People are spending a lot of time and energy these days trying keep abortion legal, or to make it illegal. I wish we would spend more time trying to figure out how to help women avoid the unwanted pregnancies that often lead them to have abortions. We also need to find ways to empower/encourage women to carry their babies to term and give birth when they experience unwanted pregnancies.
How can we reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies? One way would be to encourage people to wait until marriage to be sexually active. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 64.4% of all abortions are performed on women who are not married. Encouraging people to not have sex if they definitely do not want to have a child, or aren't in a financial position to support a child will also help to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.
How can we empower/encourage women who experience unwanted pregnancies to carry them to term and give birth? Above all we need to find ways to help them realize the value of all human life, especially helpless unborn life. In addition, we need to provide encouragement when they feel apprehensive about pregnancy and childbirth. We need to provide financial aid if needed to help her afford the pregnancy, childbirth, post natal care, and beyond.
If we can find ways to help women avoid unwanted pregnancies, and help women with unwanted pregnancies to choose life for their unborn child, abortion will soon become a moot issue.
Agreed. Saying that increased contraception will reduce the need for abortion is like saying wearing fireproof clothing while running through a burning building will best reduce your chances of ever catching on fire.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to prevent pregnancy is not to engage in the only activity that causes it. [Something I tend to say a lot... :) ]
Women in crisis pregnancies deserve support. (Especially since they often aren't getting it from their partners, and it takes two to make a baby.)