Surely foeticide? [or, in US, feticide?]
As for my standpoint, FWIW
- in strictly natural terms, for as long as a foetus is dependent on its host, its biological role is that of parasite. Whatever it might one day become, until capable of independent life it's up to the host to support it - or not. And if the miracles of modern medicine can prolong its existence and cellular replication outside the host... well, the same is true of a brain tumour. Or indeed a clone.
So much for nature. We're beyond using that as a point of reference. That's part of what makes us homo sapiens sapiens in the modern world, that biological imperatives no longer need govern our lives. If you don't like that, then give up seeing doctors, dentists and opticians, for a start.
- morally, if you want to create and support another life, fine. If you genuinely don't, then it's probably better not to, for your sake and that of a future child. Ideally that decision won't ever be necessary - but sometimes it is.
And that won't be an easy choice, because an abortion is the ending of a potential new human being... but if it has a 'right' to be born, doesn't the mother above all have the 'right' to want it to be born - from her? If she doesn't, then why on earth should she have to bear it?
I'm glad I'll never personally have to make that decision. As a man, I'm not sure I'd want to not have a child (presuming it was 50% mine) because of that decision - and personally, I'd like to have children. But ultimately I'm not the one having to give birth; it's a woman's choice to make as to if/whether she will, end of story. |
