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Understandably, but it's the fact that there's a wee innocent life there, waiting to be born, and that wee innocent life didn't ask to be born.

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I agree with PP here. If it's a choice between having a child you REALLY don't want, and having an early (not talking about past 12 weeks) abortion, I believe women should have the choice. There are enough unhappy children in this world without bringing more whose parent/s is/are not able/willing to love them as they deserve to be.

I've thankfully never had to make that choice, but I know many women who did, and they did not make it lightly. I doubt the majority of women see it as a form of birth control.

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Its the women that are raped and in countries where abortion is illegal I feel sorry for, although its not the childs fault, its not the womans either and I cant imagine being raped, falling pregnant and then someone who knows nothing, forcing you to have a rapists kid.

I think I would go to utmost extreme lengths to do the job myself. How lucky we are to have choices.

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I'm pro choice, within certain boundaries. In places where terminations are illegal, women often resort to back street abortionists which can result in infertility, infection and even death :(
I don't agree with late abortions though unless it's for medical reasons (i.e. mother's life at risk or baby has no chance of survival).

I've never had one myself but I wouldn't want to deny the choice to a desperate woman.

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I've always sat on the fence with this one. I can see both sides of the argument.

I don't think you should be able to choose to have an abortion without first having gone through some sort of counciling or something though, regardless of whether it's planned, unplanned, rape or anything else.

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Exactly. When it's born it could be adopted by people who can't have kids, infertile couples, gays.

It might stop people stealing little black babies from Africa.

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What if the mother doesn't feel that she can carry through with the pregnancy and labour? No offence, but it's quite a journey to go through, which men probably find hard to appreciate, just so that somebody else can look after the child.

I am all in favour of adoption and help for people who can't conceive naturally, but a woman should also have a choice as to whether she wants to go through it for the benefit of others.
As Wendy says, proper safeguards need to be in place, such as counselling, to avoid women using abortion as a form of birth control. As mentioned before, all the women I know who have had abortions did so because birth control actually failed, not because they couldn't be asked to use any...

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I disagree with the anti-abortionist argument as it forgets (or ignores) that there are 2 lives involved in a pregnancy and it values the life of a foetus above that of a fully functioning human being.

There is no black and white here. I for one would not force a raped child or any other woman to carry the rapist's foetus to full term.

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what about for health reasons like the baby will be severly disabled and in pain if it is born or the mother might die through complications of pregnancy and leave her other kids without a mother:unsure:

or is it a no no regardless of any circumstances:blink:

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Exactly, all cases are individual and should be looked at from the mother's perspective, first and foremost.

Abortion for health reasons, be it that of child or mother, should be assessed by external parties on health grounds only, not on anything to do with religion or emotional belief.

We are so lucky to live in a country that can actually prevent pain and suffering thanks to medical intervention. I f a person is dangerously ill, you would expect doctors to try and do their best to save them. Some abortions are in the best interest of the mother. Again, this is about late term abortions though.

With early abortions, if there is no medical reason, I believe the mother should be given the choice, with proper information and impartial counselling and if possible in consultation with the father.

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\

or like Renth said send the babies to South Africa

whether they like it or not:lol:

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Agree totally, a woman does have the right however as you say it should be done early before a baby becomes viable..... do I see it as murder I have to say no at an early stage, a later stage then maybe but again it is an individual right to choose. I can't imagine many women use abortion as a birth control method....as they say "walk a day in somebody elses shoes".... If abortion was banned it would become the back street surgeon with a coat hanger again, we should never go back to that.

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Quite.

I've had an abortion and, whilst it was an incredibly difficult decision to make and one I wish I'd never had to make, not once have I regretted it - or been ashamed to talk about it.

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I was in Brisbane CBD today and saw the pro choice march. Lots of women, men and some children marching for abortion rights. I was with my two young children and shot a few of the protesters a friendly smile. I don't think I'd ever want an abortion but I definitely want the choice. No one should make me have a baby if my contraception fails.

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I think that if you have an understanding doctor you'd get the choice. I was very unhappy when I discovered I was pregnant with my fourth son at 38 - 10 years after my third!! My doctor said if I wanted an abortion he would organise it with a Macquarie Street specialist. I couldn't do it, very glad I didn't, but it can be done without fuss and safely if that is what you want.

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Is that your opinion for any reason a woman has to go through an aborton?
I had to murder 2 'children', 1 in December last year as I was supposed to be 9 weeks pregnant but the fetus was measuring 6 weeks and had a heartbeat of 25bpm, my cervix was opening and I was starting to bleed. There was no way the pregnancy would carry on and I chose to have a D&C. The second one was 4 weeks ago as it was an ectopic pregnancy and would have threatened my life. So through no real choice I had to abort the fetus to save my life and make sure the other children I have grow up with a mother. Both my choice and I wanted and could have an abortion. I respect your right to voice your opinion but I come under both of the reasons in your sentence and don't or won't ever be made to feel guilty for wanting an abortion.

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you have no need to feel guilty mate and unless anyone has been in your shoes no one can judge. This decision is between you and your family and is no one elses business but yours.

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Absolutely - excellent post, whilst everyone is entitled to their opinion, we as women are entitled to how we manage our own bodies and yes, abortion has ethical issues in many cases but at the end of the day, everyone else can butt out of my womb.

