Rights of women and of babies

Sir — At least Dr Ciara Kelly (Living, Sunday Independent, April 30) is honest in admitting to supporting bringing Ireland “into line with the western world” regarding abortion, which is allowing abortion for any reason, or as she said “the woman’s own personal reasons”.

Many supporting abortion try to garner support by claiming it can be restricted, but it is evident that this does not happen in practice.

Regarding abortion being a “health issue, not a moral one”, I suggest that it is a human rights issue. Without the right to life, no other right can apply. In this debate the life of the baby is rarely mentioned, and the fact that abortion is the deliberate killing of the baby. Dr Kelly refers to the “embryo” but considers abortion should be available without a time limit, and unless the embryo is destroyed through abortion a baby will be born.

It is a rather sweeping statement to imply that men “have no concept, no comprehension, of what a crisis pregnancy means for a woman” when many fathers of such babies are left devastated when the woman decides to have an abortion. What about the privilege of motherhood? What about all the care and assistance offered to women with crises pregnancies, especially by those involved in pro-life? It is certainly not the compassionate solution to have the baby killed, and I wonder if Dr Kelly has met many women who have had abortions and cannot get over their grief.

Dr Kelly states that “if you care about women’s lives” you have to welcome the Citizens’ Assembly’s recommendation for unlimited abortion. In considering women’s lives, it has to be pointed out that more girls are aborted than boys, and in many countries there has been no condemnation of this practice.

It is time that facts were accepted and true compassion shown for both mother and baby, as provided in the Eighth Amendment. Mary Stewart (Mrs),

Ardeskin, Donegal Town