Abortion should be an educated decision

HAMILTON B Hutchinson’s letter (Write Back, October 2) suggests that, if people were shown what happens during an abortion, it would put an end to abortions.

I doubt very much if this would be any truer than suggesting that showing what happens during any surgical procedure would help in any way with enabling a person to decide whether or not to have that procedure.

To many non-medical people, any video presentation of surgical procedures would cause distress, particularly if they were just about to undergo that procedure.

Indeed, many people cannot even watch a hypodermic needle being inserted for a blood sample without feeling faint.

There are many websites and agencies dealing with the realities of pregnancy termination to which people can tun to without broadcasting it on live television.

Mr Hutchinson then proceeds to make a series of personal value judgments, with which many would disagree, including the suggestion that the process of abortion is “barbaric” and that the “baby” feels “pain”.

He does so without any evidence whatsoever of what he is claiming, apart from him being “a medical practitioner”.

I do not doubt that the process of termination of the human foetus has unpleasant aspects, but these must be weighed against the benefits to the pregnant female who wishes to terminate her pregnancy, just as the slaughter of animals for food, or their use in scientific research, must be balanced against the benefits.

In any case, all of these procedures that Mr Hutchinson would term “barbaric” are legal, well-understood and well-monitored.

It is very important for women undergoing termination procedures to be honestly informed and the risks pointed out.

However, simply showing them some pictures is not going to serve any useful purpose.

My own personal value judgment is that it is much better for there to be good and effective education of children and young adults than it is to try to prevent women from making the choice of whether or not to proceed with a pregnancy.

DAVID FULLERTON By email