Reply #3: I'm just wondering why you believe mental health is somehow less important

[eyesroll]

than physical health.

Let's say a woman is in her third trimester of pregnancy. And let's say she experiences a severe mental-health crisis. (A relative of mine, for instance, needed to drop out of school and seek treatment for depression after a breakup -- it wasn't the breakup that made her depressed, but it triggered something. She literally couldn't function.)

If a medical professional determines that her mental health will be severely and further impaired if she carries the fetus to term, should the law dictate she do so anyway? (Let's say it's a choice between letting the mental illness go untreated, or taking drugs that are 100% incompatible with pregnancy or fetal development.)

I realize this is probably an academic discussion, since I'm not a doctor and have no idea if this scenario is even possible, but you seem to be minimizing mental illness as a legitimate health problem. As someone who's seen most close family members suffer through depression, OCD and other mental illness, I find this disparity offensive.

(on edit: I have to sign off for the evening, so if there's any follow-up, I'll need to continue the discussion tomorrow. Thanks.)