Abortion Time Limit

Lynd I woukd be really interested in seeing your statistics. for ‘late abortions of perfectly healthy foetuses’. Yes you do are women because anyone male or female who would force a woman to carry a baby to term against her wishes is a hater of women. And even worse is a hater of poor women who can’t afford the discreet doctor in his private practice. What on Earth makes you ‘hope’ that cold and gilly got their statistics right - you haven’t given on piece of factual evidence in your posts.

I absolutely oppose this. Ten weeks is too early to be confident about the health and development of the foetus. And many women have entirely valid reasons to choose against proceeding with pregnancy even if the foetus is expected to be perfectly healthy. I support the right of the mother to choose to terminate, certainly later than 10 weeks, and much later if developmental or congenital problems are identified.

franjess2000 I'm not sure that is right. I don't think the father has any say in whether the baby is aborted or not.

I wouldn't have an abortion, yes, I have been in the situation where the doctor told me I should but I didn't.

If others wish to do so that is up to them but I do think we need to change a culture of using abortion as a means of birth control for the sake of the mother as much as anything else. I know it was a long time ago but my NCT teacher was a theatre sister at the local abortion clinic and she found it very upsetting when quite young women came in for their 3rd, 4th or 5th TOP. What was that doing to their bodies? I have a friend, now in her late 50s, who had an abortion when she was 18 and was never able to conceive again. No one ever seems to talk about this side of abortion. What about the psychological effects on the women concerned or do they simply shrug it off as just another day? I would expect that they would often wonder what their child would have been like.

Not "a lot of insults" Lyndiloo but a strong and emphtic "No" to your petition. As someone who knew what went on before the law on abortion was changed, how many poor women died from back street abortions I know if women really want to abort a child they will. No one should be denied an abortion because they don't find out they are pregnant until after 10 weeks. It is a tragedy when babies have to be aborted, but it is a tragedy for the woman who has to take the decision and no one should have the right to make that decision more difficult.

Oh dear - just a lot of insults then.

Firstly, I would repeat that I am NOT talking about stopping abortions which would be necessary on medical grounds, as I made plain. And of course, there will always be exceptions.

Secondly, I am NOT a fanatical anti-abortionist. I'm referring here to the late abortions of perfectly healthy foetuses, who would become viable, living, babies if left to go full-term. It's a moral issue for me - and became one once I saw the horrific way that late abortions have to be carried out.

No, I do NOT 'hate women' (being one myself!)

And I'm sorry, mcem, that you do not approve of, or like any of my other blogs. I would take issue with your reasons, but you're quite entitled to your opinion. (A bit rude, and unnecessary though, don't you think?)

Yes, I am a writer, but would anyone seriously think that I would consider setting up a Government Petition on abortion, just to sell more books (which, incidentally, have nothing at all to do with this subject)?

I do hope that 'cold' and 'gillybob' are right with their statistics.

Thank you all for your opinions. I will bear them in mind.

Definitely would not sign. Just what fran said.

Abortion is nobodies business except the mother, the father and the doctor.

I don't understand why anyone else thinks they have a say. Not your baby, none of your business. Stay out of it. Leave these poor women who have to go through an awful time alone.

Oh you mean like an accidental pregnancy when a 13 year is raped and doesn’t even know she’s pregnant until she’s 20 weeks? There isn’t only one solution at the moment anyway - it’s 24 weeks unless the mother’s health/life is endangered or grave foetal handicap in which cases there’s no limit. You do realise don’t you that restrictions on abortion don’t affect the well off and well connected? They’ve always had access to safe abortions - it’s the hard up who are punished when abortion is hard to obtain legally.

I feel sure that legislation could be formed so that an accidental pregnancy could be terminated up to a certain date only and also allow for sever abnormalities of the mother's health to terminate at a much later date. Don't see why it has to be assumed that there is only one solution.

OP I think this boat has sailed.
More useful to study The Netherlands.

Even if a problem is detected at the 20 week scan in many cases further testing is required to assess the extent of the problem - this means that the full information to make a decision is not available until after 20 weeks.

A friend of mine went through a dreadful time during a pregnancy with a much wanted baby.
A scan at 19 weeks showed an abnormality that could possibly mean a baby that would not survive birth.
In week 21 she was sent for an emergency appointment with a neonatal specialist at a top London hospital. Further testing was carried out.
The test results did not come back until she was almost week 23.
The baby did not have the most severe condition but had certain physical problems that would require surgery.
She continued with the pregnancy - the baby had several surgeries in his first year.
But through no fault of her own she didn't have full information until 23 weeks.

I know someone else whose 20 week scan showed that she had a very aggressive uterine cancer and that she would die unless the pregancy was terminated and she started treatment. So sadly she did have an abortion at around 21 weeks.

kitlong so what happens to a mother whose life is discovered to be in danger at say 26 weeks?

10 weeks is unrealistic and I wouldn't sign. However I would sign a petition for 16 weeks mothers personal choice, but I think 22 weeks for REAL medical reasons (genuine health implications for baby or mother) is fine. I think 24 weeks is too late.

No from me.

No. I wouldn't sign

No, I would not sign.
I'm sure the decision to abort is not taken lightly and it's not for me or anyone else to try to dictate to others what they can and can't do. It's a very personal matter between the people involved.

mcem if you mean the first line of my post it was because in another thread the OP had asked how you start a new thread.

It’s only at the 20 week scan and sometimes later that really serious problems are identified so a 20 week limit is simply a nonsense. As has been said upthread, the vast majority of abortions are carried well before 20 weeks. Are you really saying that if a condition incompatible with life was discovered in a baby at 24 weeks for example you would force the mother to go to term and deliver a baby that woukd die within minutes - if so perhaps you could explain why this is acceptable Chinese?

Its a no from me. I'm happy to trust women and their doctors when they decide about abortion.

I think there's a case for reducing the date, especially as with the advance of modern healthcare, more babies are viable at an earlier stage. However, not to 10 weeks! 20 weeks would be more realistic, and would probably get more support.

A no from me too.

A most definite NO

Good post absent. The Netherlands has good sex/relationship education, open discussions about all kinds of 'social/policital' issues and generally a more balanced and liberal approach to these things than seems too often to be the case in the UK.

Good post absent I agree and will not support this petition.

I think this would be a backward step. As I understand it very few abortions are carried out at the later date.

My personal view is against abortion, however, I would not impose my personal belief onto another woman. I don't think any woman takes such a decision lightly.

No I would not sign such a petition.