I wish we had more information on abortion. I tend to feel that the majority of abortions are alternatives for contraception rather than for the health of the mother. I tend to feel that most abortions are for convenience rather than anything else. I tend to feel that the numbers of abortions for rape or incest are a small fraction of the whole. I tend to feel that there are many who go through abortion and then regret it, either straight away or many years later. The trouble is, there are no numbers or data to know these things.

I wish we had better education in schools. I know that there is plenty of information in school about contraception, about safe sex. But I also know that there is nothing taught about baby development. Conception occurs and 9 months (40 weeks) later a baby is born, but the intervening time period is not taught. I wish people knew that a developing life has a heartbeat at 6 weeks when the heart is pumping blood around the developing life. At 12 weeks arms and legs, fingers and toes complete with nails are formed, and genitals are formed. At 16 weeks, the woman can feel kicking. At 22 weeks surgery can be performed on the new life in utero. At 24 weeks a premature baby can survive.

I know pregnancy can be incovenient for the mother and for the father, and for the grandparents. For this reason we must prevent unwanted pregnancies better than is being done at present. It is much better for everyone if the pregnancy never happened, better birth control and better thoughts about when to have sex and when it is better to not have sex.

Abortion won't end. Even before it was legal, abortions were performed in backrooms, and the mother's life was in danger or her ability to have future successful pregnancies were at risk. We must never get back to those days. But we must also stop thinking that an abortion is an easy option for an inconvenient pregnancy. Abortion is not always easy even in the safest circumstances and can be regretted.

Pro lifer's aside, unwanted pregnancies happen. A woman's right to choose. Thank you Diana.

[Post removed.]

When I was a child growing up in Mumbai, the Prime Minister (I believe it was Indira Gandhi) rounded-up over 3 million East Indian men by flatbed truck and had them all sterilized to curtail India's population surge.

She got assassinated and today the population of India has surpassed that of China.

In India we are very pro-life.

The battle lines on the issue of abortion are often based on religious VS secular perspectives.

"Be fruitful and multiply" VS responsible and controlled population growth are at natural odds with one another.

The impacts of increased global population (carbon emissions, reliance on fossil fuels, climate change etc.) all have an adverse effect on our quality of life.

Less people equate to a world with fewer conflicts and encumbrances.

Effective birth control and fewer abortions can also be accomplished if more men took the time and responsibility to get vasectomies.

On a side note, self-gratification via an AI generated significant other seems kind of weird (to me) but Millennials and Gen Zers tend to view the world through different lenses than earlier generations.

On the other hand (no pun intended), it does reduce the need for birth control and abortions.

My only concern is that having fewer offspring will reduce the labor force which in turn could threaten Social Security and Medicare benefits for seniors who have already paid into the system.

In retrospect, children are god's punishment for having sex.

Bystander - justice Thomas doesn't think we should have access to contraception


Web Link

“ Justice Clarence Thomas argued in a concurring opinion released on Friday that the Supreme Court “should reconsider" its past rulings codifying rights to contraception access, same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage."

Bystander, with all due respect, your feelings about why people have abortions are irrelevant (unless the abortion in question is directly affecting you because you or your partner is pregnant). Unwanted pregnancies happen, even with most effective forms of contraception. You can check the statistics on that, but no one uses abortion as a regular form of contraception, ever.I will also add that every single unwanted pregnancy in the world is caused by a penis experiencing orgasm. So we should regulate that if we want to prevent all abortions.
I personally want every single child to be loved, wanted and taken care of.

I personally want every child to be loved, wanted and taken care of too.

Americans are evenly split between prochoice/prolife, including Christians. Be Holy, not holier-than-thou.

I learned fetal development in high school. Granted, it was an elective called "Child Development." It was taught.

Whether you're prochoice/prolife, or you have no opinion... we're all entitled to our views. There doesn't have to be any rhyme or reason, and pushing your views on others will alienate.

Note to self: A comma belongs. Thank you, Diana.

It is not for us to judge the personal decisions of others.

That said, life is sacred and to obliterate the unborn out of sheer convenience or contempt is an abomination of God's desire for mankind. Or so I have been told.

Imagine if Mary had sought a terminated pregnancy due to personal 'inconveniences' and a dubious father?

We can do better than that. Republican presidential candidate Mike Pence encourages adoption in lieu of abortion and if this is a feasible route, the option should be further explored.

