Anti-abortionists don't believe that life begins at conception.

[Husar]

Because there is no such thing as a unborn child. The foetus becomes a child when he/she born.

What exactly changes at birth other than what we call the lump of cells and its relative location to the mother's body?
The brain is already active inside the womb but if it's not developed enough, I might as well mention that it cannot even recognize itself in a mirror until many months after birth, so maybe we can still abort new borns as they are not really developed humans anyway. Hell, they only learn to understand sarcasm around age 12 or so.

That late abortions are 100% for medical reasons was news to me, @HoreTore. Are you sure that's the case in all countries?

Must I clarify every time I make such a statement that I am not taking the imaginings of a SS interrigator into account? Orphans are not in pain but it is sheer ignorance to think that they are as likely to prosper as one in a loving family. You have few options to hamper a child's development further without entering the realms of abuse or neglect.

Yes, Dr. Greymengele, but my point was more that they may still be better off alive than if we kill them off before birth. Preventing birth in a very early (actual lump of cells) stage I can somewhat agree with depending on the circumstances, just like I do not mind contraceptives, which often work in a similar way (e.g. prevent lump of egg cell to dock in womb).

Generally our planet would be better off with fewer people though, just imagine how long the oil would last for 7 million instead of 7 billion people. Not that we should reduce ourselves that drastically though.

[HoreTore]

That late abortions are 100% for medical reasons was news to me, @HoreTore. Are you sure that's the case in all countries?

If you don't want a baby, would you:

1. Take a small pill and be done with it.
2. Suffer the pains of a long pregnancy before doing an expensive and very dangerous medical procedure that carries a risk of severe health effects or just outright kill you.

I'm pretty sure I'll go with 1...

Late term abortions(late second and all of third trimester) are always done because something has gone terribly wrong, either to the fetus or the mother. There are some anecdotes about a tiny number of abortions being performed where the mother was unaware of her pregnancy for quite a few months, but I am unsure of the truth in that claim.

[Husar]

If you don't want a baby, would you:

1. Take a small pill and be done with it.
2. Suffer the pains of a long pregnancy before doing an expensive and very dangerous medical procedure that carries a risk of severe health effects or just outright kill you.

I'm pretty sure I'll go with 1...

Late term abortions(late second and all of third trimester) are always done because something has gone terribly wrong, either to the fetus or the mother. There are some anecdotes about a tiny number of abortions being performed where the mother was unaware of her pregnancy for quite a few months, but I am unsure of the truth in that claim.

Yes, 1 seems the more logical choice, but I could imagine cases where mothers become anxious and have a late abortion without anyone stopping them even though the anxiety may just be temporary, like some people become anxious before they get married.

I just found a study that even cites financial reasons: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...ions/?page=all

I don't really agree with ending a life for financial reasons unless it's an animal.

[HoreTore]

Yes, 1 seems the more logical choice, but I could imagine cases where mothers become anxious and have a late abortion without anyone stopping them even though the anxiety may just be temporary, like some people become anxious before they get married.

I just found a study that even cites financial reasons: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...ions/?page=all

I don't really agree with ending a life for financial reasons unless it's an animal.

There's a whole batch of research on late-term abortions here if you're interested, including the report brutalized by washington post.

[Fragony]

There's a whole batch of research on late-term abortions here if you're interested, including the report brutalized by washington post.

Medical reasons are ok, so are mental reasons. But if you are just too lazy to make sure you don't get pregnant you just don't have the right to terminate a life. I am all for letting them watch the beating heart that's growing in their womb, and showing pictures of the fingers that are slowly developing. That is cruel, I know. Will probably traumatise them really bad. Suck it up, already shoved it up.

[HoreTore]

That serves no other purpose than the intentional infliction of pain.

[Fragony]

That serves no other purpose than the intentional infliction of pain.

Or not being very considerate, of course it cruel. But imho the stance on abortion is very old-fashioned, times have changd, more than enough foster-parents. It's a relic out of the sixties.