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abortion

How should we approach this issue?

Some important points to remember when discussing the issue of abortion:

  • Check out the facts to help form an opinion
  • Provide research to verify the facts
  • Define all terms clearly
  • Avoid judgemental or condemnatory attitudes
  • Don’t rely on graphic images to state a case – however, they may be useful in some limited contexts

The words we use

Pro-choice, anti choice, pro-life, anti life - the words we use can often confuse the debate. It is important to define what is meant by these different terms. Generally speaking there are two sides to the discussion – those who are for abortion and those who are against - but some people are unsure what they really believe.

The words used will often convey the meaning intended by the user. For example, abortion or termination of pregnancy, foetus, product of conception or unborn child, reproductive freedom and birth control. Often such language is often used to confuse or to create an illusion.

Some will even make a distinction between humanity and personhood and claim that the unborn may be human but is not yet a person. They will claim there are significant differences – such as size, level of development, environment and degree of dependency -  between the born and the unborn child that supposedly create that distinction. These four factors may describe physical differences between the born and the unborn child but they are not morally significant differences that would declare one human and the other not human.

What is an abortion?

“While some surgeries carry a risk of harm, abortion is intended to harm. It may be one of the most common surgical procedures in the world, but it is hardly a harmless one. A better understanding of the techniques involved makes this abundantly clear.” (Abort73)

“Abortion means the deliberate termination of a pregnancy, with removal of the foetus and placenta from the uterus. It is a surgical procedure which carries some of the same risks to the woman as any other surgical procedure, as well as some unique to the abortion procedure itself.”  (Pregnancy Support)

The method of abortion used depends on the gestational (age) of the developing baby, its size and the risk of complications to the mother. There are various sites that provide accurate detailed medical descriptions of abortion techniques, both surgical and medical: LifeSA, Abort73, LifeSiteNews and ProLifeAmerica. The Life Issues Institute provides detailed information on the abortion drug RU486.

Other sites, such as the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Better Health Channel (Australia) provide limited information with the comment that abortion is a ‘low risk’ procedure. They express opinions that indicate their support for abortion.

Abortion providers’ websites usually provide very little, if any, information on the actual abortion procedures. They may even describe them as ‘a simple procedure’, usually implying that they are safe.

Common questions answered

The book “Pro-Life Answers to Pro Choice Arguments” by Randy Alcorn (Available from Choices of Life) is a definitive resource on many of these questions

There are also many online resources that provide clear information on many of the commonly asked questions, such as:

Roe vs Wade Decision 22 January 1973

The most significant abortion decision of the 20th century was made on January 22nd 1973. It was a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States of America called Roe vs Wade . Roe is the pseudonym for Norma McCorvey. The decision continues to have ramifications around the world.

A lesser known companion case, Doe vs Bolton , was also passed by the Supreme Court of the United States of America on the same day as Roe vs Wade. Doe is the pseudonym for Sandra Cano.

Most significantly both Norma McCorvey and Sandra Cano are now strongly pro-life and are seeking to reverse the decisions that bear their names. The National Memorial for the Unborn in Chattanooga, Tennessee displays plaques in their names stating their sorrow at the decisions and their intent to have them reversed.

Abortion and the law

Abort73 has this to say about the role of the Law: “The only way people can successfully live together in community is to give up a measure of personal freedom. Personal choices that infringe on the life or livelihood of another human being must be legislated against. Therefore, it is impossible to justify abortion by simply arguing that women should be ‘free to choose’”.

Abortion in Australia is a subject of state laws rather than national law. The grounds on which abortion is permitted in Australia vary from state to state. In every state, abortion is legal to protect the life and health of the woman, though each state has a different definition.

The only matters that the federal government has control over are the importation of drugs used for abortion (such as RU 486) and the provision of Medicare funds for abortion (currently Medicare funds abortions up to 26 weeks).

The following references provide a range of information on the various aspects of the law in Australia.

  • Wikipedia has a detailed description as provided by the State Library of Queensland.

  • Various Australian lobby groups, such as Salt Shakers, provide current information and links on developments in abortion law.

  • A succinct summary of the current abortion laws, including the gestational age up to which an abortion is legally available, in Australia is available on the 'pro-abortion' website Children by Choice .

  • An article in the Summer 2007 edition of the journal of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) compares the Common Law Approach and the Health Law Approach to the way that Abortion is dealt with in the various Australian states.

  • Some have suggested that prohibiting a woman from having an abortion is to place the value of an embryo or foetus above that of the woman herself. Abort73 discusses this issue in detail.
    In December 2008 the NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service provided an update of the Victorian abortion law following the passage of legislation in that state.

  • In the United States of America the Roe Vs Wade decision of January 22nd 1973 was the most significant decision for abortion in the 20th Century. The decision had major ramifications around the world. However 22 years after this decision ‘Roe’ (Norma McCorvey) became pro-life and is now working to overturn Roe vs Wade. McCorvey claims she was "used" by pro-abortion attorneys who told lies  in their quest to legalize the procedure.

