Thoughts on abortion

I put forward that a reduction in the number of induced abortions performed, not just in Canada, but
around the world, would be a good thing. A complete reduction of abortions to 0% may not be possible,
as there will always be instances beyond the control of the woman involved, i.e. risks of a life
threatening nature to the woman during pregnancy, rape victims not wanting to carry a fetus to term,
etc.

If we can agree that reducing the number of induced abortions performed in Canada and around the
world would be a good thing, how should we go about accomplishing this goal? Would criminalization
or regulation of abortion help us achieve this goal, or are there alternatives? To come up with
useful/meaningful solutions to this issue we should first review the history of induced abortion in
Canada.

History:

From 1869 to 1969 abortions were made illegal in an attempt to stop them from being performed. This
did not achieve the goal of putting an end to induced abortions, rather it drove this medical service
underground, and desperate women were forced to seek abortions in ways which were dangerous to
their physical and mental health. These black market abortions could lead to injury, or sometimes death
for these pregnant women 1.

From 1969 up until 1988, women seeking abortions were required to have their request for abortion
approved by a Therapeutic Abortion Committee comprised of three doctors 2. This process could take
up to 6 to 8 weeks before a decision was reached 1. This extended waiting period put the health and
safety of these women at greater risk if their abortion was approved at a later date in their pregnancies.
And again, if their abortion was not officially approved, they could seek out more dangerous and illegal
alternatives.

“In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada repealed the abortion law in its entirety, a ruling now known as
the “Morgentaler decision.” The judges said that enforcement of the law resulted in inequitable access
and arbitrary obstacles for women, thereby violating their constitutional rights under Canada’s Charter
of Rights and Freedoms. The Supreme Court also found the law’s requirements to be unreasonable, and
substantially increased the risks to the health of pregnant women, both physically and psychologically,
especially in certain locations. This was found to violate women’s “security of the person” (bodily
integrity) by a majority of the judges.” 3

“In a concurring opinion, one judge, Bertha Wilson, also said that abortion is a Charter right based on
women’s “right to life,” personal “liberty,” and “freedom of conscience.” Justice Wilson said: “The right
to liberty…guarantees to every individual a degree of personal autonomy over important decisions
intimately affecting their private lives. ... The decision whether or not to terminate a pregnancy is
essentially a moral decision, and in a free and democratic society, the conscience of the individual must
be paramount to that of the state." 3

“The Progressive Conservative government, under Brian Mulroney, attempted to pass a law making
early-stage abortions legal and easily accessible while at the same time criminalizing late-stage
abortions; this law was defeated by a significant majority of MPs. A second proposed law, brought
forward in 1989, would have banned all abortions except when doctors determined a woman’s life was
in danger. This actually passed the House by a slim margin, but was defeated by the Senate, and given
the controversial nature of the law the government chose not to pursue it. Neither has any government
since.” 2

Today “the absence of an abortion law in Canada does not mean that a woman can easily obtain an
abortion at any time during her pregnancy. Physicians in Canada normally do not perform abortions
after the twenty-fourth week of a pregnancy, unless the health of the woman is in serious jeopardy even
though they cannot be prosecuted for doing so.” 4

Moving Forward:

As history has shown us, imposing laws and regulations on the practice of induced abortion in Canada
has not removed women’s need or desire for abortions, and it has not helped us to effectively reduce
the number of induced abortions performed in the long term.

So what else can we do in an attempt to reduce the number of abortions performed in Canada? Maybe
instead of reactively condemning the abortions themselves, we could try to proactively understand what
some of the reasons, and decision making processes, are that women use when determining whether or
not an a abortion is the right choice for them.

What could some of these reasons be?

As summarized in the paper titled “Reasons Why Women Have Induced Abortions: Evidence from 27
Countries” the “most commonly reported reason women cite for having an abortion is to postpone or
stop childbearing. The second most common reason—socioeconomic concerns—includes disruption of
education or employment; lack of support from the father; desire to provide schooling for existing
children; and poverty, unemployment or inability to afford additional children. In addition, relationship
problems with a husband or partner and a woman's perception that she is too young constitute other
important categories of reasons.”

The study concludes by stating that the “reasons women give for why they seek abortion are often far
more complex than simply not intending to become pregnant; the decision to have an abortion is
usually motivated by more than one factor. Improved contraceptive use can help reduce unintended
pregnancy and abortion, though some abortions will remain difficult to prevent, because of limits to
women's ability to determine and control all circumstances of their lives.” 5

Unplanned pregnancy may be a reason why women choose to have an abortion. But in this day and age
why are there unplanned pregnancies in Canada? There are plenty of contraceptives to choose from. A
woman can be on the pill, and for added protection her partner can use a condom, and the chances of
conception drop to practically zero. Those are just 2 of the many contraceptive options available today,
some being more effective than those stated above. So why are people having unplanned pregnancies?
As summarized by the Health Evidence Network, part of the WHO, “European evidence has shown that a
focus on the following may be effective in reducing the rate and negative consequences of teenage
parenthood” 6, and thusly abortions:

“preventing unintended conceptions (rather than reducing pregnancy

levels through higher abortion rates);” 6

“strengthening secondary preventive efforts – education, employment

and support – aimed at helping the mother and child, in particular single
mothers;” 6

“integrating prevention efforts with other related services; and” 6

“providing sex education before young people become sexually active,

with open attitudes and a positive approach to sexual health and
relationships.” 6

Conclusion:

History has shown us that imposing laws and regulations on the practice of induced abortion in Canada
does not reduce or eliminate a woman’s need for an abortion, and it does not address the underlying
reasons as to why a woman would wish to have an abortion. Such laws and regulations would also
restrict access to those who require an abortion, and unduly infringe upon women’s civil liberties.

Rather, I suggest that the issue be approached from the side of prevention, with an increase in safe sex
education in our schools, our homes, and within the general public. Contraceptives should be made
more easily accessible and affordable to the general public through more effective public awareness
campaigns and greater government subsidies on contraceptives. And, as a society, we need to become
more accepting of our own sexuality, and reduce and eventually do away with the many social stigmas
and taboos surrounding sex and sexuality present today.
References:

1 http://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/articles/canada.shtml

2 https://www.onlineparty.ca/issue.php?ISSUEID=158

3 http://www.canadiansforchoice.ca/caralreportshort.pdf

4 http://www.loc.gov/law/help/sex-selection/canada.php

5 http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/2411798.html
International Family Planning Perspectives, 1998, 24(3):117-127 & 152
Reasons Why Women Have Induced Abortions: Evidence from 27 Countries
(Bankole A, Singh S, and Haas T)

6 http://www.euro.who.int/en/what-we-do/data-and-evidence/health-evidence-network-
hen/publications/hen-summaries-of-network-members-reports/what-are-the-most-effective-strategies-
for-reducing-the-rate-of-teenage-pregnancies
What are the most effective strategies for reducing the rate of teenage pregnancies?
Summary of a HEN network member’s report