Abortion, should it be permitted?

Singapore
February 18, 2009 1:06am CST
Should abortion be permitted at all? I brought up this topic as i was doing a search when a friend of mine have the thought of aborting her child in her womb. Of course, i went into a debating issue with her.. What surprises me is that she managed to talk me out of this topic. she have seems to have got every reason which i cant outtalk her in this discussion. She mentioned that being the mother, and it's her body, she got the right to decide what is best for her child and herself! Not only she mentioned that, she stress to me that she is the one carrying the child, not me.. ..
2 people like this
27 responses
• Romania
18 Feb 09
I think she should have the abortion, because her life and the lives of the other people involved are far more important than a potential life. It may sound cruel, but I don't think that she's prepared to be a mother at 16; no one should be a parent at this age. But, in the end, she's the one who decides what to do. I also think that abortion should by no means be banned, because no birth control method is 100% effective.
4 people like this
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
it may sound cruel, but not really, if people decide to abort it before the baby's heartbeat starts.. but if the organs, heart of the baby have beginning to develop. then ermz... its a life to me.. .
1 person likes this
@sharay (2769)
• India
18 Feb 09
Scientifically speaking, it is when the baby is viable to live outside the womb on its own, this is around five or six of months gestation period normally speaking, conception starts right after the meeting of sperm and ova and for thr first four weeks, its called an embryo and its in the fifth week that the heart starts to develop whereby the heartbeat starts, so you can say that the fetus has life from the fifth month personally, first of all, we must know the reason why she needs an abortion..since you say her age is only 16 and i hope she is not married yet, the pregnancy must be a shock to everyone, and i doubt even the parents would not want to keep the pregnancy, in that case, its going to bring in a lot of commotion in both of their families and the main thing is, when a girl is not ready or not in a mind set to accept a baby, it is better she abort it rather than to put both herself and the child into trouble later - just yesterday, i heard about the youngest father, who had his daughter at the age of 13, but in that case, the 13-y-old kid and his 15-y-old GF wanted to deliver their baby when they found out that she was pregnant and wished to take care of it, so there was no problem there for them in receiving the baby....but here, when a mother herself show hesitation and does not feel it is the right to conceive, but has somehow conceived, and also, since it has been four weeks past, it is better to abort the baby than to bring it into the world to let it suffer
3 people like this
@sharay (2769)
• India
20 Feb 09
I dont encourage abortion, not at all, in cases like you mentioned above, instead of the mother and baby both getting into a great trouble once after giving birth, they could opt for an abortion, if you see it farsightedly, you will understand what i am trying to say. otherwise, i am personally against abortions, we (me and hubby) infact dont use contraceptions but are very careful in avoiding pregnancy as we have a daughter now and dont plan on having another child...but in case if i get pregnant (since i am not on any kind of contraception), i would not go for an abortion at any cost and would maintain my pregnancy, that is why i am being extra careful and have been so for the past 4 years succesfully, hope you understand i am saying
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
i have taken note of your point.. and i believe that this is what she is thinking about as well.. but personally, do you feel that its right to allow abortion? do you think that abortion should be permitted in this world?
1 person likes this
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
18 Feb 09
I am pro-life and I believe life begins at conception. I think a baby is innocent and the later an abortion is performed the worse it is for the baby. Your friend has probably only just found out she is pregnant and is shocked right now. She needs to think clearly about what the right thing to do is. She should tell her partner because he is the father. She might find having an abortion will be the biggest mistake of her life. Many ladies get depressed and sad about having an abortion years later. He parents are mature and would be able to help her decide on a course of action. They would see the wider picture not just the brush the problem under the carpet. Like dust would have the ability to come back out and cause problems. If she gets married at say twenty five will she tell her husband about the abortion? How about the midwife when she does have a planned pregnancy? I wish abortion was illegal worldwide.
