To Erica King - if the foetus is unwanted, why get pregnant in the first place? Less than 1 per cent of women find themselves pregnant as a result of rape, incest, incapacity, etc, or find that their own life is at risk as a result of being pregnant. The remaining 99 per cent cannot complain if they allow themselves to get pregnant. They must live with the consequences of their own stupidity. After all, being stupid should never be an excuse from slaughtering a helpless baby.
Name and address withheld Those who protest that abortion is wrong because they themselves might have been aborted are asking the wrong question. I have no doubt that they were loved by their parents and have led happy, fulfilling lives. I have also seen the catastrophic damage done to a physically healthy child born to parents who did not want it. The question is not whether disabled foetuses may be aborted, but whether unwanted foetuses may be aborted. As for arguments that the abortion pill is dangerous, the death rate from RU-486 is 1 in 120,000 (FDA figures). The death rate from childbirth in the UK is 1 in 1,400 (WHO figures). Any attempt to argue against abortion on safety grounds is intellectually dishonest. Erica King, Nottingham
I find it horrific that people are claiming it is the right of the mother to decide if her unborn child is to live or die. Where in all this is the right of the child to experience life? By definition, the termination of someone's life is murder, which is what this is. I do feel that people are using it as another method of family planning, as far as I was aware this was not the reason behind the Abortion Act. Name and address withheld
To Sarah Jones (below) and anyone else shaking with outrage at the idea that a woman could have the temerity to abort a person as utterly fantastic as your good self: I too was born with what some would consider a "deformity" and I too have gained a PhD, travelled the world and live a fulfilling life. However, I would always want to live this life in a world in which had my mother so wished, she could have chosen, for any reason, not to further my existence before I ceased to be a part of her own body. This should be an essential right for all women as owners of their own bodies, regardless of whether or not all women have the compassion and intellectual capacity to understand this. Victoria Smith, Oxford
How is this allowed to happen? For my own part I am pro life, and would urge others to seek life not abortion, but would also leave it up to the conscience of others to make their own choice. I wonder where the consciences of those aborting a child for minor imperfections were? Other comments here from people who have lived with the condition club foot indicate that they have full and happy lives. A foot does not define who you are. Sarah Marquis, London
Either you accept abortion on demand, for any reason, or you accept that sometimes a woman should be forced to carry a baby to term, against her will. If we accept the second then it is the end of the philosophical basis for liberal abortion laws. The only question becomes when it is appropriate for the state to intervene. Malcolm McLean, Bradford
Sarah Jones (below) is presumably unaware of the fact that most terminations are performed early in pregnancy by the uterus itself. The uterus decides that a proto-foetus is unviable and a woman, probably unaware that she is pregnant, has a late and slightly heavy period. A significant number of pregnancies end this way. This was established by a large scale survey of women (nurses as I recall) who were hoping to become pregnant and who agreed to an analysis of their menstrual blood for indications of a conception and miscarriage. Name and address withheld
Sadly, abortion has become too easy to obtain. The 1967 Abortion Act was passed to allow it in certain circumstances, but these have gradually been interpreted more and more liberally, so that virtually any woman who does not want to continue with her pregnancy can have an abortion. If one doctor is unwilling to sanction it, there is nearly always another who will. Two doctors' signatures are still required to authorise a termination, but this does not always mean that both will have seen the woman. The tragedy resulting from championing women's right to choose is that life is cheapened, sex is trivialised, thousands of unborn children are destroyed and many women's lives torn apart in the process. Roxana Whelan, Nottingham
The word 'easy' should never even be considered when discussing abortions. The sad fact is that many women will have to face such a heartbreaking decision as aborting an unwanted pregnancy, and to suggest that such decisions are come to lightly is to completely undermine those women and their partners' right to make that choice. You cannot enforce 'degrees' of allowing abortion, as in only cases of rape and incest etc. Every woman has to make that decision for themselves in relation to their own circumstances. I think the sad issue here, is actually how people think they have the right to make huge, generalising sweeping statements about women whose financial and emotional condition they know nothing about, who are making use of laws that have been put in place to protect their interests. People say "what's next?" when dealing with the issue of women being legally able to abort pregnancies with substantial medical conditions; I say "what's next?" when thinking about what the world would be like if we start to take away peoples' fundamental rights. It is unbelievably ignorant to suggest that women who have abortions show "wilful contempt of human life". I think we can cope with dwindling population, rather than having every unwanted child born into a life of disadvantage because their mothers never wanted them in the first place. Name and address withheld
When and where are we going to draw the line? Today, club foot is considered by some parents to be a justifiable reason to abort a baby, but tomorrow, who knows? perhaps in a few years the wrong colour eyes or nose shape will make people think that killing a baby is the merciful thing to do. I agree entirely with Sarah Jones, and I too am pro choice, but if parents can kill their baby because it had club foot, perhaps abortion should be banned altogether. Ola Marki, Paris
It's a total disgrace that babies with club feet can be aborted. From there it's a very small step to aborting because of some minor design flaw. How parents can even be offered an abortion on such grounds is beyond belief. My ex-husband is a surgeon and deals with such children every day. Their physical differences are but a small part of each and every child who is so much more than the extent of his/her difference. It's absolutely tragic that mothers choose to abort on such grounds and should be aware that they are ridding the world of a valid, potentially wonderful human being. I hope measures are brought in to stop this murderous behaviour. From someone who is pro-choice, but not on any grounds. Sarah Hague, Montpellier
Having gone through such a terrible ordeal, I have to say I do not support this idea of the abortion pill at all. It has to take place over 3 weeks and there is not a 100% guarantee it will work. One's mind is in such traumatic state as it is that you don't want to have to endure three more weeks of emotional heartache and turmoil. The only reason I initially considered it was because it seemed safer and more natural but when I found out it would take 3 weeks, and I would have to go back 3 times, I immediately decided I couldn't go through it for 3 weeks more. Name and address withheld
I completely agree with Sarah from Cardiff. I too was born with severe bilateral talipes (club feet) and my mother was advised that I may never walk. In those days scans were not available (I am 36) so therefore the option to abort was not there (I am also pro-choice). I have had numerous operations and again will require several more over the years, and yes it is a disability more to some than others, but the majority of people that meet me would never know. However, I have travelled the world, lived in 5 different countries, skied since I was 8, have participated in everything from bungee jumping to abseiling, and continue to lead a full, fun and active life, even doing touch rugby this season, legs allowing. I think the true facts about club feet should be made known to anyone that is wondering what may or may not happen with their newborn. I have visited a number of patients in children's hospitals and feel that this is not only of great help to the child but also to the parents. I have tried on numerous occasions to raise awareness about this condition and would be happy to speak to anyone further. Name and address withheld
It is easy in this country to obtain an abortion, as I have unfortunately proved twice, both times at 10 weeks. However no one should be under the illusion that the abortion pill, also known as a medical termination, is an easy option. It is far far more traumatic, painful and heartbreaking than surgery, because it is in effect an induced miscarriage, and it makes clear how unnatural it is to voluntarily kill your own child. That is what abortion is, whether at 12 weeks or at 24 weeks. It is the one thing that will always make me cry if I think about it too much, and perhaps I do regret my choice. Late abortion is the other issue, and to me the only reason for that would be if the child's quality of life was going to be severely impaired. I cannot possibly understand why someone would abort a child for something as minor as clubfoot, when they have already made the positive choice to have the baby. The nursery would be ready, all family and friends told, and then what - all that love and anticipation is withdrawn because the expected guest is not perfect? What a strange world. Name and address withheld
