Abortion should NOT be rare.

[Swede Atlanta]

152. I do wish abortion to be rare.....

An abortion should be a last resort to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. But when it is the choice of the woman then it must be both legal, safe, and financially and geographically available. Period.

I fully support the right of a woman to choose an abortion to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

What I do not support, however, is the use of abortion as birth control. A fertile woman knows that having intercourse without taking precautions can lead to a pregnancy. A woman who does not take steps to prevent an unwanted pregnancy is using abortion as birth control.

Women should have ready access to family planning including birth control pills and other means of prevention, including access to condoms for their partners. Women (and men) should have comprehensive sex education both in terms of prevention of pregnancy but also prevention of the transmission of sexually-transmitted diseases.

So yes I want abortion to be rare BECAUSE I want women to have access to adequate education and methods of birth control that allow them to decide when, if anytime, is the right time for them to start a family. I want women to be so in control of their sexual lives that abortion is rarely needed except in cases of medical complications, genetic issues with the fetus, rape, incest and the like. But I want abortion to be available to women, without delay, should they have to make the decision to terminate their pregnancy.

As well we should ensure that options to adopt out are readily available to women who find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy. There are many individuals and couples that are unable to conceive. Carrying to term and giving that gift of life to a family that wants it should always be an option available to a woman, if she wants it.