Abortion... please don't flame!

PM_Mama00 · #1 08-22-2003, 09:56 AM

Nevermind I'll put it back up!

I always felt like I was pro-choice for two reasons... rape and incest. But then something happened to my friend's aunt.

She became pregnant, but there were major complications. If she carried the baby to term, then she could have died during labor, the baby could have died, or both coudl have died. It was an extremely high risk pregnancy. She ended up terminating the pregnancy. She is a great person, from a good family with great morals, but it was possibly the best choice.

How do you feel about abortion in cases of life or death?

Please only respond if you're going to respond with a mature, helpful opinion. Please do not respond with "Abortion is bad no matter what". I guess this thread is more for those who are Pro-Choice.

smiley21 · #2 08-22-2003, 10:27 AM

you always hear stuff from the religious world about abortion being murder, yadda yadda. but it is a hard subject to find one conclusion to come to. growing up in the christian world, it was drilled in my head that abortion is wrong and an abomination. but what about those cases with incest and rape. i do believe that great things come in unexpected small packages. i know of quite a few people that were born from victims of rape. they thank God that they were born and that they went on to do great things. now obviously, this isnt always the case. it just hurts to think about a baby being hurt. now i know that is not the intent ( in most cases) but it just makes me sad. i just am not in a position to say if it is right or wrong. thankfully, i have never been in a position where i was involved in incest or something terrible like that. i cant imagine what that child's life would be like. it sounds awful. so i have no right to say if i think it is a 'sin'. i can have an opinion, but i cant think that i have the right to stop someone's decision. my body is not the one in trouble here. that is what i think but i feel kinda wierd about that. i feel the church frowning on me now.

i still love the church and my christianity.

people please! be mature with this topic! dont attack each other!

DZHBrown · #3 08-22-2003, 10:39 AM

I am of the opinion that abortion is wrong. I'm someone that believes that everything happens for a reason. If someone becomes pregnant, then there is a reason God wants to bring that child into the world. I don't really see it as an issue of a woman's body, I see it as an issue of the child's life. I believe life begins at conception. If someone has a miscarriage, they are usually sad because they lost their child. I find it difficult to separate the idea of it being a child when it's wanted and not being a child when it isn't.
I also have difficulty deciding what to do when it is a life or death situation. If either way, someone is definitely going to die, how do you value one life over the other? It's a heart wrenching decision, I'm sure.
I'm hoping that I said this in a way that doesn't sound disrespectful. These are simply my opinions and how I view the topic.

twinstars · #4 08-22-2003, 10:42 AM

I think any woman who wants an early-pregnancy abortion, for WHATEVER reason she thinks is good enough, should be able to obtain one safely and legally. I would NOT put any kind of rape/incest qualfications on that. It doesn't matter to me what kind of sex the parents were having when the baby was made (consensual or non). I don't think children should exist to "punish" the parents if they were being "bad" at the moment of conception.

I don't think it matters how the fetus was made, it's still the same fetus. If you believe abortion is taking a morally meaningful "life," then it's the same life regardless of how it got there. For that reason, I don't agree with rape/incest type restrictions on who can have abortions and who can't.

I don't believe that there are a lot of women who have multiple abortions as birth control. I think that to go through an abortion (even an early one) is a huge deal, emotionally, so if a woman thinks it's the best choice, then who am I to tell her she's wrong. No one can be more of an expert on a woman's circumstances and situation better than that woman, herself.

So, the way I look at it, it's pretty clear-cut in cases of life and death. If the mother thinks it's best to end the pregnancy, I can't think of any reason why she shouldn't be allowed by law to do so. If she has other (born) children who need a mother, it's almost selfish of her NOT to end the pregnancy if there's a good chance she might die.

All that said, I don't know what I'd choose if I were unmarried and pregnant by accident because my birth control failed. But I'd want all my options to choose from.

smiley21 · #5 08-22-2003, 10:55 AM

personally, i know i couldnt have an abortion. i would go through with the pregancy. it may seem like it is easy for me to say this now when i am not in the position. but it is a personal belief. i would have the baby no matter what.

sigmagrrl · #6 08-22-2003, 11:16 AM

I am personally very torn on the topic.

I used to be pro-choice (and I still am), but COMPLETELY pro-choice. Meaning, IMO, there were NO instances in which a woman shouldn't be entitled to an abortion...

Now, I'm not so sure. Why?

Because I would never have met my BF if his birth mother had just terminated his life and given up on the possibilites of this child.

I do thank heaven every day that his birth mother chose to go full term with him.

He doesn't know if he was a product of rape/incest, an "accident" (I HATE THAT TERM, but cannot think of a better word at the moment), or just not wanted. And I personally ache for him because he doesn't know and wants to know.

If I were raped, and became pregnant, I don't know what I'd do...I cannot even think of the very instance occuring, let alone predict what my mental state would be like after this happening.

I know that if I become pregnant now at this stage of life after having sex with a partner of my choosing, I would keep my child. I am in the financial position to take care of a child I'd want to keep. But if there was a risk of death for either me or the child if I carried to full term, I would have to think long and hard about aborting...Would I give my life for our child? I don't know...

But in the instance of incest, the risks may be too great for the product of conception to live a full, healthy, productive life. The risks of genetic defects, mental deficiencies, and far worse physical challenges climb when two people of close genetic ties conceive a child....