The secular world is governed by rationalism and in many cases, it makes for a colder and harsher world.

A deep and personal sense of faith +regardless of one's religion) can provide both a blueprint and a compass for leading a straightforward life and I know of no faith or religion that encourages the termination of unwanted pregnancies due to the neglect of personal responsibility.

"Effective birth control and fewer abortions can also be accomplished if more men took the time and responsibility to get vasectomies."
^ concurring...by shutting the hose off at the valve, the water will not flow.

"I will also add that every single unwanted pregnancy in the world is caused by a penis experiencing orgasm.
^ and in many instances, the woman was not experiencing any orgasms.

IMO, abortion should not serve as a substitute for birth control.

It takes two to tango and there are countless males who need to take additional responsibility as well.

Taking birth control measures is being responsible. Relying on abortions in lieu of not practicing adequate birth control measures is irresponsible. Pure and simple.

I volunteer at an animal shelter and when I see all of the discarded pets due to a lack of spaying and/or neutering, it reminds me of the countless people in the world who are not taking precautionary measures as humans in regards to their own reproductively.

Ignorance, laziness, aling with a lack of taking personal responsibility is why abortion has become such a controversial topic. Religious dogma has no place in this arena and should not be dictating reproduction protocols.

The equation is quite elementary...fewer pregnancies = fewer abortions to contend with. It is not rocket science.

Give the people directly affected the ability to make decisions for themselves. I don't think the "why" matters when it comes to abortion. Want to prevent abortions? Fund the social services so these decisions are not necessary.

Actually, many surveys have concluded that ~ 70% of the US population supports limitations on Abortions in the third trimester. Additionally, research the countries in Europe that you think are most progressive & they all limit abortions at some point in the pregnancy. In fact most European countries limit "at will" (It's my body!) abortions to 12 weeks, with the outlier of Netherlands being 24 weeks. In all cases, special circumstances (danger to life of the mother) will allow abortions later in the term.

However, most US activists (especially in CA) want at will abortions up to the actual birth! At some point the abortion is taking the life of a real person that is NOT a physical threat to another person!

The US should just adopt one of the policies from Europe - BUT the activists couldn't accept that! Isn't 12 or even 24 months enough time to decide if the baby is "inconvenient" or "unaffordable"?

Correction to my post!

I meant to say that 12, or even 24 WEEKS should be enough time for the prospective mother to make uo her mind. After that, legal restrictions come into play.

> "Give the people directly affected the ability to make decisions for themselves. I don't think the "why" matters when it comes to abortion."

^ Some people are incapable of making sound decisions which is probably 'why' they found themselves in this position in the first place. Ignorance and negligence should not be rewarded with an easy out.

Since the only things open after midnight are 7-11s and legs, every women should consider carrying the 'morning after pill'
as a precautionary measure.

>> "most US activists (especially in CA) want at will abortions up to the actual birth!"

^ How dreadful. Any obstetrician (including the birth mother) who approve and partake in such a draconian measure should be held legally accountable and sentenced to life in prison for 1st degree murder.

[Post removed.]

One additional comment. The birth rate is actually falling in most western countries. Women are delaying their families in choice of careers and finding it harder to conceive in their 30s so for many of them they may only have one child. This is not particularly new as it has been happening steadily for a couple of decades.

The other issue is much more recent and definitely a sign of the times. With the rise in same sex marriage and more people being trans, the difficulty of actually becoming pregnant is much more difficult in these groups. Additionally, millenials are looking at parenthood as too much responsibility, and will spoil their lifestyles. Some might say they are too self absorbed to want to grow up and mature enough to take on the role.

Without some intervention, declining birth rates will continue to decline. Japan is already introducing measures to attract young Japanese women to motherhood.

The dangers of declining birth rate will be felt when the Baby Boomers are gone and the next generations look to their children and grandchildren to not only fund Social Security and other retirement funds, but to provide an adequate work force to do the jobs that machines cannot do. There are already shortages of doctors and teachers, and I am told that the same is the case for plumbers and electricians.

Having children and raising them to become future citizens to take over from us is something we should be promoting. Anyone who is a parent needs our thanks and be seen as doing something admirable.

To Aric Singh's comment "In India we are very pro-life."

Pro-life when it comes to males, that is.

