I don't think it should be a crime because the person has to be pretty desperate to try to carry out an abortion on themselves so i say they have suffered enough from the ordeal of doing it to themselves and don't deserve to be punished any more

I don't think that fixing your own faecet is hardly comparable. could be wrong though.

I don't think that they are comparing self-abortion to suicide at all. I just think that they are looking out for the person...but does this mean that being prescribed the abortion pill other know as the ru-486, as self-abortion? Or is sticking a hanger up your ummm cooch more of the meaning of self abortion? the artical wasn't clear as to what medications she took, "ingested several over-the-counter and prescription medications" this tells us nothing. And taking a bunch of medications would most likely kill her and the baby...but if it didn't kill her I don't see how it would kill the baby.

so i don't know.

That's generally what I feel.

That's why I included the parts about fixing your own bones, since that relates directly to your body...

A short and sweet .N.O

yes it should be illegal but it shouldn't carry a prison sentence more a visit to the local phsyc ward the same as they would/do with a attempted suicide

Yeah but i think that fixing your own bones is different than ingesting a whole bunch of pills. (and they aren't trying to kill themselves by fixing a bone.)the chances of this killing yourself is more likely than setting a bone...which most people don't have the pain tollerance to do anyway. consuming pills is an easy thing to do. She was risking her own life trying to abort her fetus.

I am still on the bar with this one.

This is tough...

If making self abortion illegal will promote the values of safety and health for women, then I support it.

However, nothing is ever this simple.

I agree with diamond splinter that it should be illegal--- but a trip to the psych ward or jail not required. A trip to the hospital to see if you are medically clear is in order. Sure, there may be other psychiatric issues, but just because a woman wants to abort and she may have barriers to that doesn't mean she's mentally ill.

So if we make it illegal, then something has to balance this; because women would not self abort if they had adequate resources. So we need to promote these resources, thus eradicating even the need for the law. Which is hard to enforce anyways.

Does any of that make sense?

you're missing the point.

I was talking about medically caring for yourself. Setting your own bones, making your own casts, sewing stitches... all of these activities are dangerous and easy to do wrong, that's why they should be done by professionals. Yet, it's not illegal to do them yourself. However, self-aborting is illegal, and the only reason this is so is because the fetus is involved; the law doesn't care about the mother at all; otherwise it wouldn't punish her.

Women that attempt self abortion are typically poor and poverty stricken, so why not have funding for abortion for these women?

It seems that our medicaid system is more than happy to shell out 20,000$ plus for prenatal care and L&D charges, but they are not covering a 400$ procedure.

I am not missing the point. I realize that self aborting is illegal!!!!!!!!! I am just giving my views of the topic. there isn't a point to be missed. I dont' think that the only reason is that there is a fetus involved...I belive that there are other reasons. I am sure that if they didnt' care about the mother at all then abortion would be illegal regardless.

Your point is your views and because i don't see it that way i am wrong...right?

Well, what's the point in it being illegal, then, if you are not going to be punished for it ?

And to keep it as short as I can, I believe that self-induced abortions should not be a punishable crime. Alcoholics who consume extremely heavy amounts of alcohol on a daily basis are not prosecuted (and rightly so), thus why should these women? I know if someone, for example, attempts an abortion via the old coathanger method (obviously a very desperate person, but that's not the issue I'm highlighting), then they have the right to. I believe that people should have the right to do whatever they want with their own bodies (good or bad). End of.

Kypros.

I was referring to this part:
"She was risking her own life trying to abort her fetus."
and to the fact that it should't make a difference. Her body, her choice; there are many more dangerous activities that are totally legal. I firmly believe this has only to do with the fetus.

I said nothing about your views.

then why is suiside illegal? If it's all about the fetus and not about the person carrying?

Because suicide counts as the murder of a born person.

I did a little internet research and i didnt' see anywhere that suicide was compaired to homicide...do i need to remind you of the defintion of murder?

The point of it being illegal is to deter women from doing it. I think making it illegal forces the issue to rise that not all women have adequate resources available, that self abortion does occur, and that we need to find ways so that women do not have to go to this extreme measure to do what is legally within their rights. Of course I realize the ridiculousness of enforcing the law. How the hell you going to enforce that? but maybe it'll keep one woman from doing it; and thus protect her from potentially deadly hazards, and that's worth it to me.

I think it is ultimately the responsibility of prochoice to promote health and safety of women, as they choose it . However ,the value of protection of life trumps the value of autonomy (IMHO). Thus, if a person is a mortal and immediate danger to themself (perhaps by performing a self abortion) then their right to autonomy is secondary to getting this person medically stable.

I know that it is a law, whether people "compare" it to murder is a moot point.

It's no longer illegal here