The primary cause of abortion is pregnancy. Sex education, availability of contraceptives and protection of women against rape are all effective measures to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

I think of my wonderful cousin who committed suicide during WW2. She said goodbye to her boyfriend who went off to war. Two months later she got word he was killed in action. Not being able to tell her mother that she was pregnant and not having access to an abortion clinic where she could have quietly gone and have the procedure she committed suicide. I wish she had had access to such a clinic and could have gone there without being harassed by followers of the '40 days for life' campaign. If a woman is pregnant and has considered the alternatives she should be able to have her abortion free form harassment.

However, the best option is to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

david f is very fortunate that he has been given the privilege of having an opinion. Millions of those murdered before birth have no such right. Thank you Sonja for such a refreshing article that at least gives many unborn a glimmer of hope.

Dear runner,

I have an opinion. My cousin who committed suicide has none because she is dead. Apparently the life of a woman doesn't count at all to you. She should have been able to have an abortion and get on with her life. You don't seem at all interested in the fate of the woman. The life and well-being of a woman is far more important than the fate of an embryo. She was a teenager and in no position to have a baby. The baby might have been welcome if she had been in another situation, but she wasn't. She should not have had to go to term, but you don't seem to care at all what happened to her - only the embryo.

Nobody 'wants' an abortion, just as nobody 'wants' to get a tooth extracted or a melanoma cut out or a cancer removed: but if they are a responsible and rational person who cares for their own welfare and the welfare of those around them, they will take the steps that are necessary to preserve their life and their physical and mental health.

The obvious way to reduce the number of abortions is to reduce the shame and secrecy surrounding sex, make contraceptives readily available everywhere, and ensure that people are educated about their use -- but I bet runner and his cohorts would have something to say about that too.

Jon J writes

'The obvious way to reduce the number of abortions is to reduce the shame and secrecy surrounding sex, make contraceptives readily available everywhere, and ensure that people are educated about their us'
we have never had such an educated community. How much more sex do you want thrown in young teenagers faces? The education certainly has not stopped abortions in the 'educated' societies. The usual dogma of more education and more money does not solve a largely moral issue.

davidf

the fact that you cousin could of hidden her shame by being encouraged to kill her baby might not of helped. Huge numbers of woman end up with all sorts of mental issues after having abortions. The best scenario for your cousin would of been to have her child given to a family who had probably waited years to adopt a child. Your assertion that the life of a woman means nothing to me shows how ignorant you are. What is obvious that the life of the unborn means nothing to you.

David F, whilst the story of your cousin is tragic, I don't believe that it is relevant for today.
In the 1940's a pregnancy outside of wedlock was a source of enormous shame to the woman and her family. It spelt the end of a dignified life and so women would go to the extremes of dangerous back yard abortions or even take their own lives to avoid the shame. I believe this was one of the primary justifications for abortion being legalized.
However, there is no shame in having a baby outside of wedlock today. Likewise no woman will be rendered destitute in our welfare state simply because she has a baby.
The main reason for abortions in todays society is the convenience of the mother who doesn't want to disrupt her studies or career. I don't think those are good enough justifications to take a human life.
The reasons that once justified abortion no longer apply. In addition we have a falling birth rate that is not sufficient to replace our numbers. We should, as a society and as individuals be valuing every child born.
That is quite apart form the fact that by performing an abortion you a robbing a person of the opportunity to live out the rest of their life. The fact that the person has no choice or voice does not make it any less serious a matter, in my opinion at least.