Harrowing cost of abortions

■ The number of Irish women allegedly travelling to the UK for abortions is frequently cited as an argument for legalising abortion in Ireland. There are, however, widely differing opinions on exactly how many actually go. There are those who say it is not possible to put a figure on the numbers travelling, as many go anonymously, using fictitious names and UK addresses. This doesn’t stop some saying, without citing any sources, that ‘on average, 11 women a day have to travel abroad to access an abortion’.

In any event if, like scientists worldwide, you know that the life of every human being begins at the moment of conception, and you know abortion is the intentional killing of that human being in the womb, then you know abortion is wrong. It doesn’t matter where the abortion takes place, or how many abortions there are, each abortion is wrong because it is the taking of the life of a human being.

It is interesting, but regrettable, that abortion advocates rarely acknowledge, or allude to, the human life which is ended in the abortion. It is this kind of thinking which has led to eight million abortions in the UK since the legalisation of unrestricted abortion in 1967. That’s eight million people who have not been allowed to be born and live like the rest of us.

Ann Kehoe Castleknock, Dublin 15