You might want to read an article by Manvir Singh in the June 19, 2023 issue of the New Yorker about the common incidence of violence directed at females in India, including but not limited to dowry killings, female infanticide, and sex selective abortion; particularly in Punjab.

"With the rise in same sex marriage and more people being trans, the difficulty of actually becoming pregnant is much more difficult in these groups."

• Pregnancy among these sub-groups is irrelevant/immaterial because they can always adopt (if so inclined) and also have the option of surrogate pregnancy.

• If countless self-serving Millennials are more preoccupied with maintaining their self-centered lifestyles rather than procreating a future workforce to fund their Social Security and Medicare entitlements, who cares? That's going to be their problem as most of the Baby Boomers will be long gone. What matters most and at present is that these two programs are properly funded to cover the supplemental retirement needs of Baby Boomer and Gen Xers.

"There are already shortages of doctors and teachers, and I am told that the same is the case for plumbers and electricians."

• Most of the doctors and dentists I have encountered nowadays are either Middle Eastern, Chinese or East Indian. There will be no shortage of health care professionals just because some spoiled white kids no longer wish to enter those academically demanding fields due to their laziness and lack of personal drive.

• As for skilled tradesmen, the majority of of them are Hispanic so no worries in terms of sourcing one.

"Having children and raising them to become future citizens to take over from us is something we should be promoting."

• Only if it is affordable. In the meantime, undocumented immigration can fill various unskilled employment needs and their children will becone the future citizens of America.

"Anyone who is a parent needs our thanks and be seen as doing something admirable."

So long as they are not collecting welfare along with 8-9 unplanned children.

Please use the right terminology, posters. It's not Pro-Life, it is Anti-Abortion. Up until around 1945, more women died in childbirth than from any other cause. In some cases, doctors would ask the husband to choose between saving the life of the baby or that of the mother's, especially in the Catholic religion. All of us -- men and women -- should have control over their own bodies, make their own decisions. Whether that be to have an abortion, tubal ligation or a vasectomy. Or sign up for Do Not Resuscitate (DNR.) Abortion is not an easy decision, but is often a necessary one. Each woman should be free to decide what is best for her and her family. Please also remember that your god, is not my god and that no one should be forced to abide by another person's religious dictates.

You can't push parenting on someone. That's a lose/lose situation. For those of us who really enjoy parenting and being a grandparent, it's wonderful! But it's not for everybody. There is no right way to live your life. Whatever is right for you.

I will never forget Ann Landers survey in the mid 70s. "If you had to do it all over again, would you have children?" She got over 10,000 responses in the first few days, and 70% sad "no." How sad for the children. A young couple was thinking about having children, and they couldn't help but notice that their childless friends seemed "happier." She presented it to her readers, and she was very taken aback by the responses. She went on to say that perhaps unhappy people were more likely to write in anonymously, and the stats were "skewed." I was a kid, but old enough to read the paper. To this day, it's the saddest thing I've ever read. Sadly, the article is still online. I feel sorry for the kids.

Having children is important for sustaining society. We need younger generations to provide and care for their elders. It is a reciprocal relationship based on practical necessities.

Asians and Hispanics know the value of extended families and three generations often reside together in the same house.

Most white people have minimal concern for older generations as it is much more convenient for them to repatriate their elder parents in assisted living facilities. That way they do not have to deal with them on a regular basis and can visit whenever it is convenient.

There are very few extended multi-generational white families residing together in America...only on The Waltons.

"We need younger generations to provide and care for their elders. It is a reciprocal relationship based on practical necessities."

Cultural practices aside, the median age in America is currently 40 which means that 1/2 of the American population is now over that age and with a population of roughly 365 million people, we have become an aging society like Japan.

The Social Security and Medicare trusts are stocked by payroll deductions so it is imperative that Millennials and Gen Zers seek gainful employment to fund those entitlements.

It is also imperative to encourage more immigration into the United States so that masses of unskilled workers can also contribute to these key programs.

Unlike many Asian and Hispanic families, the majority of white Americans seem to have minimal concern for the proper care and comfort of their elders and programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medi-Cal provide a safety net.

Self-serving Millennials and Gen Zers cannot be counted on to provide fiscal support for the future. This task will be accomplished by encouraging more Asian professionals and unskilled Hispanic laborers to immigrate and work in America. Their payroll deductions will help make-up for the spendthrift mentalities of the useless younger generations.