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i umed and aahhed about posting this because it can be a sensitve subject, I was young when I had my kids 19 for my first, 20 with my second and my third when I was 24, all with the same man and I have been with him (and still am) since I was 14. I decided after the third I really really didnt want any more and opted for me to be sterilised when the last one was 6 months old. So at the tender age of a 25 I was. Fast forward to 2 years ago at the age of 38 to my horror discovered I was pregnant (lucky I listened to my body). I decided then and there no way. I too was a 'its not for me but didnt judge others' til I was faced with the situation. I also have mulitple sclerosis and on disease modifiying injections each day as well as other meds. I imagined a poor kid in 5 years time having a potentially disabled mum doing stuff for me. I was angry I had to face this decision as I had done what I thought was permanent 'fix' to stop this happening. My husband has now had his bits seen too so in a remarkable twist of fate it has gone from me not being able to reporduce, to I can but now he cant. I do not regret my choice I just couldnt do it again. Well my hand has been posied over the post button and I have decided to do it as I have NOTHING to be ashamed of. Oh and I too had no idea it was against the law and it wasnt even mentioned to me.

Jo

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Thank you for sharing mate. we need to understand there are never black and white reasons for abortions, and most of us only usually read the sensationalist shite that bares no resemblance to the reality of the majority of people who have to make these sorts of decisions. This is a real story, based on truth and hard decisions. You are right mate, you have absolutley NOTHING to be ashamed of. We should feel empathy for what you had to go through and respect for your decision. Most will hold out the hand of human kindness rather than judge....

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I agree 100% with Sonlyme. I do not envy you your choice at all. However you did what was right for you and your family at the time and there is absolutely nothing to feel ashamed of.

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Both TMRE and joho are very brave for sharing their stories. TMRE especially - it's early days and I'm sure you are grieving. Take care of yourself.

Personally, I think my reasons are **** all to do with a bunch of people I've never met and I feel the need to justify them to nobody. :)

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Nobody should have to justify themselves for making a difficult choice. As with any medical procedure the decision is one that should be made between a patient and her doctor as to what is right for her.

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What fantastic "real" stories this thread has brought to us. My heart goes out to all of you, dealing with very difficult situations where neither option is easy.

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Karma sent.

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I am pro choice, though not as a form of contraception. Not a fan of late term abortions though and hope there's good reason if a termination can't be carried out in the first trimester.

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Thanks for sharing this Jo. You are quite right - you have nothing to be ashamed of - it sounds like it was a very difficult situation for you and your family.

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Yeah i think im going to say it shouldnt be illegal, but heavily frowned upon ?
I get where the government is coming from - murder is illegal, right? how is this different to murder? its not. Its still murdering a baby that never got the chance to live, which in my opinion is even worse.
Changing my mind - yeah it should be illegal.
If a woman should have the right to her own body, she shouldn't have gotten herself into the situation where she wants a termination. that is her fault, and therefore she needs to suffer the consequences!
ADOPTION!
have the baby, adopt it out, if you dont want it. there are thousands of couples wanting to adopt cos they cant have kids themselves.
so, im all for this. go government ! :thumbup:

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And if you can't actually have the baby? Many of the women who have already posted their stories on this thread have been unable to have a baby, for one reason or another. Should they have risked their life?

Why should someone have to 'suffer' a baby? That's what you're saying by 'suffer the consequences'?

From what I've understand from this thread, the Government isn't saying that abortion is illegal - they're saying that its not a carte blanche right to have an abortion, that each case must and should be judged on its own merits. That is exactly how it should be.

Its very easy for sitting room philosophers to decide that a woman is committing murder by having an abortion - but the women on this thread have shown that its a heart wrenching decision to make, not something taken lightly and something that is done as an absolute last resort.

My thoughts are with them all.

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I was kind of surprised when a friend of mine in the UK who is happily married and quite well-off told me she'd had an abortion because she didn't want a fourth child. However, I don't feel it's for me to judge her. On balance, I'd rather live in a society that allowed this than go back to the bad old days.

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Suffer the consequences of a rapists baby or have a baby that will suffer during life because of genetic or medical conditions or suffer health implications themselves!
The women on this thread have had to make huge decisions and they have chose what is right for them everyone should have the choice if they want to continue with a pregnancy.

Are you catholic? Do you believe every sperm is sacred? I bet your house looks like the sketch from Monty Python!

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oh dear,tut,tut,very judgemental,have you not read some of the stories on here:thumbdown:

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Everybody is entitled to their opinion.

I do have to laugh at some of the ideas that women use abortion as a contraceptive, get ourselves in "situations", and that adoption is an easy solution. :lol:

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When I worked at the women's hospital here there were women who were coming in for their 4th, 5th, etc abortions. They didn't want to use depo or "forgot" to take their pills but didn't want children. Yes, there are women who use early first trimester abortion as birth control.

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I know they exist (I know one myself), but I don't think they're the norm.

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There will always be some that abuse it, but that shouldn't mean everyone else should suffer.

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States all round the world legislate over people's bodies. You are not supposed to pump yours full of heroin, for example, so they make purchasing and dealing it illegal. In the case of Qld and NSW the legislatlures there have decided abortion is limited to cases where the health of the mother is jeopardised.

I also did not know it was illegal until I saw somone talking about it on Q&A, by the way.

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Yes and the dangers of using it come about when it's used Illegally and not in a controlled environment. Restricting access will only lead to someone finding alternative possibly more dangerous methods.

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Joho and TMRE my heart goes out to you both. I know the agonising I went through - and I had a choice. I can't imagine what you both went through when you knew you could only make one decision.
To those who condem abortion, I hope you never find yourselves in the position where you have to make that decision. Believe me it is not at all a nice place to be.

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I know what you're driving at but I don't think heroin is safe in any environment, unless we are talking about general opiates maybe used in pain relief.

I don't have strong opinions on abortion. I am unhappy just to absolve myself of all responsibility by saying "people should be able to do whatever they want" in the classical liberal argument, i.e. so long as no one else is harmed.