Plans to relax law on early abortion

[miffed23]

The most extensive liberalisation of abortion laws for 40 years is being planned by MPs, proposed to begin this year.

The new law states that "women be allowed to seek an abortion on the basis of informed consent – dropping the requirement for two doctors’ signatures – and perform the second stage of a medical termination at home rather than at a hospital or clinic."

"They also want nurses rather than doctors to be allowed to carry out abortions in the first trimester of pregnancy, up to 12 weeks."

What are your views on this?

- Is it going to allow teenagers to use this as a method of contraception?

- Or, is it a positive thing, allowing women to ease the rigmoral of having the consultation, the 3+ weeks wait, then counselling, then taking one tablet, going home, coming back, taking another tablet, being induced and then going through with the surgical / medical procedure?

Personally, im pro-choice - not pro-life as there are too many rules and regulations, no free will....however, i do see the majority of teenage girls using this as a 'get out of jail card'....

[anonymouswhitefemale]

I think it is a good thing, believing in choice myself. I think it is a terrible hardship that should be as comfortable and easy for the mother as it can be, and if this can be done, I'm all for it. Not that I really think these minor things will do much to ease the psychological trauma, but if they can even lessen it ever so slightly...

Obviously I don't believe that anyone should rely on abortion as birth control, but I do believe there are far too many young/unfit/undready mothers out there, who shouldn't have a child in their current state, and that, I believe, is more important than trying not to encourage it.

But then, if there wasn't so many side effects to implants, I'd say that everyone should be mandatorily implanted until the age of 25 or so...

Unready/unwilling mothers may be retarded, but they are, in a way, victims. Should their mistake punish themselves, their child who can't be raised lovingly, or society for handing out another cheque to an unemployed mother of 5?

I think, however, that far more pre and post procedure counselling should be given, for example my ex had an abortion, recieved no counselling, and subsequently is psychologically scarred by the whole thing.

And to be honest, anything I see that drives religion further from law is cause to celebrate.

[miffed23]

I think, however, that far more pre and post procedure counselling should be given, for example my ex had an abortion, recieved no counselling, and subsequently is psychologically scarred by the whole thing.

And to be honest, anything I see that drives religion further from law is cause to celebrate.

Agreed. However, that is weird that your ex didnt recieve any counselling - pre-procedure anyway. Not that i think it would have been a benefit to her whatsoever, the nurse takes you into a tiny, dark and damp room and asks you in a monotone-i-dont-actually-think-what-youre-doing-is-the-right-thing voice, have you thought this through thoroughly? Useless. In fact, they actually make you feel worse...

So, yes...maybe counselling should be offered, but then again i know women that go through terminations with their hearts completely closed.

[ChelseaRenee]

Agreed. However, that is weird that your ex didnt recieve any counselling - pre-procedure anyway. Not that i think it would have been a benefit to her whatsoever, the nurse takes you into a tiny, dark and damp room and asks you in a monotone-i-dont-actually-think-what-youre-doing-is-the-right-thing voice, have you thought this through thoroughly? Useless. In fact, they actually make you feel worse...

So, yes...maybe counselling should be offered, but then again i know women that go through terminations with their hearts completely closed.

In California, it's offered but not a requirement. They ask the usual "Were you raped?" and "Are you being forced to have this abortion?" but beyond that it's optional. You can't really expect a terrified, most likely ashamed women to open up to a perfect stranger about the whole thing. I know if I were to have an abortion, I wouldn't.

And that's sort of odd about the nurse...I mean, if she's working at a clinic that offers abortions, she's probably not going to be that judgmental...I'd say what you're talking about is a pretty classic case of the patient feeling guilt and projecting...I mean, how many tiny, dark, and damp rooms would there REALLY be in a hospital? haha And besides, it's my opinion that yes, abortion is HARD. Probably one of the hardest thing a lot of women do. But it was their choice to have sex, their choice to have an abortion and I think if they're woman enough for all that, they should really be able to handle a cranky nurse.

Getting back on track, I think offering at-home abortions would be a WONDERFUL idea. I don't think they should be government funded, because that's really a luxury to have it at your home, not a necessity, but I know I'd choose one in the comfort of my own bed over a cold clinic table any day.

