Quote:
Originally Posted by opendoor
Just to put this issue in context, in 2004 (the most comprehensive numbers I could find quickly) there were slightly under 40,000 abortions in Canada where the gestational age was recorded. Among those, fewer than 25-30 were in the 3rd trimester. Until someone can point to some cases of late term abortions occurring in Canada for reasons other than health, I see this as a solution for a problem that doesn't exist.
It's not that uncommon for tests done in the 2nd trimester to reveal incurable health problems or to bring to light risks of infertility or death to the mother if the pregnancy carried to term. The vast majority of these women having "late term abortions" are probably going through the hardest period of their lives; trivializing their plight by characterizing these procedures as being ones of convenience is really ignoring how difficult this decision is for parents to be. Further complicating the matter through legislation without clear evidence of a problem makes no sense to me. If there are scores of women unnecessarily getting late term abortions then I'd be inclined to reconsider my opinion, but nothing I've ever seen suggests that to be the case.
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Of course, you are equally assuming that women making the decision to have a 'late term abortion' are making an informed decision based on upon 'incurable health problems'.
Unfortunately, we neither have data to support that viewpoint. Although it is one I share, there just isnt the data.
Where we diverge, is that I don't see a problem in codifying a point where it is required to have formal medical approval for an abortion at some point during a fetus' existence. To give them some formal recognition of rights, even if this is the general practise. I think it's a very balanced and modern position to recognize it in law.