The original ruling on Roe v. Wade was wrong. It should never have been a National mandate, and all the reversal did was to place responsibility back with each state, where it belonged to begin with.
Now, irresponsible politicians are using it as their main issue to try to scare people into voting for them - because they are "outraged" at the idea of abortion not being an option for every woman in every state - and are inappropriately applying that even to states that have very relaxed laws relating to abortion. Like my state of Washington.
So let's review some basic information. Abortion is NOT an issue of reproductive health unless the life of the mother is at risk. I believe the issue of abortion needs to be between the woman (or couple) and their doctor when there are complications that arise, and extend my concern to issues of violent rape and incest, and definitely to little girls who are too young to carry a baby to full term.
I will start with the last issue first. I was a Health Educator for 3 years, and had access to pregnancy information most of us never see. The 1985 statistics listed the number of girls who got pregnant at age 10. I was stunned at seeing the number 50 beside that stat; and I would NOT feel that any 10-year-old could carry a baby to full term. That becomes a serious medical issue.
Woman getting pregnant from a violent rape would also be a huge concern for me - as would incest.
And, of course, there are cases where the choice must be made between the life of the mother and the life of the unborn child. What a hard choice - something that belongs as a decision of the father and mother, in consultation with their doctor, not the court.
That being stated, abortion is NOT a birth control method. A woman's reproductive health begins with knowing that anyone born female who has sex (until menopause is over) can get pregnant if she has unprotected sex (and sometimes even if she uses protection.)
Reproductive health includes becoming informed about viable birth control options as well as having annual pap smears and any other necessary check-ups if something seems awry. It includes knowing the sexual history of any partners so the woman is not at risk for contracting any sexually transmitted diseases. It is parametered by taking personal responsibility for one's choices to avoid a pregnancy before one is ready to be a parent. BUT, once pregnancy occurs, unless there is a medical reason to terminate the pregnancy, the baby inside the womb is just as alive as the person carrying that child, and the child should have just as much consideration as the birth mother.
When I was a Health Educator I taught my students about all of the birth control options - but clearly stated that the reason we were teaching it to them in high school was so they would have that information for the future when they were ready to make those choices, and I encouraged them to wait until they were adults. Actually what I stated was, "Sex belongs in a committed adult relationship, and for me that is marriage."
Of course I knew not all of them would wait - but I did have a few kids in my Church Youth Group tell me that they waited because of what I taught them.
And, I taught that abortion was not a birth control method, and was not to be taken lightly. I knew that some girls would fall for the lines they were given:
"You would if you loved me."
No, if he loved you, he would never demand sex.
"Once we've gone this far I have to go all the way, or it could damage me."
Really? What if his mother - or yours - walked in at that point?
"We'll be together forever, so it's just like we are married."
Seriously? Until the morning after when he won't even speak to you in the hallway!
One of my observations as a Health Educator was that very often girls gave sex to get love, but boys gave love to get sex. I know that isn't true for every young man and woman - and does not apply consistently to adults, but it is worth evaluating in a relationship.
People who have sex can get pregnant. The issue of REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH is one that is very important in one's decisions. Before having sex, see a doctor. Choose a birth control plan that will work for you. Use it responsibly. But, know that if you get pregnant - and you can even with proper birth control - know that the baby inside you is a person. That person deserves to be loved and cared for. It should not be a woman's right to choose life or death in a pregnancy any more than it would be to have several children and suddenly decide to kill one you no longer want.
I have 4 children by birth. My fourth child was conceived while I had a coil in place, and the day I went to the doctor because I had missed a period, he said, "You didn't plan to get pregnant so I can just abort it right now." My response was, "The pregnancy wasn't wanted, but the baby is." She is now 46. I can't imagine my life without her, but in that instant I was offered the opportunity of terminating her.
When I think of the millions of babies who have been aborted I wonder, how many brilliant, amazing, talented, wonderful people have been destroyed unnecessarily.
