Understanding the Necessity of Abortion: Perspectives on Maternal Health

Question
Hi. I was watching an hour television special on CNN this evening about the abortion debate (and Dr. George Tiller's tragic murder) and one of the people interviewed was a doctor who said that abortion are rarely necessary to preserve the life and health of the mother. He talked about how most health concerns that may arise can usually be dealt with, including mental health issues. He said for mental health issues there are a lot of drugs to treat depression that will not harm the fetus, the woman could see a psychiatrist, get therapy etc. So in other words, abortions are generally done for convenience, because the woman simply doesn't want to be pregnant. And he also implied that pregnancy is generally not that uncomfortable.
How would you respond to that argument because it's one I hear often?

And secondly, what about the argument that a woman can simply give her child up for adoption? I usually respond by saying that adoption can be very traumatic. That most women don't feel comfortable with the idea of someone else raising their child, not knowing for sure whether that child will be loved, properly taken care of etc. But now we have open adoption, where the mother can still continue to play a role in the childs life, without having to take responsibility for his/her care.

Thanks very much for your time. I feel very strongly that a woman should have the right to choose, but to be honest I am not the greatest debater, and often feel stumped. It's just a gut feeling that I have. That it is cruel and wrong to force pregnancy on a woman. Thanks.

Dianna

Answer
Dear Dianna,

Read these posts at my blog:


Why I am Pro-Choice
http://wingnutwatch.typepad.com/wingnutwatch/2009/02/why-i-am-prochoice.html

Suffering and Risk in Pregnancy Often Missing in Abortion Debate
http://wingnutwatch.typepad.com/wingnutwatch/2008/08/suffering-and-r.html


When you are reading that last one, be sure to follow the link in it to read the rest of it.

I have been pregnant and given birth. Being pregnant is a miserable, horrid experience for many, many women, including myself.  I was nauseous 24 hours a day, vomiting, and in agony from constipation and bowel blockages, etc., etc.  I even had to go by ambulance to the emergency room for an intestinal blockage caused by the pregnancy.

Labor is agonizingly painful, and the actual birth is worse pain than torture.

As far as mental health, many women only respond to a few (or less) anti-depressants, and most of them are not allowed during pregnancy.  The amount of pregnancies terminated in late term is so small it's not even worth arguing over.  Over 90% of abortions occur in EARLY pregnancy, the first trimester, and the MAJORITY of all abortions occur BEFORE 8 weeks.  

Keep up the good work fighting for the right to be considered a full human being. Giving the government rights to control women's bodies takes away our humanity.

Deb