise the numbers of them.

Lots of women do not discover their pregnancy until much later than would show up on a test. So why aren't home pg tests available free and given out when women are prescribed contraceptives? If every sexually active woman got into the habit of automatically taking a test every month then the vast majority of abortions could be medical ones under 8 weeks. Surely this would be better for all concerned?

I note that all of your threads link to a 'current controversial' issue affecting women, snowtinker, complete with news link. And that you never participate in those threads past the OP.

Would you like to share your thoughts on the issue?

Hmm, well spotted Tortoise.

I think that's very well put itsawondeful...
that sums up my views. "it is in everyone's best interests to have as few 2nd trimester abortions as possible. I wouldn't want this achieved through criminalisation, though. "

"no moral difference between foetus at 6 weeks or 16 weeks"

I know a lot of people would disagree with that, and say that the stage of development of the foetus does make a difference as to whether it is "wrong" to abort it.