Like I said, I'm torn. But I do know that a woman's choice to choose should NOT be taken away.

aephi alum · #7 08-22-2003, 11:23 AM

I'm pro-choice, so you already know what I'm going to say

Even if you believe life begins at conception, I don't see how you could argue with termination of an extremely high-risk pregnancy in which it is highly probable that mother, baby, or both will die. Ectopic pregnancies, for example, are routinely terminated. You're talking about one life definitely ending, vs. two lives probably ending.

Interesting side note: If you have ever had an abortion, any subsequent pregnancy is automatically high-risk.

PM_Mama00 · #8 08-22-2003, 11:36 AM

My ex-boyfriend's ex-girlfriend had like 3 abortions (not conceived with him), and now has a healthy baby. As pro-choice as I am, I don't think she should have a child.

It's one thing to have one abortion (I'm not saying it's right, but it is HER right), but it's another thing to have 2 more unwanted pregnancies and then get them terminated. THEN have another one and have the baby.

smiley21 · #9 08-22-2003, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PM_Mama00
My ex-boyfriend's ex-girlfriend had like 3 abortions (not conceived with him), and now has a healthy baby. As pro-choice as I am, I don't think she should have a child.

It's one thing to have one abortion (I'm not saying it's right, but it is HER right), but it's another thing to have 2 more unwanted pregnancies and then get them terminated. THEN have another one and have the baby.

kinda like choosing favorites or something?

Munchkin03 · #10 08-22-2003, 12:09 PM

As most of you can probably guess, I'm VERY pro-choice. In fact, keeping Roe v. Wade as the letter of the law is one of the few causes I can honestly say I'm willing to do anything for.

I have a friend who was essentially raped by her partner (he would start having sex with her while she was asleep, bastard). When she found out she was pregnant, abortion was the only option. Why? In addition to the circumstances of conception, she suffers from a condition that would threaten her life if she was to become pregnant. So, off to PP she went. Most of us would probably say that she was totally justified.

There are too many grey areas to say that it's right all the time or that it's wrong all the time. I don't like abortion--I know exactly what it is, how it's performed, and what happens. BUT, women have been aborting since the beginning of time, with less than safe conditions. To ensure safe conditions, and to protect women when having a child would threaten their lives and emotional well-beings, it must remain legal. There are just too many grey areas to make a blanket statement that applies to every woman and her situation in this country.

valkyrie · #11 08-22-2003, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PM_Mama00
How do you feel about abortion in cases of life or death?

I am pro-choice, completely. I think that a woman should be able to have a safe and legal abortion under any circumstances.

DeltAlum · #12 08-22-2003, 01:17 PM

From my perspective as a father, I find the idea of abortion to be difficult.

However, I believe that it is a woman's decision (in some cases in concert with the father) in the end.

In terms of a situation where the mom, baby or both are in jeopardy, I would certainly support terminating the pregnancy.

Jill1228 · #13 08-22-2003, 01:31 PM

She is just irresponsible and stupid and I guess you have the right to be both!

I have to admit my husband and I are at opposite poles on this one

I live by this: Against Abortion? Then don't have one!

I am a flaming pro-choicer. No one should tell a woman what she can or cannot do with her body. Unless you walk a mile in her stilettos, then you can't tell her nothin'! It is NEVER a decision to be taken lightly (and women who take it lightly are not too smart). And I am not down with it past the first trimester. I would not want to have one, but I think the option should always be there. And I am one who will fight to the death to make sure that option is still there for women.

(Yes I have marched on Washington for this)

Quote:

Originally posted by PM_Mama00
My ex-boyfriend's ex-girlfriend had like 3 abortions (not conceived with him), and now has a healthy baby. As pro-choice as I am, I don't think she should have a child.

It's one thing to have one abortion (I'm not saying it's right, but it is HER right), but it's another thing to have 2 more unwanted pregnancies and then get them terminated. THEN have another one and have the baby.

Jill1228 · #14 08-22-2003, 01:33 PM

What she said!

Also I am loving the fact that we are being mature about discussing this. Name calling is not cool

ETA: I also think we need more concise information on birth controls. The same groups who want abortion eradicated are also ones who want funds cut for birth control research.
Ya can't have it both ways!

More education about birth control=more responsible behaviour=fewer situations where this CHOICE has to be made

Quote:

Originally posted by Munchkin03
As most of you can probably guess, I'm VERY pro-choice. In fact, keeping Roe v. Wade as the letter of the law is one of the few causes I can honestly say I'm willing to do anything for.
There are just too many grey areas to make a blanket statement that applies to every woman and her situation in this country.

KillarneyRose · #15 08-22-2003, 01:38 PM

I am very conservative, I think everyone here on GreekChat knows this! However, I do not presume to speak for every woman when it comes to abortion. I do not support abortion, but I support a woman's right to make whichever decision is right for HER. Does that make any sense???

If I were pregnant and it were a choice between my life and the life of my baby, I would most likely lean toward saving the baby. That doesn't make me good or bad, that's just how I feel. My husband, on the other hand, if given the choice of my life of the life of the baby, says he would choose me.

It's a tough decision, to be sure. Not one I'd like to make. And not one I could ever criticize anyone else for making.