WHO CAN HAVE AN ABORTION?
If a woman feels she cannot continue with a pregnancy she can consult a doctor and request termination of the pregnancy. In Australia the law allows a woman to have a therapeutic abortion as a medical treatment if a doctor feels that the continuation of a pregnancy would harm the woman. The harm can be physical or emotional.
If the person seeking an abortion is under 16 it is preferable also to have the consent of the person’s guardian. In some cases a girl may not wish to involve her parents. Individual cases can be assessed on their merits.
No one can force another person to have an abortion. You do not need the consent of your partner. There are no set limits to the number of abortions a person can have under law.
The moral dilemma
Abortion, for obvious reasons, is a challenging issue. It stimulates intense debate between those who feel it should be available and those who do not. In the eyes of some people it is morally wrong. Some religious doctrines have opposed it, and some cultural groups find abortion unjustifiable. There are doctors who distance themselves from abortion because of their own personal beliefs.
We all have the right to hold beliefs. Freedom of ideas and freedom of expression are very precious to us. Also important is the need to respect other people’s decisions and choices.
No matter what name it is given, and how it is performed, an abortion is the stopping of a life which may otherwise develop.
Doctors and other people involved with abortion services will continue to care for women in the best way they know how.
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Tags: Women’s Health
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