First off, as a sexual abuse survivor I can tell you that killing your unborn child isn't going to make the trauma magically disappear. So the whole rape issue is really a nonissue to me. Basically I think the whole debate boils down to what you consider a person. After all, I think everyone agrees that killing a person is wrong. If you don't think an unborn baby is a person then it makes sense that you'd be pro-choice. I believe an unborn baby is a person. During the 5th week of gestation (3 weeks after fertilization) blood cells, kidney cells, and nerve cells all develop, the baby's external features begin to form, and the baby's brain, spinal cord, and heart begin to develop. It has a heartbeat at just 6 weeks gestational age (4 weeks after fertilization). Most people don't even realize they are pregnant at that point. So I'm pro-life. I'm OK with Plan B, since it stops the egg from ever implanting, but I'm not OK with surgical abortion. Also, I don't consider a procedure done to save a mother's life an abortion. It's a medical procedure done to save someone's life, first and foremost. The result may be the death of a child, but it is not the primary objective. I consider this similar to the medical procedure to separate conjoined twins. Sometimes conjoined twins share organs in such a way that if left conjoined they will both die, or if separated one will die and the other live. I think it's perfectly reasonable to perform a procedure in that case so that one may live.
Pro-choice all the way. I've always believed that people will choose to do good if given a chance but if not I know they carry that guilt well as I have met many who've chosen abortion and the stories are varied but very real. Carrying life is beautiful but it's also scary-- I think women who've experienced this will know how it truly feels and I know whatever their choices are that it's really just their choice to make.
A question for all I'd ask is do you not believe that at 9 months or even a month or 2 prior to that that the woman has another life she's carrying? If a woman or girl is raped, a victim of incest, has health issues that arise early on, or has no health issues, is there a point anytime before birth that you would see as a cutoff? Should they be given a deadline prior to the 9 months that they would need to act upon before it's considered a life of its own worthy of a chance at life? If there are no rape, incest, or health issues, and the woman makes the choice to abort, should there be a cutoff before the 9 month period for them to do so? Should they be mandated to take care of the "problem" prior to 9 months or sooner?
