Would you assist in abortions?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · May 3, 2004

I've never been in situation where I had to make a decision to assist or not. And I believe that women should have the right to choose, and that we as health care professionals owe them safe care. There are plenty of medical situations we face daily that we don't believe in (incest, rape, babies having babies, rapists, drug pushers, etc.) but we give those people the best of care in spite of our personal beliefs, don't we? I don't feel that I'm pro-abortion, but I am pro-choice and there's a big difference.
If ever I found myself in a situation facing an unwanted pregnancy (which certainly won't happen now, thankfully) I can't honestly say what I would do. I'm sure I would be conflicted about what to do. But at my very core, it is my decision to make, no one else's. No one!
As a health care professional, I choose not to put my own religious or political beliefs at the forefront to take precedence over the proper and safe care of a patient in need.

Great post, tntrn.

fergus51 · May 3, 2004

so...its okay to parade around Pro choice BUT its not okay for Anti abortionist to do the same? If theres "nothing wrong with it", then why not let everyone see what it is really like? Why should explaining that to your kids be any different then explaining ...say the birds and the bees?

I don't understand what you mean? Anti-abortion or pro-life people are perfectly allowed to express their views just like pro-choicers.

tntrn, ASN, RN · May 3, 2004

Thank you Hellllllo Nurse.

And I'm with you fergus. I don't know what justis meant. Being anti-abortion is fine, as long as you're just speaking for yourself and your own body. Being anti-abortionIST is absolutely unacceptable IMHO; a woman who choose to have an abortion, a legal procedure, should be able to do so in a safe place. And that safety extends to the staff and facility providing that safe care.

Saw a bumper sticker once: If you don't believe in abortion, don't have one.

PegRNBSN · May 3, 2004

I think Justus was referring to the outrage that accompanies posters of aborted babies that may be at pro life events. I have never understood why that offends people so much. It is harsh and horrible to see, but if we don't put out there what is being aborted it is much easier to accept the ridiculousness of the it's a woman's choice argument. I just took care of a woman this weekend who was going to deliver a 16 wk baby. She had already had a 20 week loss. We both cried as she eloquently described the perfect little human being she had held in her arms and how she was dreading another loss. She kept saying, "if only everyone could see these babies it would be so much harder to condone abortion"

sbic56, BSN, RN · May 3, 2004

I think Justus was referring to the outrage that accompanies posters of aborted babies that may be at pro life events. I have never understood why that offends people so much. It is harsh and horrible to see, but if we don't put out there what is being aborted it is much easier to accept the ridiculousness of the it's a woman's choice argument. I just took care of a woman this weekend who was going to deliver a 16 wk baby. She had already had a 20 week loss. We both cried as she eloquently described the perfect little human being she had held in her arms and how she was dreading another loss. She kept saying, "if only everyone could see these babies it would be so much harder to condone abortion"

I know you know there is no such thing as a "16 week baby." It is this tactic of trying to twist terminology to strike an emotional response in an attempt to prove that abortion is murder. It's one thing to believe that some form of life begins at conception, but is quite another to state as fact that a 16 week fetus is equivilent to a baby. It is this mindset that is so objectionable. When prolife people put up those larger than life posters, it is primarily for shock value. Why else would they show a bloody, torn fetus 500 times it's true size of about 4 ounces, but for the purpose of exaggerating the truth? That 16 week developing fetus is just that, not a baby.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · May 4, 2004

I know you know there is no such thing as a "16 week baby." It is this tactic of trying to twist terminology to strike an emotional response in an attempt to prove that abortion is murder. It's one thing to believe that some form of life begins at conception, but is quite another to state as fact that a 16 week fetus is equivilent to a baby. It is this mindset that is so objectionable. When prolife people put up those larger than life posters, it is primarily for shock value. Why else would they show a bloody, torn fetus 500 times it's true size of about 4 ounces, but for the purpose of exaggerating the truth? That 16 week developing fetus is just that, not a baby.

I agree. It is much harder for pro-choice people to show such a graphic display of the consequences of unwanted pregnancy. I shudder to think what life would be like in The U.S. if there were 2,000,000 more unwanted babies born every year.

Another poster wrote about how she'd had an abortion, regretted it, and now works towards making abortion illegal. I think that instrospection, re-examination of one's personal morals, values, and maybe some counseling, rather than working to take away everyone else's reproductive rights would be a far better way to deal with personal regret from an abortion.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · May 4, 2004

ethiopia: high death rate from illegal abortions

addis ababa, 28 oct 2002 (irin) - more ethiopian women die in hospital from illegal abortion complications than for almost any other medical reason, the world health organisation (who) told irin on monday.

it estimates that some 70 percent of women, who are brought to hospital suffering from serious problems after back street abortions, will die.

research shows that for every 100,000 women who have abortions in ethiopia, 1,209 women will die. only tuberculosis kills more women in hospital.

abortions are illegal in ethiopia, although back street operations are widespread. the majority of deaths occur in women aged between 16 and 20.

the who does not advocate the legalisation of abortion, but calls for better family planning to help avoid the need for abortions.

