[i_like_black]

This is a very complicated subject which always ignites people's passions.

I am not pro-life OR pro-choice. Although if you told me I had to pick one I guess I'd say pro-choice.

I believe in the sanctity of life. I believe life begins at conception.
However, I also believe that there are many reasons - viable, acceptable reasons - for a woman to have an abortion.
Say she was over 40, for example, and still fertile. And accidentally got pregnant. She may not be able to carry the chid healthily to full term. And even then, the age gap between her and the child is ridiculous.

Or say the woman was raped. Imagine if you forced her to carry that child to full term, and forced her to raise it - what about when the child is old enough to ask about its parentage? How would you tell your child that they are the result of a rape? And don't you think the child would feel absolutely terrible about being the result of a heinous crime? And that maybe they would be traumatised?
Whereas, if you allow the mother to abort, you give her some ability to gain some closure, and the potential to raise healthy children in a healthy environment.

Then there's poverty. Children who are raised in poverty. If you yourself are living hand to mouth, i.e., you eat when you can, how are you going to help your child to live healthily? I know that in some countries there are supports for mothers but I also know that in many countries these are incredibly difficult to get hold of and don't count for much.

And finally, faulty contraceptives. Assuming that a woman is using a method of contraception (pill, implant, whatever) and the man is using condoms, this greatly reduces the chance of pregnancy, it doesn't eliminate it altogether. And if people are being responsible about sex and responsible about their bodies, then shouldn't they ALSO be trusted to be responsible to choose whether or not they could raise a healthy child?

And one other point - there are abortions that are performed to prevent the suffering of the child - for example if a genetic test is carried out and shows some massive disability or something that would negatively impact or be life threatening.

So, back to that, I didn't pick pro-life or pro-choice. I think things should be reasoned out before making decisions, but nobody should have to decide to stand on a certain side of a picket line.