Susan - middle class 30 something Mums are adults, usually employed and are far more likely to be emotionally, physically and mentally able to raise a child. Do you agree with girls as young as 11 and 12 becoming mothers? These girls are still children themselves!

Becky , Leeds,

Absolutely excellent article. Shame about some of the comments though.

Taboos need to be broken down, and teenagers need to be encouraged to communicate with their families and each other about sex and contraceptives in order to reduce the need to make an agonising choice a month down the line.

Liam, London, UK

Greg: How heartless! Teens will be considering their immeditate situation in this life, not the afterlife! Only believers need to prove God's existence.

Article is great but why are we failing to get the message about contraception through? It's for more than just stopping pregnancy.

Caroline, Aberdeen, UK

It is insulting to assume that all teenage mothers are instant failures for society and themselves. Many are good mums and have support to finish education/work. Half of ALL pregnancies are unplanned but we don't pressurise middle class 30-something mums to abort or adopt and look down on them.

Susan , Brighton, UK

what about adoption rather than abortion? there are so so many people on waiting lists, hearts aching for a baby. i'm one of them! so every time i hear of someone having an abortion, i know that's one more childless couple being told to keep waiting. waiting, with an empty, loving home.

Kate, morecambe, UK

Brilliant article, Caitlin! British common sense and compassion on display. Thank you for setting it out so clearly. These girls are courageous indeed, and they deserve all our support, kindness and understanding. I wish you were a cabinet minister.... Any chance? :)

David, London,

insightful article but i think by saying having a baby when young is always the worse option is pretty insulting to 18/19 year olds from middle class families who get pregnant (and there are plenty of them) who actually decide to do what's right (keep the baby) instead of killing it-which is easier

Amanda, Northants, UK

I did rationally choose abortion and it was not an easy or pleasant decision but it was the right one for me.

Clare , London, UK

Abortion is a direct contradiction of our nature: It is not possible to rationally choose to abort.

Further it presumes that the embryo is not truly alive, else it is murder. That depends on the unprovable non-existence of God.

Not giving the benefit of the doubt is murderous presumption.

Greg Lorriman, Leatherhead, UK

Quite right. The pro-lifers never actually consider what that life will be like after birth, they never think what it must feel like to be an unwanted child. And adoption is not the answer, given the length of time the average UK child will spend in care, unable to form genuine attachments

Sophie, Liverpool,

Quite right. Many people happily sit on their pedastals dishing out their infinitely superior moralistic tosh completely ignoring the fact that actually no, abortion isnt really quick or easy as it normally comes at the expense of a lifetime of psychological warfare against oneself.

kitty, St Albans,

Jo,
On that note, consider the rising population in the world. We are exponentially growing in numbers, and our world isn't getting any better.
Yes, these kids need to make better decisions and be educated on proper contraceptives, but abortion here is preventing us from overcrowding further.

Marie, Walker,

Marion, i think you misunderstood the article - nowhere does it say or imply that the lives of those born to teenage mothers are worth less than any other lives. The point was that such children would undoubtedly suffer as a result of the circumstances into which they were born. Saying this, i do be

Marco, Kraków, Polska

Speaking as a fervent proponent of abortion, I have to say I disagree with this article. Abortion should be an option, and I am ready to fight for it. But please do not suppose, for the sake of defending it, that the life of unwanted children is worthless.

Marion, Brussels, Belgium

What has happened to personal responsibility? Are birth control devices unavailable or unknown? Why not have the babies adopted? Is it a better choice to just kill them?

Jo, Marietta, USA

I agree too. Unwanted pregnancies happen, and they are not a good thing, but it is worse still if they turn into unwanted children. This is why we need abortion, though I'm sure we all wish it wasn't necessary.

Sarah, London, UK

An excellent article.

Patricia Thornton, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Sorry Caitlin but that is just a cop-out. They are not too young to think for themselves and to exercise some control over their activities and behaviours. Yes perhaps better that there are fewer "unwanted" children but the long term solution needs to be something different.

Billy Barnett, HK,

It's very unusual to read an article which is as thoughtful, sensitive and well argued as this. I agree with every word of it.

james brownley, london,