[miffed23]

And that's sort of odd about the nurse...I mean, if she's working at a clinic that offers abortions, she's probably not going to be that judgmental...I'd say what you're talking about is a pretty classic case of the patient feeling guilt and projecting...I mean, how many tiny, dark, and damp rooms would there REALLY be in a hospital? haha And besides, it's my opinion that yes, abortion is HARD. Probably one of the hardest thing a lot of women do. But it was their choice to have sex, their choice to have an abortion and I think if they're woman enough for all that, they should really be able to handle a cranky nurse.

Admittedly, i was exaggerating (slightly) to put my point across....

But, no, seriously, the ward in which i went to was 'womens health', where they mainly deal with labour, gyno etc...the ward on which my mother sometimes works as a midwife . Whether the nurse was judgmental based on this - is a possibility.

"There choice to have sex, their choice to have an abortion" - true, given. But, sometimes, rarely, it is an unfortunate mistake that women become pregnant, sounds dull yes, but speaking from experience, you can be on the pill and something physically can go wrong and you wind yourself up pregnant..... it does happen, im living proof

But, yes thats neither here nor there....

[damd]

I am total believer in personal freedoms and choices. Everyone should have the right to do whatever s/he whishes as long as it doesn't interfere with another persons rights and freedoms.

That said I am pro-life and can not understand anyone who considers themself anti pro-life. I think it is sad how easily today's society disregards an underdeveloped human being. Yes underdeveloped but HUMAN. Now I have heard many arguements about the fetus is tissue and no one cries about cancer tumors being removed from a patient and other such arguements. But this tissue is totally diffirent than anything else. This thing grows to be a person. Something that we all have in common, we weren't aborted.

I would put it to you, to argue that a would be mother has the right to kill her unborn child should also have the right snuff her born child, why not? Why should in or out make any difference? Why does a teen mother go to jail for strangling her infant son? Or even a father who micowaves his 2 week old child? H*ll lets bring back third trimester abortions where the woman actually starts to give birth then the doc takes a pair of scissors cuts the spinal cord before the whole child has passed through the birth canal. That doesn't sound like murder. I think women should rejoice in this right. There are a few people I know that I would snuff except for that one thing... yeah thats right I would go to prison.

So what are we talking about here, convenience. (exculding rape) Two people are responsible enough to have sex yet now find themselves unable to cope with the child on it's way. It's too inconvenient so let kill it. Or the high road, unable to provide a good life for the child, kill it. I applaud movies like Juno (even though she did want to have an abortion) but it showed teens that having a child is not the end of the world. And giving your child up for adoption is a more responsible thing to do.

There are too few valid excuses left for unwanted pregnancies these days. Using abortion as birth control is deplorable. I knew a girl who had six abortions, 6!

As for counseling after abortions. Don't really have my sympathy they have to live with their choice a far better sentence than the one they condemned their would be child to.

[Fallen1]

I would put it to you, to argue that a would be mother has the right to kill her unborn child should also have the right snuff her born child, why not? Why should in or out make any difference? Why does a teen mother go to jail for strangling her infant son? Or even a father who micowaves his 2 week old child? H*ll lets bring back third trimester abortions where the woman actually starts to give birth then the doc takes a pair of scissors cuts the spinal cord before the whole child has passed through the birth canal. That doesn't sound like murder. I think women should rejoice in this right. There are a few people I know that I would snuff except for that one thing... yeah thats right I would go to prison.

I have always had a problem with what I feel is hypocrisy in the law(s). A woman gets sentenced to jail if she gives birth and leaves her child in a restroom/dumpster etc. but had she gone to a clinic to abort one day or even one hour earlier it would have been "ok".

I think abortion as a means of birth control is terrible. Sure sometimes things happen - rape, incest - but for the rest of the instances it could have been avoided. ABSTINENCE or PROTECTION with condoms or pills.

I got pregnant at 16 and it never crossed my mind to abort my child. He was born one month after I turned 17. Today he is a wonderful prosperous young man and I don't know what my life would be like without him.

[CHANDLERS WISH]

I'm going to regret this aren't i.

I had an abortion when i was almost 17, because i was 17, because my then boyfriend (first love) insisted and because i was not close to my family and could not discuss it with them, i left home.

I was nieve, my Mother wrapped me in cotton wool, never let me breathe, move, go to friends houses, sat even in a chair where she could see me, when she umpired basketball, but i was also a firey little thing, independent.

There were no sex talks, nor even talks about periods, when that happened, i found out shirting myself until the Doctor explained what was happening.

