Abortion - Is it right? [Closes 05/02/07]

[BL!NKEY]

I think it is ok if the child is not going to have a happy life if they are born. As long as the phetus (sp?) is young. If there is a lot of people willing to adopt then that would be a better idea. But if the child would spend their whole life in an orfanage then abortion might be better. Or if the doctors can see that the child will have severe health issues or extream ******ation and the family is not in a place where they have the time to deal with the child then it would be ok as long as the phetus is young.

[,Jess,]

Depends on the situation, if its 9 monthes into the pregnancy, then obviously not. But if its within the first stages, there is no problem. The baby is no more a living thing than a chair during the first few weeks of development. It doesnt think "Oh no don't kill me", it doesnt have thoughts. It doesnt breathe.

In the 1st stages all the genetic coding is in place so everything about how that child is going to look has been decided. I can't rember when the heart etc develops but I know it's wuite early on. I think abortion at any stage is wrong and even though it seems like the solution in some cases like rape that the child still has a right to life. Although there are not enough people willing to adopt there is still care available for these children so surely it's better than killing them when they are innocent.

[FlyingJesus]

For those saying that a woman shouldn't have an abortion simply because they don't want a baby, two things:

Firstly and shortly, does this mean you are against using the emergency contraceptive pill? The pill basically tells the body to abort by forcing a miscarriage (although because there's been no development, it's just like having a normal period) as the sperm and egg have already bonded.

Secondly, I assume that people who are anti-abortion believe that it is cruel to the child or something along those lines. Consider, then, what kind of mother a woman would be who never wanted a child, and who would always be thinking "what if I hadn't?" when they see the offspring that they have been forced to give birth to. So then you argue that adoption is always an option - but it isn't. There are many features that are "undesirable" in a child to many parents. For example, Britain is largely populated by white people, and most people looking to adopt are white. A black, disabled child of a rape victim is hardly going to stand a chance of being adopted, and aside from whatever difficulties a child might have to go through anyway, these "undesirable" children will also grow up knowing that they've been rejected by every potential parent to come along. Is that a life worth forcing into existence?


edit: My personal opinion is that abortion should be available up until 7-10 weeks, as opposed to the 28 weeks currently available. This is because at the 7-10 week stage the brain is developing, and so until then no sentience exists, nor possibility of pain.

[Ostinato]

I don't feel this is a case of it being "right or wrong", but is moreso a personal opinion based upon the circumstances the person/couple are facing.

I feel that if a person where to abort a child simply because it was inconvenient is wrong. However, there are many circumstances in which I support the idea of abortion for the parents - and babies sake.

I feel if the baby is going to be born with some sort of serious illness which would kill them in the short term and put them through a lot of pain, then they shouldn't be brought into the world to face that harsh treatment. At the end of the day - they didn't ask to be born, so therefore why should they have to live with these difficult and opressing illnesses they face? Also, I feel if this was the case some parents would perhaps struggle to cope with the child and it would ultimately be neglected or simply not have the adequate care it would require.

As well as this, I feel if a woman is molested then there is adequate grounds for an abortion. I think it would be extremely difficult for a woman to look at her child, constantly being reminded of the horrific crime against her, and having a permenant fixture in her life to signigy the treatment of which she endured. I also feel this would be extremely difficult for the womans family as well as the womans partner, if present. If this was the case I also put forward the idea that the child wouldn't have the appropiate parental figures on offer.

At the end of the day though, I think every case of abortion is unique and everyone has their own individual reasons for chosing to do so or not.

[The-Mate]

i think i agree with abortion in the easly stages of pregnancy also the whole thing with the adoption isnt the greatest idea it'd have a long lastng effect on the mother in that when the child is 18 they have a right to visit thair parents, if the mother had the abortion because of hurtful reasons would't that bring alot of pain to her also on the chile having to be rejected again? i do agree that if 2 people in good positions in life to bring up a child in a good clean enviroment they should't have an abortion

[Smile]

As well as this, I feel if a woman is molested then there is adequate grounds for an abortion. I think it would be extremely difficult for a woman to look at her child, constantly being reminded of the horrific crime against her, and having a permenant fixture in her life to signigy the treatment of which she endured. I also feel this would be extremely difficult for the womans family as well as the womans partner, if present. If this was the case I also put forward the idea that the child wouldn't have the appropiate parental figures on offer.

excellent point. i agree.

[RedStratocas]

no. i am against abortion for personal reasons i'm not going to discuss

i only think a woman should be given the choice to have an abortion if she was pregnant by being raped. if you have unprotected sex, you should suffer the consiquences, and not end a life because of your own selfishness.

So the baby has to suffer as well because of the woman's mistake? That makes no sense. Thats unfair to the baby, dont you think?

In the 1st stages all the genetic coding is in place so everything about how that child is going to look has been decided. I can't rember when the heart etc develops but I know it's wuite early on. I think abortion at any stage is wrong and even though it seems like the solution in some cases like rape that the child still has a right to life. Although there are not enough people willing to adopt there is still care available for these children so surely it's better than killing them when they are innocent.

So what? I can work on a blueprint for a building, doesnt mean the building exists does it? Heart does not mean life, the brain means life. Not to mention the heart doesnt develope in the first few weeks, it developes in the second stages. The fetus in the first few weeks are proportionate to a skin cell, and you scratch those off your head all the time.


Oh, and just as another arguement, if abortions are made illegal, then it'll just cause illegal (and obviously dangerous) abortion procedures to take place. Someone isnt going to change their mind and have another human life, simply because its against the law to have an abortion.

[benjamin]

So the baby has to suffer as well because of the woman's mistake? That makes no sense. Thats unfair to the baby, dont you think?

no, i don't. because i believe life is the best gift you can get. even though people are saying 'they arn't breathing, their heart doesn't work, they don't feel anything' i still think it/they whatever you want to call 'it' deserves the right to have a life.

oh and the only other reason i see acceptable, is like ostinao said, the child would be born with disabilities of some sort and wouldn't live a normal life, or theirs would end very early.

[RedStratocas]

no, i don't. because i believe life is the best gift you can get. even though people are saying 'they arn't breathing, their heart doesn't work, they don't feel anything' i still think it/they whatever you want to call 'it' deserves the right to have a life.

Some gift if its going to be with a parent who hates the child.

[benjamin]

Some gift if its going to be with a parent who hates the child.

i don't believe any parent could hate their child, deep down. parents love is unconditional no matter what the circumstances are, at first they may not want the baby, but i believe they will grow to be attached to the baby. also, it's the same for woman who go to give their babys up for adoptions, the whole way through their pregnancy, they don't want the baby, they have their mind set on adoption, and when they have the baby, they see it.. and everything changes.

also, your life doesn't revolve around your parents, sure, when you're young yeah. once you've reached the age of 16 or so, you're practically free. and when you think of it, 16 isn't that long, it may seem really long as we're not exactly old ourselfs, but in comparison to the average life span, what, 70 to 80 years?