Also of note...the eventual transfer of wealth from Baby Boomers to their offspring is estimated at roughly $1.7 trillion. It is believed to be the largest transfer of wealth in American history.

But there will be exceptions. I have told my children that while I am rich, they are not and it will be up to them to forge their own path in life by being financially stable and responsible for their actions.

Having put them through college and subsidizing their first condo purchases, I am not leaving them one cent further because their adult issues and aspirations are not my problem.

Social Security is merely a supplement to one's retirement income and I will not allow my kids to govern either my life or personal finances in later years.

With my ironclad trust and will firmly in place, they will have to seek other fiscal sources to subsidize their adolescent frivolities and delusions of self-entitlements.

The Golden Era of American generations is long gone and has been replaced by ingrates who think only of themselves and their petty neuroses.

Don't forget that the same deep-pocketed lobbyists who are trying to ban all abortions also define regular old birth control. That's why there's a federal effort to protect access to contraception.

These are the same folks who defeated the ERA mandating equal pay, who allow RAPISTS to get custody rights and who oppose the Violence Against Women Act.

Thank you Diana for sharing your experience and you sensical approach to this divisive issue. The most interesting part of this article are the comments, which are surprising given the rather liberal make-up of our town.

I always find the arguments against abortion interesting when they focus on late-term abortions. Late term abortions are rare (0.9%) and these are medical abortions (life of mother or child) not flippant contraceptive decisions. A few statistics from the CDC about numbers and dates of abortions in the U.S.:

Nearly all abortions in 2020 took place early in gestation: 93.1% of abortions were performed at ?13 weeks' gestation; a smaller number of abortions (5.8%) were performed at 14�"20 weeks' gestation, and even fewer (0.9%) were performed at ?21 weeks' gestation. Early medical abortion is defined as the administration of medication(s) to induce an abortion at ?9 completed weeks' gestation, consistent with the current Food and Drug Administration labeling for mifepristone (implemented in 2016). In 2020, 51.0% of all abortions were early medical abortions. Use of early medical abortion increased 22% from 2019 to 2020 and 154% from 2011 to 2020. Source: MMWR. 2022;71(10).

Web Link

From CDC without the confusing symbols:
Nearly all abortions in 2020 took place early in gestation: 93.1% of abortions were performed at ?13 weeks' gestation; a smaller number of abortions (5.8%) were performed at 14-20 weeks' gestation, and even fewer (0.9%) were performed at greater than or equal to 21 weeks' gestation. Early medical abortion is defined as the administration of medication(s) to induce an abortion at less than or equal to 9 completed weeks' gestation, consistent with the current Food and Drug Administration labeling for mifepristone (implemented in 2016). In 2020, 51.0% of all abortions were early medical abortions. Use of early medical abortion increased 22% from 2019 to 2020 and 154% from 2011 to 2020. Source: MMWR. 2022;71(10).

How typical. You're more than happy to tell other people how to live their lives until it suddenly dawns on you how your and yours are affected. Unless the citizens of this country start developing compassion for everyone, and not just their own tribe, we are doomed.

Don't want an abortion? Don't get one. Don't make up horror stories about killing children or later term abortions.

Don't want others to get an abortion? Work to provide good alternative choices, and then keep your mouth shut unless asked your opinion. You have no idea about anyone else's life, their family circumstances or the needs of their other children. They owe you no explanation for their health care decisions. If you can't trust women with a choice, how can you trust them with a child?

The anti-abortion advocacy platform is rooted in repressive evangelical dogma and in some ways, it's no different than the brainwashing techniques utilized by Communist China during the Korean War...except that intelligent rational people people aren't buying into the blather.

If anyone here cares about climate change and the environmental extinction crisis that is destroying the world, then the fact that 8 billion plus human animals breeding like insects being the main driver of this destruction of the world should worry you.

Why every country on the planet doesn't pass out birth control for free and allow free abortions/sterilizations for all is ridiculous. One more human doesn't matter when you are burning down the house!

Stating the obvious: some of the above posts are astounding and some are, I hope, sarcastic. Like these two:

"In retrospect, children are God's punishment for having sex". Seriously? God punishes by sending children?

"As a result, he has opted for an AI-simulated girlfriend and 'self-stimulation' to satisfy his needs." WAY TMI but, again, seriously? Grandparents will punish a "mistake" child by withholding support?