2 people like this
@maximax8 (31055)
• United Kingdom
21 Feb 09
Sadly no form of birth control is 100% reliable. I suggest that a lady at college could go an oral form of birth control and her boyfriend could use a barrier form of birth control. Then it one form of birth control failed hopefully the second would protect the lady from pregnancy. I think that if a lady does have an unwanted pregnancy then adoption should be the best idea for her, the baby and the adoptive couple. She could get a photo of the child and yearly letter telling her that he or she is getting on well. I know that I would love to give an unwanted girl in China a loving home. Perhaps some of those living in overcrowded countries could emigrate to less crowded countries by choice.
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
even if abortion is not being permitted and banned worldwide, illegal ones are sure to exist. But if abortion is illegal, not all birth control is 100%, what about genuine unexpected pregnancy? What if the whole is facing over-population? For example, China is famous due to it's 1 child policy, where subsequent child will have taxes, subsidies taken off, etc if born.. The world is controlling the birth rate, cruel or not, they think of a bigger picture..
1 person likes this
@mammamuh (582)
• Sweden
18 Feb 09
You don't know why she want's do abort the child, nor doyou know how she got pregnant. I belive that there are very few women that goes throuh an abortion just like throwing away a paper - most women have been thinking and often discussed pros and cons with themselves or ouer before they'll take the final disistion. I will say that abortion should be legal up to a certain point - lets say 8 weeks There are times when pregnancy and childbirth will harm the mother (and/or baby) and abortion is the less hurtful to do. I would say that if you're in a relationship (that is not based on fear and/or abuse)the father of the baby should have his say - but he's not the one that shall decide - either to make an abortion nor not to.
2 people like this
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
yeah.. the mother should have the say whether to abort or not, nobody should or have the right to decide for her.. so do you think that abortion should be permitted? well, in another perspective, if the population of human is going to increase as such, i afraid, (Not my lifetime though) that the world will be over-populated sooner or later, and everybody knows that being overpopulated have its own problems.. .
• United States
18 Feb 09
Well this is something I must say about this. Okay she says that it is her body. What about the babies right? I do not care what someone tells you they have rights too and we take their lives away before they can even start. Okay that is worst than mu*der to me. Innocent life not able to tell how they feel and so forth and we just rip the baby out of the womb and k^ll it. To me this is sick. I think abortions are wrong and I do not care who reads this or not. I got pregnant at a young age and I kept my child, it was not easy but hey if you can have s&x than you can raise a child too! Also you should not have s&x if you do not want kids, to me you need to take responiablity of what is yours. All babies have souls and I feel abortions are WRONG!
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
How old were you when you decided to keep your child? Maybe i would like to bring out a point is that not everyone is as strong as you are.. not everyone can be a mother at the age of 16yrs old, both physically and mentally may not be prepared. And in order to raise the child up with no financial assistance. Its' easier to say then to done.. I understand you must have a tough life till now with your child when you are young.. I respect and salute you sincerely.. Regards Happy mylotting..
1 person likes this
• Philippines
18 Feb 09
Well hell NO...For me it's a big crime :( I had a research on that too. That was way back during my high school days. Though it's kindda complicated at all.
2 people like this
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
not all people deemed it as a crime for now.. some even commented that abortion should exist in this world.. For example, what if during the medical check up and the doctor tells you your baby have a 80% chance of deformity, and suggested abortion instead of bringing it to life to suffer.. this is very tough as well...
1 person likes this
@Galena (9110)
18 Feb 09
it's never going to be a good thing. it's never going to be something people do for the fun of it. it should ALWAYS be legal. at points in history when it's been illegal, terrible things have happened, leaving children motherless, and families mourning the loss of someone they love. it makes me very sad when people take the descision too lightly, as it is making the descision to end a life. but under some circumstances, the suffering is less than the suffering when a child is born into circumstances where they are either unwanted, or even just that the family are unable to give what a child needs. so. I will always want to see it legally and safely availiable. because what happens when it is illegal is far worse than when it's not. for the record, if I fell pregnant, much as I really really really never want children, I would have them, and do my best as a mother. because I know that as soon as I knew, my very strong protective streak would kick in. but I have a choice in this, and wouldn't take it away from anyone else.
