A woman's right to choose?

[jazzactivist]

What do you all think about the latest coverage in the media of the need to reduce the time limit for abortions? I can see the argument for earlier abortions given that there is now more medical evidence that a baby born at the maximum date of 24 weeks can survive (with lots of medical help). However, the system that we have in the UK for accessing an abortion, where a woman needs to have two doctors' agreement that her health would be at risk if she carried on with the pregnancy, is too time consuming and forces many women into the situation of a late abortion even if they consulted the first doctor early on. Think of how long it can take to get a doctor's appointment, let alone two, and if the woman lives in a rural area this can involve lots of extra time and cost on top, and if she has to also use rural public transport, well...

Also, in this country women still have to be prescribed effective contraception by a doctor, whereas if the Pill, injections and implants were available by a trained person in a chemist's maybe women would find it much easier to access. And what about effective men's contraception? 45 years after the Pill was invented for women there still isn't a men's version, nor injections or implants for men. It seems to me that despite many years of awareness raising that women are still taking the main responsibility for contraception and pregnancy. What do you think?

[gothfairy]

Abortion is such an emotive subject isn't it? And like all serious subjects, there are points for and against. I think it amazing the tiny lives that can be saved when premature babies are born.. these tiny scraps of humanity, these miniature people who look so fragile, can fit in the palm of your hand, can with a lot of medical care and attention, survive, when not so very long ago they would have died. Because of that I feel the time when abortions can be carried out should be reduced... but that's a very general statement to make isn't it, because each circumstance is different and has to be taken on merit. A lot depends on the reason for abortion in the first place. Whether for health reasons, danger to mum or baby, or merely a change of heart, of circumstance.
Where you have to see two doctors, I can't see why this should be. Surely the woman's GP's word should be enough? But as apparently it isn't, and I have no knowledge about the current rules concerning abortion I have to admit, again I can't see it being a problem. I live in a rural area, and in an emergency like this would be, I would have no problem seeing a doctor, seeing two different doctors. I didn't realise that there would be a long enough delay for women that it would cause a problem?
But I do agree that despite everything, it still seems to be down to the woman to take full responsibility for birth control in a lot of cases, and presumably, since it is the woman who gets pregnant, this is not likely to change. You often hear someone say, 'When men have the babies, things will be different'.. which is a bit of a fatuous statement and since it's never likely to happen..... interesting point though Jazz, let's hope you get lots of response.

[Ivy]

Well as I do not live in UK I can not say anything about the abortion problem but contraception is still in most cases a "girls thing" yes and I think its's ok because otherwise women would have to rely on men being honest and thoughtfull enough to not forget whatever contraceptives there would be and would you like to rely on someone else when it comes to not becoming pregnant?

[Oola]

I think the legal limit for abortions now is appalling. My other half saw that programme and he said not much moves him, but this really did get to him. The legal limit should be reduced - I can't say categorically that every single individual case for abortion is wrong, but as a method of birth control, and so far on in the pregnancy, I believe it is.

I think the bulk of responsibility of contraception has long fallen onto the shoulders of women and it's about time that men stepped up a gear. I used to take the pill for about 4 years and then decided that, although it's safe at that point, I didn't want to mess around with my hormones anymore. I actually felt better in myself when I finished because although it's probably just a psychological thing, I felt like I was conning my body a bit.

[eleanor2]

i dont agree with abortion unless the life of the mother is at risk. have you ever tried to adopt a baby.some-one i know did. the lovliest person.it was so hard and emotionally devastating.she eventually gave up.this lady had spent years trying to get pregnant.then started the road of adoption.how must these people feel when they hear of stars having an abortion i'm not sure if it was because it interferred with her holiday or next film.something trivial.i agree it is and probably always will be in womens hands. there is te point that men seem to get the hard deal when it comes to divorce.the woman does get preference.even if dad loves kids adzactly the same as mum.

[sunflower]

I think it is very sad when women opt for a termination. In this day and age women should feel supported whatever their circumstances when they become pregnant.
I think that having qualified Pharmacists to advise and prescribe contraceptive pills is a brilliant idea.

[lily]

I suppose it comes down to individual consience. As science progresses and babies survive at an ever earlier stage of gestation, then I would agree that the time allowed for legalised termination should be shortened.

On a personal note, my middle son + his girlfriend were planning to travel the world at the beginning of this year when to their initial horror they found she was pregnant. They began the procedure re termination but found they couldn't go through with it. So, I have an unexpected grandson and they are 2 devoted parents. Funny how things work out.