Abortion is a time-honored tradition that goes back centuries.

In earlier times, it was accomplished by inducing a miscarriage. Surgical abortions came later and both techniques were perfected through trial and error.

Today abortion is a relatively safe procedure and the only downside is that sometimes the patient can no longer conceive children. But isn't that what abortion is for, especially among the impoverished and irresponsible?

The primary forces against the practice of abortion are those with conservative religious beliefs and 3rd world agrarian cultures that still view children as a viable part of an extensive work force.

Thus it comes as no surprise that 2024 Republican presidential candidate Mike Pence has assured his followers that upon election, he will declare a national ban on all abortions.

Taking a soapbox stand on the abortion issue (pro or con) is pointless unless the practice directly affects or impacts one's life personally.

It is not for Christian conservatives and evangelicals or the Catholic Church to dictate modern day life in America.

Abortion should be a legal option in the event of rape but I am unclear on the incest factor because the practice is widely accepted among impoverished rural white Americans and European royal families.

The question is where does incest begin and where does it end? Isn't the marrying of 1st and 2nd cousins a form of incest? Congenital defects are also more prevalent when the gene pool is too closely knit.

@Annette of College Terrace: I believe the comment about children being god's punishment for having sex was a lighthearted joke about the aftermath and repercussions of having to raise them later down the road.

As for Millennials relying on AI in lieu of interpersonal relationships and having actual sex, isn't this taking a more responsible route in terms of encouraging birth control and eliminating potential abortions?

By watching porn and/or creating Chat-GPT generated boy/girl friends, they are effectively addressing the potential life-altering issues of birth control and abortion in a more positive and harmless light. Self-stimulation while watching porn and/or creating cyber-based significant others harms no one outside of one's private world.

Speaking as an older Baby Boomer (75), we can learn from the younger generations who do not want to be tied down by the same encumbrances and social responsibilities that we had to endure as young adults.

"...I am unclear on the incest factor because the practice is widely accepted among impoverished rural white Americans and European royal families."

@Melba Jackson...

Incest of any kind is not a good idea. Consider the two examples you have cited. In both instances the potential outcome is precarious from the standpoint of creating mentally and physically healthy offspring.

The family trees of the British Royal family and those of countless impoverished rural hill people all share a common denominator except that the royals tend to be wealthier and more famous.

Speaking as a geneticist...assuming everyone carries 2 harmful recessive alleles, the risk of birth defects:

> Brother and sister: 1 - 0.75² = 43.75% (High) = 44x higher

> Parent and child: 1 - 0.875² = 23.43% (High) = 23.5x higher

> Uncle and niece or aunt and nephew: 1 - 0.9375² = 12.1% (Moderate) = 12x higher

> Grandparent and grandchild: 1 - 0.9375² = 12.1% (Moderate) = 12x higher

> Half siblings: 1 - 0.9375² = 12.1% (Moderate) = 12x higher

> First cousins: 1 - (31/32)² = 6.15% (Low) = 6x higher

> First cousin once removed: 1 - (63/64)² = 3.1% (Low) = 3x higher

> Second cousins: 1 - (127/128)² = 1.5% (Very low) = 1.5x higher

> Unrelated parents: 1.0%

Incidentally, marriage between 1st cousins is legal in only 7 American states.

@Lyle Cannon:
Do these genetic factors also apply to the raising of livestock? I would assume that an inbred lack of intelligence is not critical when it comes to cattle, sheep, and chickens because all that matters is that their meat is juicy and flavorful.

This might explain why ranchers and farmers welcome unchecked procreation and large flocks/herds.

On a more serious note, does 'quality of life' on the part of the baby justify an abortion?

A lifetime with Down's Syndrome or autism are serious considerations and it would be heart-wrenching as a prospective mother to have to make a life-death infant decision under such circumstances.

What would you do?

Diana I respect you for sharing your views, but can you please moderate some of the posted misinformation?

One poster said abortion is being used as birth control when the number of abortions annually is infinitesimally smaller than just the condom usage and other birth control. Factually, the poster's conclusion cannot be true. Another poster suggested states are trying to sanction murder of babies at the time of conception and call it abortion, also a total fabrication. Just a fact check, Roe v. Wade only covered until viability, 24 weeks. Thereafter, states have had control of laws all along. No one is aborting babies or eager to do so. 2nd trimester abortions are rare and largely because something is wrong or dangerous.