1 person likes this
@Galena (9110)
20 Feb 09
it's imporant to remember that whatever she decides to do, she'll need support from her friends to help her come to terms with it. whether that's with the fact that she's decided to end the life of her unborn child, no matter how much that descision might be the right one for her at this point in time, it's still going to have an emotional impact, or if she does change her mind and go ahead with the pregnancy she'll need support to deal with that too. no matter how you feel one way or another about whatever her choice is, it's best to remain a good friend, and be there for support. whether her choice would have been the same as the one you'd make, she's still your friend.
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
Very true indeed, if it's a must for an abortion, no matter whether if its the decision of the mother, or the situation, environment that lead her to such decision, a safe, legal abortion should always takes place, in order for the reduction of risk being involved in the process of abortion..
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
19 Feb 09
well i am all for abortion. i also agree with your friend that a 4-week old foetus is not a baby. there is no brain and so no thoughts can be formed. what do you call something that is alive but has no thoughts or feelings? also, i think the pregnant person know better about whether she can handle the pregnancy or not. it's better to abort early rather than go through the pregnancy only to hate the child when he/she is born. another thing is, i don't think anyone who cannot support herself is fit to become a mother. even if her parents are willing to support both her and the child, should she stop school just to have the child?
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
sigh.. maybe this is what she is worrying about.. different school of thoughts, i believe that since you know that a life is going to be developed, it is living, although it doesnt have any sense of feeling yet.. But she shouldn't have care much about herself and more towards the life inside her, no? shouldn't that be mother natural instinct in protecting the child within take place instead of trying to get rid of it in order to continue with the current life she had?
1 person likes this
• Singapore
21 Feb 09
i guess that's the whole point of your friend's situation. she knows that she cannot be a good mother to the unborn child. no matter what others might say, there are women who feel resentful towards their child. this can happen when life doesn't go well for them. they might think of the things they could have achieved if they did not keep the child. will the child be better off with a mother like this? will it then be better for the child if he/she was not born? a mother's instinct will always be to provide the best for the child. if a woman KNOWS that she can't, then it might be better to not become a mother.
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
20 Feb 09
Yes, it is called a embryo and a fetus but of what? HUMAN BEING from beginning to end. I studied the holy scriptures before and learned that Jahovah sees the life as a life from the instant it is concieved. You should try to talk your friend into having the baby then giving it up for adoption. 27 years ago when i lived in Texas it was legal to have an abortion up to the day of DUE DATE. Thank Jahovah i didnt have an abortion like the father wanted. Today my baby is 27 and has 3 beautiful children of her own. My grandbabies. "For you yourself produced my kidneys; You kept me screened off in the belly of my mother. I shall laud you because in a fear inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, As my soul is very well aware. My bones were not hidden from you when i was made in secret, when i was woven in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw even the embryo of me. And in your book all its parts were down in writting. As reguards the days when they were formed and there was not yet one among them. Ps.139:13-16. "And you must serve Jahovah your God, and he will certianly bless your bread and your water, and I shall indeed turn malady away from your midst. Neither a woman suffering an abortion nor a barren woman will exist in your land. I shall make the number of your days full." Ex.23:25-26
1 person likes this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
24 Feb 09
I was hoping you could share these scriptures with her.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
5 Mar 09
She already aborted, but i will share these scriptures to her if i have a chance, thanks~
• Singapore
23 Feb 09
Hi jdyrj, I thanks you for your comments, and teachings from Jahovah.. As mentioned, she have made her decision, and i cant stop her from it.. i have tried, and only wish and hoped that she will be forgiven..
@cathya (704)
• Philippines
18 Feb 09
Abortion is a form of killing, therefore none among the women has the right to abort or kill a child on her womb. If any government official will permit this kind of practice, he/she would also allow any form of killings. No matter what your friends' reason may be, still she has no right to kill the child in the first place the child has nothing to do with the mistakes she committed.