"if you admit 10 criminal abortion cases, then seven may die," said dr abonesh haile mariam, programme officer for the who family health and population section in ethiopia.

"in the whole country we are talking about thousands of deaths due to criminal abortions," she said. "in terms of hospital fatalities it is one of the biggest causes of death."

problems caused by unsafe abortions are also having an impact on overstrained health services in the country, where health expenditure per person is just us $1.50.

according to the ethiopian society of obstetricians and gynecologists (esog), treatment costs around 300 ethiopian birr (us $35).

[ends]

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?reportid=30617&selectregion=horn_of_africa&selectcountry=ethiopia

illegal abortions 'killing south american women'

mothers in bolivia and peru are particularly at risk

illegal abortions are a major cause of death among mothers in many countries in latin america, an international conference on the subject has been told.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3194680.stm

more women die from abortions in poor countries

january 22, 1999

web posted at: 5:43 a.m. est (1043 gmt)

new york (cnn) -- developing countries where abortion is outlawed can be the most dangerous places in the world to terminate pregnancies, a comparative study released thursday has found.

http://www.cnn.com/health/9901/22/abortion.01/

what will happen if roe is reversed

if roe v. wade is overturned, some women will die - some will be maimed - too many women's lives will be sacrificed. we will return to the days when desperate women risked their lives by resorting to self-inflicted or illegal back-alley abortions

warning: graphic pic of woman dead from illegal abortion.

http://www.feminist.org/courts/reversed.asp

MQ Edna · May 4, 2004

I have read this thread every day since it began. With much trepidation, I've decided to reply. I have created a new user name under which to reply, not because I am ashamed, but because I've been harassed by anti-choice people, picketed at my home, and threatened. I've no desire for this place to become scary for me, because I love this board.

I worked in an abortion clinic for almost ten years. I loved working there, it was one of the best jobs I ever had. Why? Well, not only did I work with an AMAZING group of people, I got to feel every day like I was helping women and their partners through a very difficult time in their lives. Were there some women who regretted their choice? Yes. Were there others who had had several abortions? Yes. Does that make anyone's choice less valid? No.

I don't want anyone who doesn't believe in abortion to have one. But I also don't want the choice taken away from the rest of us because of a small minority of anti-choice folks. And btw, I've counseled several of the daughters of our regular picketers, as they chose to have an abortion. Tell me that isn't hypocrisy?

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · May 4, 2004

Excellent, though-provoking post, ampersam. I'm sorry that you need to disguise yourself in order to express your very valid views and experiences.

sbic56, BSN, RN · May 4, 2004

I agree. It is much harder for pro-choice people to show such a graphic display of the consequences of unwanted pregnancy. I shudder to think what life would be like in The U.S. if there were 2,000,000 more unwanted babies born every year.
Another poster wrote about how she'd had an abortion, regretted it, and now works towards making abortion illegal. I think that instrospection, re-examination of one's personal morals, values, and maybe some counseling, rather than working to take away everyone else's reproductive rights would be a far better way to deal with personal regret from an abortion.

Indeed. In a perfect world all the saved babies would live happily ever after. Unfortunatly, the one we live in is hardly that way. One has to be rational and realistic.

I hadn't read that post about the regretful woman, but I agree she should deal with her guilt in a way that would benefit her instead of taking away the rights of others. That kind of projection isn't going to help her any.

sbic56, BSN, RN · May 4, 2004

I have read this thread every day since it began. With much trepidation, I've decided to reply. I have created a new user name under which to reply, not because I am ashamed, but because I've been harassed by anti-choice people, picketed at my home, and threatened. I've no desire for this place to become scary for me, because I love this board.
I worked in an abortion clinic for almost ten years. I loved working there, it was one of the best jobs I ever had. Why? Well, not only did I work with an AMAZING group of people, I got to feel every day like I was helping women and their partners through a very difficult time in their lives. Were there some women who regretted their choice? Yes. Were there others who had had several abortions? Yes. Does that make anyone's choice less valid? No.
I don't want anyone who doesn't believe in abortion to have one. But I also don't want the choice taken away from the rest of us because of a small minority of anti-choice folks. And btw, I've counseled several of the daughters of our regular picketers, as they chose to have an abortion. Tell me that isn't hypocrisy?

It is a sad irony that you need to be anonymous having helped so many through what was such a difficult time in their lives.

KrisRNwannabe · May 4, 2004

I have avoided this thread for awhile but I have finally decided to post my opinion. After I learned how an abortion is performed and heard about an abortion gone horribly wrong (i will spare everyone the details) I could never perform or have an abortion. I finally see what the pro-life people are talking about