[jazzactivist]

Oola, I watched the documentary on TV and, although I strongly support a woman's right to choose, I also found the level of development of the foetus at 24 weeks unexpectedly disturbing. I think that it is time to reduce the time limit, but it must be made easier for women to make the decision and go through with it within that shorter time frame. I think that you are right about whether we could trust men with contraception, Ivy, maybe the preferred method should be a either a contraceptive injection with certificate, or a contraceptive implant which would be visible and prevent pregnancy for months at a time. Perhaps meeting a man with a contraceptive implant could become the new sexy 'must have'! I think too, Eleanor2, that while I sympathise with couples who desperately want a child and can't, it must be extremely difficult for a woman to go through a whole 9 months of pregnancy and give birth if her circumstances are not right for it, just to give the child away. Women make the hard decision to have an abortion because their situation at that time isn't right to continue with the pregancy, as well as not being in a position to look after a child in the near future, so adoption isn't really an option. I don't agree with private abortion for trivial reasons, though.

[lily]

Not too sure about pharmacists getting involved with prescribing, they wouldn't have access to the whole medical history and presumably wouldn't undertake some of the checking procedures which might be required.

[Sandra]

Early term babies do not always need specialist medical attention to survive and, for this reason alone, the time limit should be reduced. I ask this question ... if a termination results in a live birth, what happens next?

[jazzactivist]

Hi Sandra, that is quite a conundrum. Judging by the content of the TV documentary the other evening the method of termination for a late abortion would ensure that the child wasn't alive when it entered the outside world. However, if it has been left so late that the birth has to be induced then it would be possible. I have read that in the past, before contraception was available to women, the midwife would look at the circumstances of the woman at the birth and when the child was born either ask her if she wanted it 'woken up', or not, or would just make the decision herself and smother the baby if she felt that an extra one would add to the mother's burden. I guess that a similar decision is made in the rare event of a live birth as a result of a late abortion, or perhaps in the rare case of twins where one continues to survive. I would imagine that those instances are very unusual, though.

[Rosie]

24 weeks is too advanced. It is a fully formed and growing baby at this stage.
It's a tough world we live in - no easy answers I guess.
I understand a woman's desparation in finding herself pregnant when does not wish to have a child.
The pregnancy should be terminated preferrably before 10 weeks - 12 maximum. There are tablets available - not sure how safe they are though - morning after pill or there is another tablet.
Procedures and paper work hold up and create misery in the longer term, when a woman cannot easily access a termination. I had so many miscarriages I lost count - they were all early - I never felt I lost a child - just a potential child.
My friend had a baby at 23 weeks - the child is now aged 20 and studying at uni.

[Katelb]

I definately think that 24 weeks is far too advanced to even consider abortion.I would agree with Rosie that it should be much shorter but perhaps with a maximum of 16 weeks.By that stage in the pregnancy,surely the mother/parents will have come to terms with the outcome,and if at that stage they opt for a private termination,I think that is up to them since it will have been subjected to medical opinion and assistance.If on the other hand a pregnancy becomes severly compromised due to valid and probably unforseen health reasons and termination is the only option available,then I think the involvement of two Doctors gives a more balanced view to the problem ,but I still feel the limit should be set at 20 weeks maximum for such cases. In all probability,if serious complications do arise,nature will take it's course anyway,and I can vouch for that.
With regard to contraception,I don't think pharmacists should be involved any more than they are,I have seen numerous teenagers having to be prescribed the morning-after-pill which they happily use as a form of contraception albeit misguided,it would make more sense for the parents to make their 'children' aware of the options for contraception,at least that way they get some help until they are old enough to decide for themselves what to do about it.
Rosie,I'm glad your friend's baby survived,that is a ray of hope in this day and age,she was obviously a born survivor,literally.

[Crocus]

Abortion is one of those aspects where I don't know where to put my vote. To use abortion as a contraceptive to me is completely wrong. To me it only makes sense when the mom's life is at serious, serious risk. That said, school girls as young as 11 and 12 fall pregnant (being "babies" themselves) Do they have an abortion, do the give the baby up for adoption or do they keep the baby and then struggle for dear life to look after it. It's a very complex problem, and it depends on circumstances.

[sunflower]

In answer to your question Sandra, with regards to late abortions, the medical team make sure the termination is complete before the womb is emptied.