Another poster above wished for more education about abortion, then proceeded to get it completely wrong. A woman's pregnancy is usually counted from last menstrual period, not conception, so someone considered 4 weeks pregnant may only have been gestating 2 weeks.

At 6 weeks development, you can hear contracting cells�"the same cells can similarly contract in a Petri dish, they're not a heart�"the embryo does not become a fetus or have a structure resembling a heart until 10 weeks development. The fetus does not have an actual functioning heart until 17-20 weeks gestation.
Web Link

The vast majority of abortions happen at the embryonic not fetal stage, more than half when the embryo is too small to be seen with the naked eye.

We should indeed educate people better. We can reduce the rate of abortion dramatically in this country by improving our healthcare system and making it affordable to everyone like the rest of the first world. Draconian laws will not end abortion; a better social contract and investments in our citizens like most other first world countries have done will do far more to help families.

> "Draconian laws will not end abortion; a better social contract and investments in our citizens like most other first world countries have done will do far more to help families."

^ What about 3rd world countries with unchecked birth control? Shouldn't 'Draconian' abortion laws apply there?

If people cannot afford to care for their biological offspring, they should not be having more children, period.

Why should others (i.e. U.S. taxpayers) be footing the bill for the reckless irresponsibility and a lack of personal restraint on the part of others whether here in the United States or abroad?

Enforced castration and sterilization of the irresponsible should be encouraged after 2-3 children are reliant on welfare services.

>> "If people cannot afford to care for their biological offspring, they should not be having more children, period...Why should others (i.e. U.S. taxpayers) be footing the bill for the reckless irresponsibility and a lack of personal restraint on the part of others?"

>> "Enforced castration and sterilization of the irresponsible should be encouraged after 2-3 children are reliant on welfare services."

Though there are a few exceptions, most welfare mothers are undereducated women who foolishly acquieced to the physical desires and animalistic needs of an ignorant and irresponsible male partner.

Both should be punished for their indescretions.

Marriage is on the decline especially among younger white Millennials in modern industrial countries.

In 1980, only 6% of Americans in their 40s had never been married.

Current economics, online pornsites, and AI-generated partners have eliminated the necessity of marriage + being married is no longer considered a societal prerequisite for raising a fanily.

So all in all, abortion and birth control measures should only be encouraged for the impoverished and undereducated members of society (many of whom are people of color) who chronically rely on social services for subsistance.

Having fewer mouths to feed is the first step towards financial independence if one is poor and uneducated.

It's common sense but many welfare recipients don't seem to get it.

Thank you Silver Linings. The amount of misinformation and/or lies on this thread is astounding.
We need fact based sex education in schools, easy access to free birth control and societal safety net if we want all children to be born wanted, loved and cared for (this will also result in far fewer abortions). Late term abortions are over 99% due to medical emergencies.

As someone who seems to be accused of misinformation I will clarify what I say. I am not medical but have spent time researching this.

Yes a 40 week pregnancy is counted as starting at the first date of the mother's last period even though she may know there is only one possible date conception could have happened which was probably 2 weeks approximately later. The 40 week due date is very much approximate to when birth may occur and a 38 week birth is not considered premature.

The heartbeat issue comes down to what is the definition of a heart. If we look to the basic function of a heart it is a pump for moving blood around the body. The intricate mechanisms of fully developed heart takes very much longer, but there is fetal blood being pumped around a fetal heart as one of the first ultrasonic observations of fetal development. Most of the links I have found describing this are very technical medical, but here's one. Web Link

Historically, a healthy fetal heartbeat has been evidence of a healthy developing baby. It is only modern technology that is able to show this very early in the pregnancy and in an audible fashion. Most routine ultrasounds given to pregnant women can be done around 6 weeks and for most mothers this is a joyous and reassuring sound.

When it comes down to discussing human development inside the uterus, it is in my opinion whether this is for celebrating the pregnancy as being good news, or confirming news that is not quite so good. A pregnant mother who is looking forward to the birth of her healthy baby will always excitedly talk about her baby's development, show ultrasound pictures of the developing baby and look forward to feeling the baby kick (at probably around 16 weeks). She will always talk about her baby, never her fetus. Most mothers going through their first pregnancy will learn for the first time about what is happening inside her body. Fathers too. Learning this earlier would help

This discussion does not take into consideration that encouraging birth control and abortion among impoverished people of color is akin to systemic genocide.

