The abortion pill does not actually involve taking a pill. Drugs are used to cause an early miscarriage. One works by blocking the action of the hormone that makes the lining of the uterus hold onto the fertilised egg. Another drug is given forty eight hours later. This drug causes the uterus to cramp and the lining of the uterus breaks down and the embryo is lost in the bleeding that follows.
The ‘Vacuum Aspiration’ abortion involves sucking the contents of the uterus out. A thin plastic tube is gently pushed into the womb through the cervix and the contents are passed through using a gentle pump and it is possible to have this through local or general anaesthetic.
After about fifteen weeks the woman will be given an anaesthetic and the doctor will gently stretch the passage through the cervix until it is wide enough for forceps to be inserted to remove most of what is in the womb. A tube attached to a vacuum pumped is then used to remove anything still left in the uterus.’
After twenty weeks it becomes a lot harder to remove the foetus and twenty four weeks is the limit. This is a surgical two-stage abortion or a medical induction. During a medical induction, the foetus’ heart is stopped and the doctor uses drugs which will make the woman go into labour. A surgical two-stage abortion involves one procedure to cut the umbilical cord and another to remove the contents of the womb. A general anaesthetic is used.
The Abortion Act 1967 regulates that abortions must be performed by a registered doctor in a National Health Service hospital or specially chosen location. An abortion may be approved if two doctors agree in assurance that:
- If the pregnancy continues, the mother’s life will be in danger.
- The abortion is necessary to prevent permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the woman.
- If the pregnancy continues, existing families may be affected.
- There is significant evidence that if the child is born then it would be mentally or physically handicapped.
- That there are any other threats to the woman such as death or the woman’s living environment including her social and economic circumstances.
- The pregnancy occurred because of rape.
There are also religious views on abortion that need to be considered.
Muslims have their own views on abortion and only allow it under very strict circumstances, such as the mother’s life being in danger. The Qur’an says that all life is sacred and that Allah controls life and death. It also says that abortion should not be allowed for economic purposes: “Do not kill your children for fear of want”. Muslims say that abortion is only permitted if the mother’s life is in serious danger and may be allowed if the child will almost definitely be born badly deformed or damaged.
Islam teachings say that life begins before conception and every human life is part of Allah’s plan and he decides when every single person is born and when they die, like he has a big book with everyone’s name, birth date and death date. According to the Hadith, a foetus does not have a soul until it 120 days old.
Christians allow abortion under certain circumstances too, though most Christians are not as strict as Muslims. Christianity allows abortion if the mothers life is at risk and if the foetus is deformed, just like Islam but there are other exceptions too, e.g. rape.
Arguments used by Christians against abortion include that abortion is considered to be murder and that having an unplanned baby is not the end of the world.
Christians also believe that abortion is up to the mother to decide whether she should give birth to a handicapped child. The bible says that Jesus invited us to live a full life and what life awaits a severely disabled child? However, the bible also says that God gave us all free will and what right do we have to take that away from anyone?
Roman Catholics do not allow abortion under any circumstances as they too believe that all life is sacred. This ties in with the natural law theory, that is anything that goes against nature is wrong and is interfering with God’s plan. This is even written in the bible:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart”
Jeremiah 1:5
I think that every woman should have the right to decide what to do. Every situation is different and abortion should be allowed depending on the circumstances of the woman. Although I don’t think that abortion should be allowed at twenty four weeks as babies have been born two weeks earlier than this and have survived.