2 people like this
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
I believe abortion varies from countries to countries.. There are legal abortion exist in a quite huge number of them. And from your statement, you seems to tell me that government should allow any kind of killings.. but, for a foetues, some may say its not a living being yet, heart, organs, etc not yet developed.. Cheers Thanks for your comments.. Happy mylotting..~
@Yori88 (1465)
• Philippines
21 Feb 09
For me I am anti-abortion. When I was still single I was pro-abortion for the one and only reason of not adding up to the country's population. But when I became a mom and a wife, I realized that abortion is not good at all. I was not actually prepared to bear my son and I had the thoughts of aborting him. I never know what to do, how will I support him in order to live, how to become a mom, how will I explain to my parents, relatives and friends that I will soon have a baby. Those are just few of the reasons why I don't want to have a kid. But I have come to realized with the help of my husband that there are a lot of risks involved in abortion. First it is a sin because you are killing a person whether he is still a blood or already a fetus. Second you are accepting the risk that you might have complications after abortion. You need to undergo a lot of body changes. Your health is at risk when abortion is not accepted by your body. Third, you will carry with your conscience the fact that you killed your supposed-to-be kid. Lastly you have never realized that there are a lot of woman who can't bear a child due to some reasons but there you are who just killed a child in your womb. If in case the woman who carries a child is a minor, of course parental help is much needed. The father must be informed because he should take full responsibility with the child and help the mother in the entire pregnancy period. I still go for giving birth and abortion should not be permitted. Better go for contraceptives than waiting for conception.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
23 Feb 09
Thanks for your valuable comments.. A pity that my friend dont think the way i think.. i just hope all the best to her life though.. .
@forslahiri (1042)
• India
20 Feb 09
Hi, It is already LEGAL,in India too. Tes,it should be permitted to continue as legal- 1)Taking care of Population explosion. 2)Unwanted babies??? 3)Innocent girls ....etc.Why not? If one weighs the Pros & Cons,surely PROS are overweight in this case. =Lahiri,Kolkata,India.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
23 Feb 09
well, that's my friend decision, But she isnt thinking of that due to overpopulation though.. .
• United States
20 Feb 09
I firmly believe that abortion should remain legal and the woman's decision, with the exception of underage girls. In no way shape or form should an abortion be performed on a 16 year old girl without the parents consent. I think as a woman, you and only you should have the right to decide what happens to your body. Have a baby, fine. Have a baby and place it for adoption, fine. Have an abortion, fine. It is every ones own personal choice and should be made for their own personal reasons.
• Singapore
23 Feb 09
Noted patrika, and i have decided to respect my friend's decision in this..
@clorissa123 (4926)
• United States
24 Feb 09
I don't really have a strong convincing point of not to abort any life. I do agree with your opinion on this topic. We shouldn't take away any life at any situation. But what is best for the child is also an important issue to consider. If I were the father, I won't agree to abort the child at all.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
5 Mar 09
Child already aborted, well, the father wont get to know about this i suppose.. Kids these days.. .