The U.S. population is approximately 365 million and of that 365 million, 135 million people are African Americans which amounts to 40% of the American population. It is no wonder that certain interests wish to keep this number in check so as not to adversely impact their political and economic ambitions. And the same applies to slowing the population growth and immigration of Hispanics.

The fetus is a human being because human life immediately begins at conception regardless of any biased pro-choice definitions to the contrary.

Celebrate new life as a gift and not a burden.

[Post removed.

@Rochelle Washington
Your numbers are slightly off. Of the total U S. population of 365 million people, 47.5 million identify as members of the African American community which accounts for roughly 14% of the entire American population.

That said, 17 million African American babies perished via abortion following the earlier Roe vs Wade SCOTUS decision.

Also of note, 62% of the Planned Parenthood clinics are situated in predominantly African American neighborhoods and its founder Margaret Sanger was a noted eugenicist.

And so in some ways, promoting abortion within the African American community does equate to genocide but good luck convincing others of this clandestine strategy because as you previously noted, there are many political and economic motives at play.

According to kff.org as recent as 2021...

Women in their twenties accounted for more than half (57%) of abortions. Nearly one-third (30%) were among women in their thirties and a small share were among women in their 40s (4%) and teens (9%).

More than half of abortions were among women of color. Black women comprised 39% of abortion recipients, 33% were provided to White women, 21% to Hispanic women, and 7% were among women of other races/ethnicities.

67% of all abortions were performed on minority-race women compared to 33% of white women. This in itself tells us that preserving the life of minority-race babies often takes a second seat to those of white babies.

Whether we can reverse or alter such a racist mindset remains to be seen.

[Post removed.]

Following on from my rebuttal comment a while ago when I had run out of space and knew subsequent comments are not allowed and likely to be removed.

As for considering abortion a form of contraception, I did not mean as alternative to barrier methods or the pill, but more along the lines of when all else has failed. The morning after pill is similarly contraceptive for occasions when no other contraceptive has been used. Abortion is often with the same mindset, someone not expecting to get pregnant. In all cases of contraception and abortion, the mindset is that a baby is not convenient at this time therefore I must prevent it.

Another comment is that medically speaking, miscarriage is called spontaneous abortion. I am not sure how this affects data at all, but it is worth keeping in mind. Whether the spontaneous abortion is from injury or some other reason, the uterus is expelling the fetus. Personally, I would rather miscarriage be called something other than spontaneous abortion but as I have said before, I am not medical and there may be reasons of which I am not aware as to why health records and other data will not use the term which in my mind is kinder sounding.

In reality, the only opinion that really matters is the pregnant woman and the man who got her pregnant, if he's in the picture. It's commonly known as boundaries.

Many of our modern-day laws are based on the Judeo-Christian ethic and The Ten Commandments in the Old Testament serve as a foundation for them (e.g. Thou shall not steal/kill etc.).

Regardless of reason, abortion is essentially killing an unborn human being and this concept runs counter to core religious values bestowed upon us.

It is very difficult to be devout in this respect while also accepting and/or embracing the practice of abortion.

Religion is currently on the decline in America and the aftermath is being reflected by the promotion and acceptances of abortion, alternative gender choices, and progressive reforms and sentencing guidelines implemented to lighten the punishment for various crimes.

We are now embarking on a downward spiral to where everything is OK to do or be depending upon one's inclinations.

The moral compass has been replaced by personal conveniences, materialism, and a delusion of various realities.

A predominantly secular world is leaving us hung out to dry morally because it has no conscious.

While I strongly support regulatory abortions for those collecting multi-recipient welfare benefits (regardless of color or ethnicity), this measure cannot be mandated by law because it might be construed as racist & discriminatory.

America was a stronger nation before we began catering to social entitlements, identity politics, and further immigration. These initiatives benefit only those who have little to contribute to the betterment of our once great nation.

Abortion has always been a touchy subject and pro-choice advocates should also be promoting abortion among the poor and uneducated factions who contribute little to society other than fiscal drainage subsidized by responsible taxpayers

Shouldn't the civil and human rights of the unborn be the same as those participating in various entitlement programs?

The pro-choice platform is seemingly one-sided and geared towards secular and progressive mindsets who get to pick and choose their crusades.

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