  • An interesting perspective on the Law is seen in the US State of Texas with the passage of the Woman’s Right to Know Act in 2003.

Abortion statistics

It is difficult to obtain accurate Australia-wide statistics. There are a number of sources that provide some indication.

In Australia abortion procedures are included in two items on the federal Medicare Benefits Schedule – Items 35643 and 16525.

Medicare Item 35643 (as at 23/5/2009) is described as "Evacuation of the contents of the gravid uterus by curettage or suction curettage" - a 'gravid' uterus is a uterus that is pregnant or 'with child'. These methods can generally only be used in the first trimester - up to 13 weeks. This item cannot be used for a curette after an incomplete miscarriage (Medicare Item 35640)

Medicare Item 16525 (as at 23/5/2009) is described as “Management of second trimester labour, with or without induction, for intrauterine foetal death, gross foetal abnormality or life threatening maternal disease." This item covers abortions by prostaglandin induction as well as partial-birth abortions. These methods are used between 14 and 26 weeks - the second trimester. This may include a very small number of non-abortion procedures, such as 'intrauterine foetal death'.

To obtain year-by-year Medicare statistics type in the relevant Item Number on the Australian Government Medicare website and select the information required. Details of the numbers, and cost, of abortions claimed on Medicare are readily available.

Note that Medicare does not fund third trimester abortions.

These figures do not include a large number of women who do not claim on Medicare. A 2004 survey of 8 large Victorian abortion clinics over a 12 week period (1329 women responded) revealed that 13.1% did not have a Medicare card or were not going to claim a Medicare rebate and a further 20.7% were not sure whether they would submit a claim. Intention to Claim a Medicare Rebate among women receiving private Victorian pregnancy termination services, Nickson, Smith, Shelley in Aust NZ J Public Health 2004 Apr; 28(2): 120-3. It is likely that terminations in Victoria as recorded by the Health Insurance Commission claims are under reported by somewhere between 13% and almost 34%.

Note 3: A 1992 survey of 11 private abortion clinics in NSW over a 6 week period (2249 women responded) revealed that 15% of the respondents could not or did not intend to make a Medicare claim. A survey of women seeking termination of pregnancy in NSW, Adelson, Frommer, Weisberg in Med J Aust. 1995 Oct 16; 163(8): 419-22

Taking into account this information and considering the use of medical (in addition to surgical) abortions the number of abortions can only be estimated. However extrapolating the detailed data from the Abortion Reporting Committee of the Parliament of South Australia would indicate that the abortion rate exceeds 90,000 to 100,000 per annum. The 2007 figures are the most recent available in hard copy.

Statistical information would suggest that there are over 40 million abortions worldwide each year.

Some websites are now providing evidence that abortion is racially biased. There is also evidence that abortion may be gender biased, not only in China and India , but also in western nations such as America and Australia.

Men and abortion

Abortion impacts on men. Fatherhood Forever provides information and true life stories of men that have been impacted by abortion.

There a number of other sites that provide specific research information, as well as helpful resources, related to the impact of abortion on men, including Abortion is the UnChoice, the Life Issues Institute, Pregnant Pause, Rachel’s Vineyard and Priests for Life.

Pro-life feminism

It is often stated that to be feminist is to be ‘pro-choice’ or pro-abortion. However that has not always been the case - the early feminists declared abortion to be a societal evil that dishonoured woman and killed children. An article in the Atlantic Monthly makes  that historical position very clear.

The promoters of Feminists for Life provide ample evidence that the early feminists  were ardently pro-life.

Why are abortions done?

Various reasons are given to justify abortion, but primarily there are three:

  1. detected, or suspected, disability of the baby,
  2. the expected risk  to the mum’s life due to the pregnancy
  3. the fact that the pregnancy  was the result of rape.

However the reality is that these three reasons account for the minority - between 3% and 4% - of all abortions. The information provided by the Abortion Reporting Committee of the Parliament of South Australia would seem to be consistent with the information from other Western nations.

Abort73 makes this comment: “There are all sorts of circumstances that people point to as justification for their support of abortion. Since none of these circumstances are sufficient to justify the killing of human beings after birth, they're not sufficient to justify the killing of human beings before birth.”

Rape and incest are often seen as the most significant reasons why abortion should be available.

The Elliot Institute provides information that women who have become pregnant through sexual assault are demanding the right to be heard.

Pregnant Pause queries whether abortion cures rape. Rebecca Kiessling, having been conceived in rape, makes an unequivocal answer – NO! Many other women have had their stories of sexual assault recorded in “Victims and Victors” and they all reject and regret abortions.

