Why Do Women Seek Abortions?  - Information Sheet

 Sources –

• Video ‘ Desperate Choices’

• Peak Practice – Abortion Information

Medical Reasons

·       Tests how that the baby will be born with a mental disability. An example would be ‘ Down’s Syndrome’.

 ·       Tests show that the baby would be born with a physical disability. An example would be ‘ Spina Bifida’. This is where the spine and the nerves around it do not develop properly – babies born with it can be in severe pain.

Recently an abortion was given because of a much more minor problem – a cleft palate ( Rev Joanna Jepson drew attention to this)

 ·       The mother is at risk – could be problems with very high blood pressure.

·       The mother has a medical problem such as cancer where the treatment will affect the foetus.

 ·       The mental health of the mother will be affected – may already be being treated for depression and does not want a baby.

 ·        Health of existing children might suffer due to neglect/ poverty.

 Social Reasons

·       The mother has no partner and is too young to take on the responsibility. This was shown in the video ‘Desperate Choices’ . A young woman……….

·       The parents think they  are too poor to bring up a child. Another case on ‘ Desperate Choices’ showed…

 ·       The parents already have enough children. ( You can also mention ‘Desperate Choices’ here.

 ·       The baby will affect the woman/ girl’s education or training E. g might be in the middle of a university course.

 ·       The baby will interfere with work/ holiday plans.

At the end you need to write a mini conclusion and evaluate which you think are the strongest and weakest reasons and say why you think this.