abortion

for some reason ive been seeing a lot about this recently. my current role as Random Link Clicker probably has something to do with it, but im wondering why its such a popular topic at the moment. in any case, herein do i muse.

i read an article a few months back about a country where abortion is illegal. no ifs, ands or buts. if found out, both the doctor (back street hack, druggie old witch, whatever) and woman are prosecuted. now, i dont agree with abortion. i think it is wrong. BUT, i do not think it should be illegal IN EVERY SITUATION. (which is a bit contradictory, but... hey! stop making my brain hurt!)

why not? well there are some situations where i honestly believe abortion is the only sensible way to go. i know people will disagree with me, in both directions, but its my opinion, so deal with it.

what situations would i agree with it? very simple. medical. its all down to medical.

what do you do, if at some point during your pregnancy the doctors inform you that should you continue, you have a greater than 90% chance of death, and the baby will certainly die anyway. there is no way to save it, even if you die, even if you pray pray pray. the baby will die regardless, and if you keep going, you will too. i would abort. i would hate myself for it, and i would pray desperately for forgiveness, but i would abort. i have a son who needs me, a husband who needs me, and a god who forgives. were i single, with no children, perhaps i wouldnt. maybe i would choose to die with my baby. or simply take the chance that i survive.

situation #2: there is some random super rare genetic anomaly which means the baby is not forming properly, and it will either die before birth, or in agony shortly after. honestly, i dont know what i would do in this situation. god willing, it never happens. but abortion should not be illegal in this situation. many women would rather the baby die while its very small, than wait till it is born and know how much pain it is in.

this is not to say all babies with a 'problem' should be aborted. just because the baby only has one arm, or mental retardation, or anything like that, does not mean abortion should be an option. but if it WILL DIE anyway, especially in agony, then abortion should be an option.

situation #3: you already have children. doctors have told you than any further pregnancies will result in your death or permanent incapacitation. you are 3 days late, and despite birth control, upon taking a pregnancy test, discover you are in fact, pregnant again. the baby at this point is very very tiny. since i was 2 months pregnant when we found out about my son, and nearly as far along when i lost the last one, i have no idea just how tiny (i refuse to find out. i do not want to know just how formed my dear one was when it was taken from me), but very very small. in this situation, again, i dont know what i would do. but abortion should be an option.

if it will save your life, it should be an option.


despite my disagreement with it in other situations, i can understand why women do it, and feel they have no other options - how can 13 year old deal with a baby, let alone one that reminds her every single day of the night she was raped? how can a 16 year old go against her parents, now in their 50s, who say theyve already raised their children, and will not raise any more?

but abortion is not the only option. if your life is not threatened, give the baby away. give it up for adoption, so someone who cannot have children of their own can raise yours, and your child gets to live.

two women recently abandoned their babies. one in sydney, one in melbourne. i was so heartened to find that these women had not had abortions, and so heartened that the women left their babies outside a church, where the pastor found her within hours, and outside a hospital, where the nurses heard her crying. there ought to be a set-up in australia like there is in the states, where the mothers can drop off their babies at hospitals/fire stations/etc anonymously, without worrying about it. how many babies would be saved this way? how many babies would be taken in, and eventually found families, instead of being left to die?

its just not right.

im going to stop now, cause im finding it hard to focus, and my writing is becoming even more disjointed than usual.