@seabeauty (1480)
• United States
20 Feb 09
It should remain legal. No one has a right to decide what to do with your body. I am pro choice and do not believe it is murder since the baby has not taken a breath. If my daughter got pregnant and wanted an abortion I would most certainly take her to the clinic. I would leave it up to her to decide no matter how young she is when she is pregnant. A woman or girl should not be forced to carry the fetus to full term if she doesn't want it. That too me is torture. Maybe the girl is too afraid to tell her parents because of the shame of it. Maybe she will be beaten or worse. You never know what the parents will do.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
23 Feb 09
I wouldn't really know what the parents will do to her.. But no matter what, they are still her parents, no? there is a Chinese saying, no matter how fierce or hard-hearted is a tiger, it will never eat its own cubs... i dont know about other cultures, but beating a child whenever he is dis-obedient is used to be a traditional way of bringing up their children for Chinese and perhaps, some asians.. (just by using a cane, or a feather-duster, not those that can cause serious injuries)
• Philippines
20 Feb 09
No. Definitely not. Abortion is killing.. Featus is considered a life.. And the mother, has no right to decide for her child. Only God has the right to take away someone's life.. A mistake should not be corrected with another mistake. The baby's innocent. If she didnt want that child, she should have been wise and careful. But she made a mistake, she has to be responsible for that. Maybe she wants to abort her child because she's afraid of her parents, and also, of what other people would say. But parents, they might be angry at first, but they would understand sooner or later.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
23 Feb 09
She doesn't believe in God.. Although i share the same thoughts and views as you, she doesn't.. She had made her decision.. no chances of stopping her now.. I would just wish her all the best in her future, and hopefully not to make the same mistake again..
@savypat (20216)
• United States
19 Feb 09
I don't believe in abortion, i believe that life begins a conception. That said I DO NOT believe that the Government should decide what we can or cannot do with our bodies, that is a personal decision.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
but this is happening in this world.. look at China One child policy before to control the population.. this is controlling our life.. Look at Muslim countries that banned the use of birth control due to religious belief.. (No offence) Government cant decide, but they can control to a certain extent with their laws and regulation.
@neknna (63)
19 Feb 09
I beg to disagree, abortion should not be permitted. Nobody has the right to kill, especially those unborn individuals. Everybody should be responsible for what they are doing to prevent them from unwanted pregnancies. On the other hand, we can also heard about it in medical institution, they are allowing the parents to chose or to decide weather to continue the pregnancy or not if it will do harm to the mother or at worst to both of them. But there are only certain weeks to decide.
1 person likes this
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
yes, and time is running out fast for my friend to make her final decision, i will just sit tight and await her news, no point me nagging at her over my suggestion.. this has already more or less sour our friendship though, due to different opinions and suggestion..
@chookie1971 (2271)
• Australia
20 Feb 09
First of all, she is 16. She is still young. She hasn't had the chance to live life to the fullest. I don't blame your friend for going for an abortion if her reason is that she feels that she is too young. Trying not to sound to horrible here, but in my eyes, she should have use protection to avoid falling pregnant in the first place. If she used protection then she would not have needed the abortion procedure. To avoid abortion, use protection. If it is not on, it's not on. Not only that, I have heard rumours that each time a person gets an abortion, it reduces the chances of carrying the next baby. A girlfriend of mine aborted her baby because it was in her tube. A good reason why to have an abortion. But since then, she has not been able to fall pregnant again. She has been trying for 8 years. As for your girlfriend wanting an abortion let her go ahead and do it. Give her your support. Advise her that she really needs to take extra precaution next time to avoid a pregnancy if she is not ready to be a mother.
1 person likes this
• Australia
20 Feb 09
It is certainly a good idea. One of the best ways to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
19 Feb 09
for me, it depends. before, i thought that abortion is wrong, that taking the life of the baby in your hands is wrong and we dont have the right, that it is against the commandment, but then i met people and they say that they resort to abortion because they cannot raise the kid, they cannot provide for the baby, that it is better off for the baby than live miserably with the mother who cannot provide for the baby's needs, that some mothers do not even treat their babies well if it is a result of unwanted pregnancy, that we have overpopulation and abortion is one of their ways of resolving overpopulation. however there are also loopholes in that logic. if you cannot raise your kid well, there are adoption centers out there who can provide for the kid. overpopulation cannot be resolved by abortion alone, there are a lot of ways like using contraceptives, pills, and being responsible adults=)
1 person likes this
• Singapore
20 Feb 09
well, i agreed, it seems that adoption is a very interesting solution to this problem.. and i also believe that there are dozens of couples that been trying for a child for years, but couldn't.. and yet, there are so many people going for abortion, or even giving birth and throwing the child away.. sigh..