Abortion Equally Prevalent Whether Legal or Illegal
Thanks to my friend Tara for forwarding me CNN Health’s recent comments on the commonality of abortion where it’s illegal compared with where it’s legal.
In a study examining abortion trends from 1995 to 2003, experts also found that abortion rates are virtually equal in rich and poor countries, and that half of all abortions worldwide are unsafe.
The study was done by Gilda Sedgh of the Guttmacher Institute in the United States and colleagues from the World Health Organization. It was published in an edition of The Lancet medical journal devoted to maternal health.
“The legal status of abortion has never dissuaded women and couples, who, for whatever reason, seek to end pregnancy,” Beth Fredrick of the International Women’s Health Coalition in the U.S. said in an accompanying commentary.
Abortion accounts for 13 percent of maternal mortality worldwide. About 70,000 women die every year from unsafe abortions. An additional 5 million women suffer permanent or temporary injury.
My personal stance is pro-choice but anti-abortion. I don’t support the it, but I also wouldn’t want to force my beliefs on someone else, and we’re all accountable for our own actions in the end. What I do oppose, however, is legal restrictions that prevent intelligent, right-minded adults from receiving quality medical care during an elective procedure that they are fully within their rights to make. Making it less safe doesn’t stop people who are determined to do it, so what’s the point?
What do you think?
Tags: Abortion, CNN, illegal, legal, woman, women, Womens-HealthRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Abortion, Controversial issues, Pregnancy, Public policy
.gif)
4 opinions for Abortion Equally Prevalent Whether Legal or Illegal
Katharine
Oct 17, 2007 at 7:37 pm
I’m with you on this one, Kristen. Having carried three babies to term and lost a fourth to miscarriage, I don’t think that I could ever have an abortion. But I don’t think we should interfere with any woman’s choice to have one.
Alicia Sparks, NAMI Affiliation Leader
Oct 30, 2007 at 2:46 pm
In a perfect world, no one would be faced with the decision to end or continue pregnancy. In a perfect world, 12-year-olds wouldn’t have sex, no one would get raped, all babies would be develop without medical issues, and every woman who ever thought she didn’t want to have a baby would suddenly change her mind once she got pregnant.
However, it’s not, nor has it ever been, nor will it ever be, a perfect world and I feel that if we can avoid legal restrictions that add to the imperfections (i.e. legal restrictions that lead to unsafe abortions that, history has shown us, women are going to have anyway), then we should. Just like you said, we’re all accountable for our own actions in the end.
Kristen King
Nov 11, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Right on, girls, right on.
whitney lewis
Nov 26, 2007 at 7:16 pm
i dont think that women should be able to have an abortion unless they have been raped or the baby or mother is at risk of any medical terms. Even if i was rapped i dont think it is right toi take a childs life because they didnt ask to come into the world.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: