Last Post

Well, I did warn people that the article I posted last time would make people unhappy. As I understand it, one person couldn't even finish. I read all the comments and well, I was commenting and realized how long that was taking so I decided to post my viewpoint. Apparently, the safety of abortions was questioned so I looked at the Alan Guttmach Institute, which is a non-profit organization that focuses research on sexual and reproductive health. I am sure this won't be enough for some but I did want to do some outside research: So, I copied their research findings. There are abortion complications, as there are complications in every other medical procedure.

Safety of Abortion
How safe is abortion?

The risk of abortion complications is minimal when the procedure is performed by a trained professional in a hygienic setting; fewer than 1% of all U.S. abortion patients experience a major complication. (The risk of death associated with abortion is one-tenth that associated with childbirth.) [70] However, 68,000 women in countries where abortion is illegal die each year of abortion complications, and many times this number are injured by unsafe procedures. [71]
How many abortion-related deaths are there each year in the United States?

In 1999, there were four deaths related to legal abortion in the United States. [72]
How many U.S. women die each year from pregnancy-related causes?

In 2000, a total of 396 women in the United States were reported to have died of maternal causes. The number of maternal deaths does not include all deaths in pregnant women—only those in which the cause reported on the death certificate is related to or aggravated by pregnancy or pregnancy management. [73]
Does the rate of abortion-related deaths differ between developed and developing countries?

In developed countries, where the procedure is usually legal, abortion mortality is low (0.2-1.2 deaths per 100,000 abortions). But in developing regions (excluding China), where abortion is often illegal or highly restricted, abortion mortality is hundreds of times higher (330 deaths per 100,000 abortions). [74]
How safe is abortion in the United States?

Fewer than 1% of all abortion patients experience a major complication. [75] The risk of death associated with abortion is one-tenth that associated with childbirth. [76]
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This resource was developed with support from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and The Educational Foundation of America.

© copyright 2005, The Alan Guttmacher Institute

Okay...if you skipped it or are now reading this, the next problem that people had was the story of the 13 year old girl who was pregnant. Apparently, it doesn't matter how she got pregnant (she was apparently raped by her mother's bf) the minute she became that way she was a mother. I disagree with this statement for a variety of reasons, and they have nothing to do with whether life actually begins at fertilization rather than implantation or 'quickening' or any of that. Actually, if the only criteria for being a mother was pregnancy, there's be a lot of abusive, horribe "mothers" out there. I personally believe that motherhood, being a mother, involves more than pregnancy,it involves maturity, compassion, patience, acceptance, love, laughter, and a whole host of other touchy-feely things... especially when that pregnant woman is actually a 13 year old kid herself, I don't think we can call her a mother. She doesn't automatically become a mother,,she automatically becomes pregnant. Now as for the whole force thing - yeah, telling a 13 year old that she has to carry the baby to term and then go through labor - or a c-section if that is necessary is force...13 year old bodies are just not that equipped for labor, although thousands do it every year. But that doesn't mean it's good. Also, I really dislike the idea that because some guy decided to force her to have sex, SHE has to bear the consequences and have the baby, endangering her life through childbirth which can be risky for even a mature woman, and then forcing her to make the decision to raise the child or give it up...a 13 year old. Please remember that she's 13 and raped.
Now, on to the health question: how is it healthy to have salt or forceps, or a vacuum healthy on a uterus? Well, doctors have been using outside implements in the body for years; I imagine that a brain heart surgeon would take offense at finding out that all these years he's been doing something unhealthy by using a vacuum, or a needle, or a scalpel to remove tumors, fluid from lungs, or sewing up wounds. I am generalizing here, but sometimes the most gruesome things are done to preserve health. I think doctors actually have more training than pro-lifers in deciding what is the best procedure.
Okay, next post was about the safety of abortions - yeah, I bet all of those things happen. But why is abortion the only medical procedure that is expected to be 100% safe and error free? If another type of doctor were to make a mistake or if something were to go wrong in another type of procedure there are consequences - malpractice for one, or maybe that form that people sign, outlining the risks of any procedure (i had to sign one to get my wisdom teeth taken out) are something that women freely read and sign. I'm not saying accidents and bad things don't happen, but risks are there in any kind of medical procedure. As for the next one...who forces girls to get an abortion - the parents? Well, maybe if she didn't need a parent's consent then they couldn't do that...she could make the decision on her own. After all, she's apparently mature enough to have the baby and either keep it or deal with an adoption, why shouldn't she be mature enough to have an abortion on her own? It would certainly take care of those fathers/boyfriends etc who would rape a woman, or a girl, and then force her into an abortion..they wouldn't have to know she was pregnant, and they wouldn't have to know if she had an abortion. I don't think that counselors at a clinic would force her. And doctors have to report suspected abuse - if a 13 year old is pregnant, and she trusts her doctor or counselor enough to explain how she got that way, then they're legally obligated to report it. I don't know all the particulars though, so I'm going to stop now.