Possible physical consequences of abortion

“The Detrimental Effects of Abortion“ provides the most comprehensive bibliography of studies - Over 1200 Entries in 140 Categories -showing research on the physical and psychological effects of abortion. There is also ongoing extensive research material available at Abortion Risks.

Abort73 and the Elliot Institute provide documented evidence of the possible physical consequences of an abortion procedure.

Breast cancer is one of the most researched medical risks associated with abortion. The Coalition on Abortion Breast Cancer and the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute provide scientific information that substantiates the fact that there is a link. A study from The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, published in 2007, showed that “among seven risk factors, abortion is the ‘best predictor of breast cancer,’ and fertility is also a useful predictor.”  Life Site News provided a summary statement on this research, “The Breast Cancer Epidemic”.

Possible psychological consequences of abortion

“The Detrimental Effects of Abortion“ provides the most comprehensive bibliography of studies - Over 1200 Entries in 140 Categories -showing research on the physical and psychological effects of abortion. There is also ongoing extensive research material available at Abortion Risks.

Life News, in November 2010, reported on a compilation and analysis of thirty studies in the past 5 years that show abortion hurts women’s Mental Health.

Abortion has a profound impact and there is no denying that abortion has left countless women with feelings of profound regret. The Elliot Institute is also active in providing the latest research on post abortion issues such as the links between abortion and Domestic violence, mental health disorders, suicide, sleep disorders, child abuse, substance abuse, and various other factors.

Coping with Silence , an honours thesis from Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA, provides important insights on a comparison of post-abortion grief of women in the USA and Japan.

For many years the psychological impact of abortion on men was overlooked. Now it is clearly substantiated by extensive research.

Healing after after an abortion

The impact of abortion is profound and there is great need for genuine support and healing [link to the other page on Healing on the website]. Various agencies have been established to provide various types of counselling and support for both women and men. The Elliot Institute has links to many helpful resources and Fatherhood Forever has a particular focus on the effect of abortion on men.

Many women feel a sense of hopelessness after an abortion. Legal action may be sought and may be available, in Australia, through Abortion Legal Support. ALS is anetwork of independent lawyers located across Australia and New Zealand who offer a special service to those women who feel they have been harmed by their abortion experience.

Personal stories

All abortion experiences are very personal stories, as Jennifer Lane states in her article, and some people are brave enough to tell them!

AbortionRisks.org provides a facility for women and men to speak out about their abortion experiences for the benefit of those who may be considering such a decision.

As Jennifer Lane makes clear, all abortion stories are unique. Therefore the stories following are only a representative sample of the millions of stories that could be told.

Karina lives in Western Australia –after her 4 abortions she explains how her son saved her life

David and Christine live in northern NSW and they were told that abortion was the only option. Some may consider it foolhardy but they trusted God and made a different choice.

Carol lives on the north coast of NSW and now as a retired nurse she has vivid memories of what happened 40 years ago

Jim lives in Tasmania – his is not an abortion story but he discovered that his choices had consequences

Rebecca Kiessling was conceived in rape and brings a perspective on this often discussed reason why abortion should be available.

In contrast, Bernadette Black never had an abortion. Living in Tasmania, Australia, she became a mother at 16 and has her story to tell.

Gianna Jessen  is an abortion survivor. Her teenage mother underwent a saline abortion and Gianna survived!
Gianna spoke at meetings in Australia, in 2008, at the time of the passage of the abortion legislation in Victoria.

Sarah is a twin. She miraculously survived when her twin brother was aborted.

Abort73 and Love Matters provide numerous printed stories from women.

Men’s stories are recounted on Love Matters  with Australian men’s stories on Rachel’s Vineyard.

After 3 saline abortion attempts Amy survived to tell her story.

Beyond the Dark Valley  provides a number of women’s stories.

Carol Everett and Bernard Nathanson were abortionists. They answer questions about their involvement in the abortion industry.

Norma McCorvey, better known as the Roe in the landmark Roe vs Wade decision, tells her conversion story from pro-abortion to pro-life.

Abby Johnson was a Planned Parenthood clinic director but now she is a leading voice for life and women in crisis. Abby tells her story in Part 1 and Part 2 on the Focus on the Family Radio Broadcast of 19 and 20 January 2011.

Faces of Abortion provides links to stories from women, men and children whose mothers had abortions.

Rachel’s Vineyard provides some information that some celebrities may be hiding the trauma of abortion!

Some people tell their stories, or other people’s stories, in music. For example:

Many others are available on the Links page.

Abortion and religion

In 2004 the Foundation for Human Development produced an authoritative compilation of what various Australian churches had to say about abortion. It was accurate at the time of publication.

Abortion around the world

Abortion seems to be an issue of significance in every country around the world. Abortion Facts provides some global perspectives on abortion as well as some information on a few countries. To search out more information type in “Abortion and (specify a country)” and there is sure to be something available. Choices of Life will add some specific country links in due course.