After... The Doctors left half inside, or bits, what ever and i fell down the stairs in pain, i woke up screaming. I remember the Doctor saying " it's her fault" as i had an abortion.

I had just left home, madly in love, or so i thought which i needed, love, and thought it was the right thing to do, i was a child.

Funny, not, that i never had children. Kind of thought that i don't deserve to as a result.

No, i don't have physological problems, yes, i hold a baby with love but don't think about it, torture myself, all things in my life that aren't pleasant, evil, bad, what ever, i let go of... That's me.

But, the point is, there are times when you don't know any better, or follow someone else's suggestion as you never had the freedom of speach, thoughts, as very evident i do now in life and have for years. Many years.

It can happen...

And yes, damd i should have had it and given it up for adoption, but at that point in my life, i couldn't turn to family, had no where to go, and i too don't agree in people doing it, unless, there is a valid reason, not purely for the sake of termination as it doesn't suit ones life.

For me, i remember being told over and over, it's not a life yet, not formed, and that's the thing that i guess helped me through...



I did see my Doctor and he told my boyfriend

[CHANDLERS WISH]

I did see my Doctor and he told my boyfriend in front of me, to really think about it.

He councelled me and i said that i didn't believe in abortions... I would have it.

But, the boyfriend (Greek) not relevant, and his family kept on at me....

He said he would leave if i didn't.

So again, just stating that i wish that i had spoken to family, but couldn't and no way was i going back home to live...

Had i ever had got pregnant again, i can say with 100% certainty, that i would not have terminated it under any circumstances, regardless of my age. Even now.

[hello_pitty]

I am total believer in personal freedoms and choices. Everyone should have the right to do whatever s/he whishes as long as it doesn't interfere with another persons rights and freedoms.

That said I am pro-life and can not understand anyone who considers themself anti pro-life. I think it is sad how easily today's society disregards an underdeveloped human being. Yes underdeveloped but HUMAN. Now I have heard many arguements about the fetus is tissue and no one cries about cancer tumors being removed from a patient and other such arguements. But this tissue is totally diffirent than anything else. This thing grows to be a person. Something that we all have in common, we weren't aborted.

I would put it to you, to argue that a would be mother has the right to kill her unborn child should also have the right snuff her born child, why not? Why should in or out make any difference? Why does a teen mother go to jail for strangling her infant son? Or even a father who micowaves his 2 week old child? H*ll lets bring back third trimester abortions where the woman actually starts to give birth then the doc takes a pair of scissors cuts the spinal cord before the whole child has passed through the birth canal. That doesn't sound like murder. I think women should rejoice in this right. There are a few people I know that I would snuff except for that one thing... yeah thats right I would go to prison.

So what are we talking about here, convenience. (exculding rape) Two people are responsible enough to have sex yet now find themselves unable to cope with the child on it's way. It's too inconvenient so let kill it. Or the high road, unable to provide a good life for the child, kill it. I applaud movies like Juno (even though she did want to have an abortion) but it showed teens that having a child is not the end of the world. And giving your child up for adoption is a more responsible thing to do.

There are too few valid excuses left for unwanted pregnancies these days. Using abortion as birth control is deplorable. I knew a girl who had six abortions, 6!

As for counseling after abortions. Don't really have my sympathy they have to live with their choice a far better sentence than the one they condemned their would be child to.

I agree with you 100%

Women have it too easy these days. My mom wasn't ready for neither me or my brother (in fact she was raped when she got preg with my brother by my dad). My mom was a single teenage mother of two kids living off a welfare check every month. She wasn't ready, and she wasn't able to provide us with a wealthy upbringing for our toddler years...so what? When we were old enough, we went to daycare/ babysitter and she had two jobs!!

Are women that lazy or righteous that they don't have to "suffer" through working a job while caring for a child? Seriously, if you don't want kids yet, DON'T HAVE SEX!!! Plain and simple...why should a human being who can't even speak for themselves, be killed because it's convenient? It's sick!

If this law gets passed I hope it's not Gov't funded because I will not pay out of my pocket to kill unborn babies!! Same with counseling...if you were selfish enough to have an abortion, then you should pay for it yourself.

I have totally different feelings for women who were raped by either someone they knew or some stranger.

If you want, look up "the silent scream" on youtube and watch all of it...or better yet, one who's considering aborting, ask to see the monitor while they're doing it..I think any woman who kills an unborn baby should feel bad, not that they already don't feel bad, but really...

Thats just my .02