By Elin Brimheim Heinesen
Let me say this straight away. I support freedom of choice – meaning women should have the right to decide whether to carry a pregnancy to term or not.
This doesn’t mean I believe abortion is good or an ideal solution, as the best scenario would naturally be for women to completely avoid situations where abortion becomes relevant.
The responsibility of society must be to create the best possible conditions for children and their parents to minimise the need for abortion as much as possible.
We know that the social conditions of mothers and families are linked to the number of abortions. If we want to reduce the number of abortions and aim for zero, we must do everything to improve the conditions for children and those who have them – such as social, economic, and psychological conditions. This includes electing politicians whose goals align with implementing these societal improvements.
However, no matter how well a society is organised, there will be instances where girls/women become unintentionally pregnant despite their best efforts to avoid it. No contraception is 100% effective.
This may include very young girls/children who are made pregnant, or women with severe mental health issues, deeply depressed women who cannot bear the significant mental and physical strain of pregnancy, let alone the responsibilities of motherhood; women in abusive relationships; girls who have been subjected to incest; or girls and women who have been raped, and so on.
Who is More Cynical – Those in Favour or Those Against?
Some say it is cynical to support women’s right to choose. I’m not sure how cynical it is to advocate for a woman’s right to decide what happens to her.
A woman may have many reasons for wanting to terminate her pregnancy, where abortion might be the only way to escape a difficult situation – and where this could be the best and most loving choice to prevent bringing a child into the world who would only experience suffering – for both mother and child.
In any case, it is the woman who best knows whether she can offer a child a decent life and be the mother a child would need. Pregnancy can also be directly dangerous to carry to term, both for her and for the foetus.
I therefore believe it is far more cynical to legally force women to continue pregnancies they do not want or are not ready for – whether mentally or physically.
In my view, it is far more cynical to label women who choose abortion as murderers, killers, Nazis and other repugnant terms, as has been seen on social media lately.
I believe it is far more cynical to potentially force women back to a time where many felt compelled to terminate their pregnancies in secret, illegal, and life-threatening ways.
I would go as far as to say that if those who advocate for forcing women to carry unwanted pregnancies to term cannot guarantee that the children will have a good and dignified life, and cannot present specific, practical, and realistic solutions to ensure these children a good life in each case, then I seriously doubt how much they truly value these fetuses they claim to protect—and who is really being more “cynical.”
No, a woman knows best what she is capable of or not, and therefore it should be the woman herself who decides what should happen, not others or society, because she is the one whose body and whole life is at stake.
Therefore, I support the right to choose freely while believing that we must do everything to ensure women do not find themselves in situations where they feel forced to choose abortion.
Why do Women Choose to have an Abortion?
Women choose to have an abortion for various reasons. There are many possible causes for this. Here are some scenarios. The author is unknown:
“I am against killing innocent children.
- I stand with Becky, who during her 20-week scan discovers that the child she was so excited to welcome into the world has not developed vital organs.
- I stand with Susan, who was raped on her way home from work, and learns a month later that her attacker has impregnated her when the pregnancy test reads ‘positive’.
- I stand with Theresa, who begins to bleed due to a placental rupture, forcing her parents, husband, and children to make the impossible decision whether to save her life or that of her unborn child.
- I stand with little Cathy, whose innocence is shattered by someone she thought she could trust, and whose 11-year-old body is not mature enough to bear the consequences of this betrayal.
- I stand with Melissa, struggling to make ends meet with two jobs after her husband abandoned her, who now must choose between bringing another child into poverty and hunger or providing enough food for the children she already has.
- I stand with Brittany, who realises she is in no position—financially, emotionally, or physically—to raise a child.
- I stand with Emily, who underwent fertility treatment that resulted in six fertilised eggs, and now must reduce their number to ensure her own survival as well as that of the remaining embryos.
- I stand with Jessica, who finally found the strength to leave her physically abusive husband, only to discover she is carrying his unborn child.
- I stand with Vanessa, who after years of trying to get her life on track, goes for a pregnancy check-up only to find there is no heartbeat where there should have been one.
- I stand with Lindsay, who is in secondary school and loses her virginity but has a condom break, now faced with the choice between being a teenage mother or just a teenager.
- I stand with Courtney, who is in her 13th week of pregnancy, only to discover that the egg never left the ovary, forcing her to choose between an abortion or the risk of dying from internal bleeding.
You can say what you want about me, that I am pro-choice, but the truth is:
- I am pro-life.
- For their lives.
- For women’s lives.
You cannot pick and choose in which cases abortion should be allowed. It’s not about which stories you cannot support. It’s about fighting for the women you can support and their choice.
Women’s rights exist to protect ALL women, regardless of their situation.
Banning abortion does not stop illegal abortions. It only stops safe abortions.
Abortion is healthcare.”
What Happens to Women Who are Denied an Abortion?
Some argue that women who have an abortion suffer harm from it. This is used as an argument against free access to abortion. I won’t deny that some may experience psychological or other issues from choosing an abortion (perhaps especially because others label them as “murderers”).
But do all women who have an abortion suffer from the decision? How many women actually regret their abortion? What are the long-term consequences for women’s lives if they complete the pregnancy compared to if they don’t? What does the research show?
I recommend everyone watch this TED-talk series by Diana Greene Foster about what happens to women who are either granted or denied an abortion:
