To potential abortionists: What if your mother had decided that while you were forming in her womb, being gently and slowly and miraculously 'knitted' together, that she did not want you and that it was time to curtail this wonderful formation of 'you' and had you terminated.....? Please consider.

Penny Souster, Milton Keynes, England

I agree with much of what said, but the issue is much more complicated, what if one partner wants the child very much and the other doesn't? I know many women with limited means, but a lot of love who have raised excellent children who according to your criteria should have been angry and messed up.

Margaret, leamington spa,

As a women who works at an abortion clinic, I just wanted to say your article is really well done. To the person who had mentioned basically " if you don't want kids use birth control" dude,as someone in the field for years more than half of all pregnanies/abortions happend on birth control.Come on its 2007,my issues with anti's are they don't go by facts or personal stories(like none of your buisness what others do) its all about standing in front of the clinics and judging,Thanks for the article will definately pass it on.
Eli

Eli Kuti, Pittburgh, PA

what i don't understand, though, and please forgive my ignorance is, with all the contraception available in our "evolved state" why are you in need of a termination? if you have used contraception and still become pregnant, hasn't fate intervened?.. no matter what my situation in life, if i were to fall pregnant again (i have 2 boys) i would do everything i have done previously, and that is to allow the feotus to grow within me, to give birth,and to grow into a healthy and adjusted adult with help and support of family & friends. there are of course reasons beyond doubt for someone to terminate.. but, to choose career or partnership or any other selfish act over life, then more fool you, we are here, on this planet, as any animal, to procreate.

michelle, nottingham,

My personal thanks and a well done to you Ms Moran, for being courageous enough to bring your (undoubtedly still taboo) views to our imaginations.

I could not find one bit of the article I am able to disagree with, and, this coming from a person who believes quite strictly that every argument has an equally good counter argument.

Why we live in a society that seems to become all melancholy as soon as the word abortion is mentioned remains somewhat of an idiosyncrasy to me. The ending of life (whatever the consensus maybe of when it actually begins) can be a positive thing and need not be traumatic experience. Of course, it is only the conditioning of society onto our humble minds that makes it so.

Now, without any methods of sugar-coating I pose the question: will we ever congratulate a woman for making the decision to abort/terminate/get-rid-of? Yes. I already have.

SB, Yorkshire, England

1)A foetus at before a certain point is not a human.

2) The 'potential' argument does not work as otherwise every missed chance to have sex is a wasted life.

Ben, York,

One of the great experiences of my life was, as an Episcopalian ( why is this word just coming out of the closet?) to go to a catholic ( in both senses of the word) college of education. They took me because they thought I'd be interesting: I went because it was interesting. We had a mix of various religions, Catholics (nuns included), young men ( for the first time), whatever. It was wonderful! I remember my discussions with the nuns on issues such as divorce and abortion. We often came to a sticking point. My friend, Sister... who was a missionary sister in Africa and I and various other of the Sisters. I remember being in a RE group ( I almost got my Catholic Teaching Certificate: I had to point out that I was not Catholic!) and asking a question on ethics. The nun heading the discussion said: Oh, I thought you were going to ask me about divorce. "My mother always told me never to argue with a true believer, " I replied. Mom was right. But the right to chose is sacred.

Carlyle Braden, Croydon, U.K.

My cousin had three abortions, she felt that she wasnt ready at those times to be a mother, the right man hadnt come into her life, her career was important. Years later she had a son who was severly brain damaged at birth. I had three children and she often says to me, you were so lucky to have three healthy children and now you have grandchildren. I envy you.

I do wonder if the baby you abort is your only chance to have a healthy child. Who knows what the future holds.

Katt, Adelaide , Australia

"you shall not kill"
to be found, as Chesterton said of another commandment, engraved on tablets of stone and men's hearts though you go to utter ends of the universe or time.
Many a mitigating circumstance there may be, case by case.
That oughter be enough.
OF course every human being deserves love- aint one but aint got a father in heaven - no copout. Parent(s) may die or go mad any time.
A father's voice! Romans had it : loving roman fathers eposed /sold their kids a s sexual slaves rathern see em starve-..Avoid suffering? put em out of their misery? Ever been aghast at 3rd world street kids ? Of course!
What a life the elephant man had ! But for eyes to see that can the world is richer for his passage
Al on yer that's killed - God loves you as you are, warts n all, a int nothing but nothing unforgiveable - I know as a common sinner -
BUT puttin it right don't mean it wasn't wrong, and justifying evil is evil. Lucifer : angel of light! Don't Follow him!

thomas cliffson, murcia, spain

I have had two abortions and I do not regret either one of them. There is no way that I would bring a child of mine into a world in which I could not provide emotionally and financially fo it. I aborted (stopped) both pregnancies BEFORE the fetus developed into a breathing, thinking, feeling being.

The fact that there are people who want to criminalize abortion says more about peoples' attitudes toward women than it does about their attitudes toward human life. People think that women should be martyrs, they should go against their better judgement and instinct and bring a life into the world even when they know it will be detrimental to them.

We pride strength in men and loathe it in women. If men could get pregnant, how many of you would respect a man who was so weak that he let others (strangers) make private reproductive decisions for him? Yet, this weakness is what is expected fromeven if it means having surgery in a back alley.

Diane, Michigan, USA

Abortion issues always seem to exclude the father. In an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy, the man appears to have no part of any decision making from thereon in.

To have the baby or to have an abortion? The man can suggest whatever he wants, but the woman will ultimately decide. With what appears to be full morale & legal support on her side.

So what if the baby will be born into a loveless relationship? Who cares if the baby is born to an unfit mother (Smoker/drinker/young). Who cares if the mother wants to be on her own without the father being present? Who cares if the mother does not have a future? The mother gets to choose it all as the man will be emotionally blackmailed for the rest of his life to provide for a baby they may have chosen not to have.

Too much emphasis is put on what happens after the baby is bought into this troubled world. Unless the woman has been raped, all decisions about the unborn baby should be an informed choice for both of the parents.

W Stocks, Aberdeen, UK

Making the choice to have an abortion is hard enough without any guilt being put on the woman. It IS her body and ultimately HER decision. Who has the right to tell any woman she HAS to have a child or at least carry one? Are they going to help pay for the child's expenses for the first 20 years, or help raise that child, or be there for the mother if she regrets having to have the child and feels resentment towards the situation? Unless the person opposing an abortion for ANY woman can help with these situations, then they don't have the right to any say do they? There are enough unwanted children in this world, go look in a local orphanage, to bring more unwanted children in this world. Why don't all these pro-lifers go and adopt some of these children, that would be money and time better spent. Men also do not know what it is like to have children, so they could not possibly know what it is like to make this decision. It is really a woman's issue and choice.

Robin Castellanos, San Antonio, TX, USA

I had an abortion a week ago and have felt nothing but relief ever since. It was an easy decision to make. I do not want to give my body up. I do not want a baby right now. Its that simple. As for whether I'm considered motherly or not - I really do not care. It's my body and I do not want it taken over. An embryo of 6 weeks (it's not considered a foetus at this stage), half a peas width in size, does not have rights that ecilpse mine.

The logical conclusion of attributing an embryo with life equivalent to an adults is that an ovum is also a life. If you were to argue that an ovum needs to be fertilised then you could also argue that an embryo needs a hosts body to nourish it.

Even if an embryo were to be considered a life with rights equal to mine - I still believe I have a moral right to refuse to let my body to be used as a host - just as I have a right not to allow another adult to invade my body - even if this adult would die if they didn't.

Sophie, London, UK

A common refrain I hear is regarding the psychological anguish women suffer when aborting their child. And yet, young women are having 2, 3, and even 4 abortions, using it as pseudo-contraception. I just don't buy it. I see instead that abortion is really about an escape from responsibility and supporting a laissez-faire lifestyle free of moral consequence. I believe a woman has final dominion over her own body, but it is disingenious of Ms. Moran to argue that this is anything but taking a human life for narrow self-interest, and her intellectual dishonesty cannot change that. "An intelligent, logical, humble, compassionate thing to do,"--indeed; the very definition of sophistry.

Isaac Citrom, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Please can somebody explain to me the logic of the British aborting their own children then bringing in young immigrants to keep the economy moving?

Edwin Martin, Bedford, UK

If men were the child bearers of the species, I don't think we would even be having this debate.

Jonathan, Edinburgh,

It shows how far we have gone down the wrong road that anybody can call and aborion the 'ultimate ' motherly act.
That it should be even debated as there being two equal views on the matter speaks volumes also.Does no one remember the past at all? In that the supposed emotive and sentimental reason for having nhs abortions was so that there would stop to back street ones.That may well have stopped but what do we have in its place? and production line of abortions.The generation has signed up to the lie that we all "have a right to life"But is it not strange that neither the elderly nor the yet unborn have it so.
Some say it is the womans body and therefore it is the womans choice,That too is a lie.For when she gave her body for but a comparitively moments pleasure she relinquished the right to the consequences.
An abortion then is but compounding with a greater wrong a wrong allready committed.It has nothing to do with mother hood but a complete selfish self iinterest.

Gerald Blezard, london, uk

Ultimate motherly act, to destroy rather than nurture?
I don't think so, Caitlin. Tell that to the many women caring for disabled children.
If your choice of work-tops really matters more to you than bearing a child, you need help.
You cheapen the extreme distress in which many women find themselves wih an unwanted pregnancy.

Pat Morris, Walton on the Naze, Essex

Nothing causes psychological anguish to a woman more than aborting her child. Where is the concern for health?

Father Bryan Storey , Tintagel, UK

You claim abortion in these circumstances to be the "ultimate motherly act" but doesn't that mean you are completely thinking of your child and nobody else?

You listed all the pain you went through with your first two children, and you claimed that you are just too tired and that it isn't practical. I can understand that but that's not the ultimate motherly act, that's just because you are too tired to raise another child. Why didn't you just say that?

Heather, Yarm,

So all the people who say don't have sex, unless you want a child, did any one consider that sex or making love is probably one of the biggest signs of love between 2 people? Or did I just miss the point, should see a shrink, live on my own and buy a vibrator when I went to get my 'rocks off'? Some people can't t raise a child in the world, yet are in a loving relationship and therefore if the no sex argument is followed, shouldn't be allowed to show this love in a physical way. No contraception is 100% effective. I would have an abortion (and recently had a miscarriage), in order to protect my step daughter, as another baby on the scene would break her heart, and she has to come first. However, I won't steralise myself, as there may be a time when life allows myself and partner to bring another child into the world.

Ally, London, UK

Maz,

What you ruthlessly refer to as "non-viable" describes the situation of being a dependent person. No real man would have anything to do with a woman who was prepared to kill their dependent child.

Kevin, London,

Az,

Challenging engagement is one thing, deliberate twisting of an argument to suit your agenda quite another.

Of course no one life is more important than any other. But legalising abortion is no solution since it simply replaces one risk group with another and much larger one. Neither should we forget that women also die as a direct result of legal abortion - and there is emerging evidence of a link between abortion and suicide.

The truth is every life lost, born and unborn, is an infinite tragedy. That is why many, many ‘pro-life’ people work very hard to help women who might otherwise seek abortion, legal or not, for their sakes as well as for those of the children they carry.

No woman should ever feel driven to seek an abortion, back-street or otherwise. Surely, in view of all the adverse consequences, we should all work to reduce the incidence of “unwanted” pregnancy and support with our love and practical care those who might otherwise feel driven to seek abortion.

Pauline Gately, Weybridge,

My Mum very nearly had me aborted as she felt she was not in a position to bring up a child. That would have been her choice and I would have been none the wiser. Since I have been in the world she has been a wonderful mother and I have never once resented the fact that she initially did not want me. She was not rejecting me as a person but a situation she wasn't ready to cope with. There are far too many children in the world leading harsh existences to think being born is the ulitmate motherly act.
I am pro-choice and think until the baby can breathe on its own it is part of a woman's body and it is her choice what she does with her own body

Emma, London,

Kevin, London,

Such language as "pro-abortionists" has no place in any debate. You are damning the opposite opinion (which is as valid as yours) from the start and you show a lack of open-mindedness and willingness to understand the complex reasoning behind the debate in hand.

It is simply barbarism to equate a non-viable embryo or fetus with that of a born, thinking, sentient female person - a lack of respect of a woman's autonomy over her own reproductive system. Men like you scare women like me. I'm so glad I don't have any like you in my life.

Maz, Yorkshire, England

Pro-abortionists do not argue a case, they merely state their political position, which is: "If I say so, the baby's going to die and there's nothing you can do about it". Sometimes some "victimology" rhetoric is thrown in, other times not. The very sympathy that is invoked in support of the mother who wishes to abort her child derives from the same morality that should be equally solicitous of the child's welfare. If there is ever an extreme circumstance with a terribly difficult call to make vis-a-vis abortion then a moral society would allow that circumstance to be pleaded in mitigation AFTER the event. To legislate in advance that an unborn child is an inferior or non-person - a tactic that has also been employed against people based on sex, race or health, and not just age - is to allow people to kill others for the sake of the almighty orgasm. When you are driven by that kind of barbaric mentality, of course you have a good chance of winning the cuture war.

Kevin, London,

To Pauline:
"But the good consequence of preventing the death of a woman who would otherwise resort to the back street must be weighed against the bad consequences of legalising abortion."
Nice. So one life is more important than another is it? Isn't that exactly the moral reasoning that the pro-lifers deplore in pro-choice?

Az, London,

Duncan, England. Abortion when performed legally rarely results in infertility, therefore the idea that women who have abortions become barren is just misogynistic wishful thinking on your part. It is laughable that you can extend such an unpleasant opinion yet claim in the same post that men are more compassionate. Laughable.

And Patrick, the majority of countries in the world now have some form of legal abortion. The world has already made up its mind about abortion. Safe and legal and that is the way it will stay.

Maz, Yorkshire, England

Zeba,

Those who support legalised abortion always bring up the issue of back street abortion - and that is perfectly understandable. But the good consequence of preventing the death of a woman who would otherwise resort to the back street must be weighed against the bad consequences of legalising abortion. No point burying our heads in the sand.

The fact is it has changed people's behaviour for the worse. People are deluded or pressured into sexual activity when they are not willing to bear a child and everyone suffers. Young girls say their last argument against pressure to have sex is removed. Women with an unplanned pregnancy who really do not want abortion are pressured into it because it is available. Do these people not count too?

There is clear, solidly researched evidence now of the adverse consequences of abortion for women; increased risks of psychological problems, infertility or premature birth. But women are not warned of this.

Sentimental nonsense, Zeba?

Pauline Gately, Weybridge,

Abortion is a choice to be made by the individuals involved. Everyone can have his or her own opinion which can influence their choice if they ever have to make one, but not an opinion which will influence others decisions. Abortion cannot be justified as right or wrong, it depends on the circumstances and the quality of life that will follow. This is what makes abortion one of the hardest decisions ever to be made, there is no clear line of right or wrong and there never will be.

Gemma, Evesham, UK

It is a shame that so many fail to use their brains and reason when responding to a controversial topic, but go with their emotions and resort to cruel and taunting comments instead of actually thinking through the full range of arguments.

People do get unexpectedly pregnant for all sorts of reasons whether using birth control or not. And it should be the right of those people to to decide how to handle that pregnancy. It is sentimental nonsense to invoke "God" or to accuse a woman of murder or killing when she has an abortion. I have had an abortion: it removed a potentially cancerous growth in my body that mimicked the symptoms of pregnancy. But the procedure was exactly the same as that of abortion. Abortion is a medical operation, not a pathway to guilt or eternal damnation. As such it should be legal in civilised societies to ensure that its members are not forced to undergo illegal, unsafe procedures in the name of someone else's skewed moral beliefs.

Zeba, Brussels, Belgium

Why is the issue always about the mother and not the child? When did 'the child always comes first' stop becoming second nature? It amazes me how the subject of ending a human life can be made so 'logical' and heartless by some people. That's what that 'lump of cells' you are talking about it is, a human life. Whether you believe in God or you don't, everyone will agree that making the decision to end a human life is not yours to make. It goes against nature, it is simply immoral. Did you even stop to think that your very being, your very existence, and continued existance, has been due to some greater force goveirning all things? Even if you are carrying this child, you are not the force causing its cells to divide and multiply, you are not the force causing the body parts to form one by one, so you should not be the force deciding to tear away that helpless tiny human being from the walls of your womb. There are other options out there if you truly can't raise another child.

Nadine , Dubai, UAE

Thank you, Caitlin Moran.

Rune C. Olwen, Bov, Denmark

In this day and age, when there are so many forms of birth control and so much knowledge about the reproductive system, it amazes me that so many supposedly educated women still mange to get pregnant when they supposedly don't want to.

If they put in as much time pondering that paradox as they do justifying their abortions they might actually begin to maturely manage their reproductive lives.

Jeanne, NYC, USA

I stumbled across this article while searching the internet for something else. I am from the US and I myself have had two abortions and have had two children. My mother on the other hand has had seven children and believes that all her children are a blessing, though at the time of each pregnancy she felt otherwise. I am conflicted with the idea of an abortion, innately I feel it is wrong, no matter how you try to rationalize the decision.
The first time I was in a downward spiral of depression and as a result of wanting to make the choice all over again I intentionally got pregnant (again) and kept the child. The second time I aborted I knew the choice would haunt me however I knew that I had the free will to make the decision and I did. I regret both. There is no rationalizing in my opinion something that you know innately is wrong, it is like trying to rationalize the murder of a person. Innately we know to kill a person is wrong so why would we make that decision? Free will.

Me, Kansas City,

I don't think one can come to any agreement on this life and death issue unless you have a common starting point - My starting point is that God created the universe and all life on it. It is therefore not our right to kill what God has created. It would seem that the pro-choice people do not consider the 'choice' of the unborn, only of the mother. It feels like babies are thought of as just another body part belonging to the mother.

Peter Robson, London, UK

I am currently 6 months pregnant (first time) and am overjoyed at the prospect of motherhood. However, watching my pregnancy develop has made me more certain that women should have a right to choose whether to keep or terminate a pregnancy.

I realise now more than ever the enormity of the emotional and physical strain and responsibility chosing to have a child actually is. I do not believe that anyone should be forced to go through with a pregnancy if they do not feel it is the right option for them, and I do not think that forcing them is best for society.

One commentor here referred to a foetus being a 'separate entity that is a complete human being'. That is not true. A foetus under 24 weeks is wholly reliant on the woman's body to survive - they are not completely developed human beings.

Women should continue to have a choice whether they wish to carry a pregnancy through or not. It is the law and should remain that way.

Samantha, London,

I have been deeply disturbed by some of the comments posted on this piece. A hundred years ago, women were forced to undergo grotesque indignities (even death) to make the simple point that women are sentient beings just like men - with rights, opinions, and lives of their own. We seem to have come no further.

Both sexes are slaves to their generative organs - but where this apparently excuses men of all manner of foul behaviour, women are instead bullied and blackmailed (as seen here). I have five children in my life: the one I bore, the one miscarried, the two aborted, and the one I hope to have in future. I love them all, but the one who is here now is the one who concerns me.

Those I aborted suffered less by not living than otherwise. And why? Because one father was too young to cope, and the other a self-obsessed nutter. We often find these things out about men only when a child is on the way, by which time it is plainly too late. The ultimate motherly act indeed.

Claire, Out There, UK

Not surprisingly, Caitlin Moran's article produced strong reaction. Abortion is a highly emotive procedure and must never, ever be treated lightly but certainly not with unrestrained passion. I agree with Ms. Moran because I think she approaches the subject rationally, not callously and makes the most telling point, that of taking responsibility for and explaining one's actions.
Most of the correspondents who disagreed with Ms. Moran were of the opinion that abortion is killing of the defenceless and, of course, they are right in one sense but I just wish that they looked at the bigger picture: the fact that an unwanted child could face a life of such misery and deprivation, to say nothing of denying others in its family vital attention, that an abortion in these cases is surely the most responsible action.
I am not saying that abortion is always the most responsible action but I think there are definitely situations where it is.

Sally Paton, Camberley, UK

I for one would much rather that i hadn't been born, I had no choice in it and frankly consider that unfair. With so many people forced to live out miserable lives, just what is the rationale that says life is a good thing? Where is the proof of this?

To Duncan and others who think that men are more sensitive or moral than women who abort, who is it that commits rape and neccesitates the 'oldest profession'? Men point-blank refuse to go without sex and no form of contraception is 100% therefor it is a fact of life that women will fall pregnant accidentally - where does this leave these 'evil' women? historically; to drowning, to the workhouse, to early death from childbirth or failed illegal abortions.

Whatever your objection to abortions, history has proven that women WILL fall pregnant accidentally and suffer for it - better that modern women need simply suffer the hysterical rantings of pseudo-moralistic idiots than any of the previous alternatives

C Adamson, Edinburgh, Scotland

Does it not seem strange that 100% of all people who are in favor of unlimited abortion have already been born???

How many people do you know or know of ,who you think should have been aborted????

Saladin, Greenwich,

I agree with what Lucy Weber of London said. Also, where is was written: "...tip our hats to women aware enough not to create those troubled people in the first place..." really should be: "...tip our hats to women aware enough not to create any baby in the first place, if they do not want a child."
The time for a choice is when you are about to have sex, not afterwards.

Patrick McCormick, Brookyn, NY

This article brought tears to my eyes - a life is a life, not a lifestyle choice. What would hamper one woman's life and potentially ruin her marriage (or whatever other spurious consequences the writer came up with) would bring unimaginable joy to another family. Abortion is quite clearly murder, let's stop calling it by any other name. Once you understand how a baby is created, you have a choice in front of you. Play the odds and become pregnant, or don't have sex unless you don't want a child. "Pro choice" is misleading - the choice is there for all women, but it's at the point where they are choosing whether to have sex or not.

Lucy Weber, London,

I find the attitude that adoption is the only solution to unwanted pregnancy to be simplistic and naive.
As someone who was adopted at an early age, I can feel admiration for what my birth mother went through. However let's be realistic - adoption may be the moral choice but when did that stop others from passing judgement. How many pro-lifers can honestly say that they would support the mother without being tempted to comment on her morality for becoming pregnant with an unwanted child.And how many others would judge her for being unmotherly by giving her child away?
I myself had an unwanted pregnancy in my late teens and found that it was made much worse by the condemnation that others felt they could heap on me for my choices....and I kept my child. I still feel sorrow and shame for having brought a child into the world who was not welcomed warmly by parents and grandparents.

Persephone, Manchester, UK

Well said, Hazel. I'm so sick of the black and white thinking that goes on regarding abortion and adoption, as if adoption promises a disappearance into the sunset and happiness ever after. 'At least it gives a child a chance.' Seems to be the argument, but if you do a little research you will find strong correlations between adoptees and mental illness, adoptees and social maladjustment and adoptees and criminals. The problems of adoption are repeatedly brushed under the carpet, leaving both adoptees and adoptive parents with the misconception that they're the only people in the world for whom it hasn't worked out. So why are these issues ignored? Is it a misconception that unwanted children stand a better chance with a family, than, say, a state subsidised boarding school? What's better for finding your place in the world, a potential dysfunctional family or the structure of a peerage group?

Lisa, London,

Thank you so much for this brilliant article. While I still think an abortion is a horribly emotive issue - particularly for women who want children and can't, and teenagers who feel mixed up about everything... and no medical proceedure is risk free... I know there's no way I could have a 5th child, and any 'accident' now - post-sterilisation - will end in a termination. Whatever happened to adoption? I'll tell you, Francine. I don't want to have to cope with another child, but give one away? To strangers? Never. I don't care how stringent the screening process for adoptive parents is, people make mistakes, people lie, people change. I've met foster carers who I wouldn't give a rabbit to look after. until society is willing to look after all the children who do already exist, it should be grateful to the women who make a responsible choice.

Hazel, Worthing, England

As Mother Teresa said "If a mother can kill her own baby" what more do we expect from the world? There are consequences to sex. In today's world of contraception, there is no need for abortion. If the child is not wanted, why not give up for adoption to some unfortunate couple who could not have their own? We can always justify our actions, but I think deep down, a woman who aborts must be desperate enough to do something that is much against our nature i.e. to nuture babies/children whether live or unborn. I'm sure any woman comtemplating abortion has at some point loved her condition and have look back to the abortion with regret if not sadness.. Turn to God for mercy, compassion and healing. I would never say that abortion is right but sometimes when it is to save the mother's life. We look around us and see many people with faults/imperfections, would we say that they should not have been born? Of course not, God loves us all and each one precious.

VirginiaDore, BribieIsland, Australia

It is all very well all of you writing in support of abortion. Just think, you wont be here writing crap if you were aborted. But at the end of the day, I still am not going to say it is ok and that abortion is not killing. It is killing of the voiceless, defenceless and it is evil to say the least. I dont see how anyone who has life can have the conscience to say that life is not precious and sacred.

VirginiaDore, BribieIsland, Australia

whatever happened to adoption?????????????????????

francine, Suwannee, USA

Just because the human race collectively has shown scant regard for human life in many circumstances ( iraq , chechnya , texas death row , take your pick ) does not justify the ending of any life .
My third , unplanned child was concieved just as my marraige fell apart . Having him was the best thing I ever did . When facing an unplanned pregnancy sometimes abortion can seem like the simplist solution , particulerly when it is validated by society . But taking away someones only chance at life ( unless I am wrong about an afterlife ) seems to me a terrible thing to do . Life is complex , but if its all we have , can we really trivialise taking it away from someone else ? To quote clint eastwood ( yes really !) "its a terrible thing to kill a man , you take away everything he has , and everything he's going to have ".

cate, dubline, ireland

i am a young mother of 2, i had my first child at 16 then my 2nd at 17 it has took until now at the age of 27 to gain a career (nursing) and recognition as being a "good" mother, last year i fell pregnant but felt i would make both my children and my career suffer so opted for termination. The termination was the hardest thing i have evr done in my life i suffered from feelings of guilt that consumed me for months. i think that abortion should not be used as means of contraceptive however in cases where the woman feels she is not going to cope or be the best she can it surely can be understood. there should be more after care for woman who go through an abortion because though it is a choice to abort it still is a loss and woman should be supported.

shannon, Fife, scotland

There is no question to the fact that abortion is a choice; however, I believe that this choice is tainted by the self-preserving act by the mother who falsely justifies that one life is more worthy of living its planned lifestyle than another. Millions of mothers who do not have the resources to raise their unborn children have made the choice to keep their children and they have successfully overcome these life obstacles.

If given the choice, no one in their right mind would ask to be killed rather than live; especially, when they haven't been given the opportunity to choose for themselves. The bottom line is this: pregnant women who are not willing to take responsibility for their actions or are not willing to think of anyone but themselves - there is abortion.

Christopher, Lexington, MA

Like it or not, abortion is murder. As stated in some comments, it is a cold hard fact that life begins at conception. That is the view of biology, not religion.

I only wish they had an international register for women who have terminated because that is exactly what I'd do to any relationship I had with a women who has done this. Just as women have the right to know if a man is a sex offender, men should have the right to know if a woman is the kind of woman who would kill his child. At least you can increase your odds by staying away from women from: UK, Australia, Canada, Scandinavian countries, the Northern USA. Stick with religious countries like Greece, or a Catholic country or the Southern American states.

daz, sydney, australia

Thanks for such an honest, level-headed piece. We need more of this sort of debate from both sides, but it inevitably attracts people who have no knowledge/experience, of ANY kind, on this subject.

I also made that decision, and have NO regrets. What's the point in bringing a child into the world when you don't want it?

As for men entering the debate - when you have an iota of understanding of what women go through, physically and emotionally - before, during and after abortion/pregnancy - come back and talk to those of us who have actually experienced this.

Unless the argument evolves past 'Eurgh, it's murder, you're evil, etc', then, quite frankly, you need to stay out of it. That goes for any knee-jerk responders out there, male AND female.

Think before you shoot your mouth off - strong feelings and intelligent debate needn't be mutually exclusive.

Browning, London, UK

I'm also an adoptee, and like Lisa, have experienced severe life long problems related to rejection and abandonment. If women decide (for whatever reason) that they don't want to be a mother, what's worse? Living with the guilt of giving away a child already laden with possible personality baggage or terminating the problem while you can? Some (like Lisa and Caitlin) may argue abortion to be more of a life saver. A life crippled by no sense of self or belonging is a life devoid of quality; one which often destroys others and exhausts the resources of the state.

Jane, London,

If you don't want the responsibility of raising a child then you should either keep your pants on or give it up for adoption. Many people would give anything to be able to conceive there own child. Abortion is irresponsible, unhealthy, and immoral.

Israel, Indianapolis, IN

Caitlin,

You are obviously an intelligent woman. That being so, how can you rest your 'justification' on the claim that "both science and philosophy continue to struggle to define what the beginning of 'life' is"? That claim is demonstrably false. Check out the standard embryology textbooks. It is a settled issue there: the life of the human individual begins at conception. That is not religion, or even philosophy (although I'd say most theologians and philosophers agree). It is basic science. So as an intelligent woman, what do you say about a moral argument that ignores basic science?

Pat, Factoryville, PA

It wasnt untill I saw the Miranda Sawyer Documentry that i realised I didnt have a Opinioun on abortion. Well not an informed one. I was taught that abortion was wrong and went with that, but since watching the Documentry, I have looked in to the matter and really thought about it.

I now realise that I am more open to abortion than my church would like me to be. The thing is though I do apreciate that the Woman is carrying the foetus, it is also the offspring of a man, so I belive he should have a say in whether the child does get aborted, providing he is in the picture, ofcourse.

I know that i would be devestated if someone i had slept with had one with out even discussing it with me.

Christopher, Chatham, Kent

I was an unwanted child who was since adopted and I have carried this devastating baggage of abandonment around with me ever since I can remember. The problem is that the pain was caused at a time when survival was realistically threatened, so it's deep - so deep that no psychologist, psychiatrist or medication can actually get to it and resolve it. The impact of being an abandoned baby is enormous. You can't bear, quite literally, to be alone. You can't stand rejection, which often means stepping out of the system because you can't bear to compete. Think incapacity benefit for 'depression' simply because you're terrified of not getting a job. Think turning to drugs to cope with that. You can't keep your friends because essentially, you're too needy and immature. In all honesty, I would preferred never to have existed in the first place.

Lisa, London,

Helen,
Ok sister... it's your brother here - the one who has no right to condemn etc, etc..
The mix of my chromosones makes me male, I can Father but not bear children.. please don't be so arrogant to believe that this somehow relegates me to a sub-species unable to comment upon ethical or moral matters.
I neither condemn nor condone but state an opinion;
If you had to perform surgery on me I would demand anasthesia. A lack of would see me kick and scream like you wouldn't believe... But, if my lungs were full of amniotic fluid and my vocal cords only part developed you wouldn't hear a sound..does this lack of a scream somehow comfort us that no distress is being caused when a partially formed sentient being is being torn assunder? An immature nervous system at 18 weeks will register basic fear or flight response to external stimuli.
I am not saying no right to choose, but for pitys sake not at 18 weeks + when we fool ourselves that beating heart doesn't live for lack of a breath

PB, Horsham, UK

The only leg abortionist have to stand on is if they consider abortions to occur prior to "life".

Once life exists then you are killing children out of convenience.

You might as well advocate putting all handicapped people into a gas chamber since they inconvenience society.....

Chris, Tulsa, USA

You're right. We should be PROUD of having abortions, celebrate the victory and motherly love of it all, and the fact that you had no compunctions whatsoever about terminating your pregnancy doesn't reflect negatively on you whatsoever. We should even mark a national holiday to reflect happy termination day!

Heather, Woodbridge,

Ms Moran argues that women have the choice both to produce and destroy. It becomes more problematic if we apply that to the death sentence where there is a voice to be heard, a fair trial. In abortion there is no other voice to be heard bar that of the individual passing sentence. The potential unborn child has no voice, no means of expressing whether he or she wishes to be terminated, no fair trial. The mother decides and it becomes a 'me' decision. It fails to consider whether the child would prefer to born or not, regardless of circumstances. I am pro-choice for the unheard voice and for the decision to have sex in the first instance. Let's not be archaic. It is a woman's choice to have sex and, in those cases and only those cases where the sex is consensual, the act of 'good mothering' and good citizenship is the ability to accept the consequences and not just treat the foetus, the unheard voice like every other piece of disposal rubbish of modern life.

Sinead, London, UK

Like others, I, too, find it significant that it is mostly men who are against abortion, whilst it is women who are wholeheartedly in favour of it.

I think it shows who the more compassionate sex is (hint; it's not the sex who supports the murder of unborn babies and tells the other sex to 'butt out' should they complain about the wanton slaughter of their children.)

I think it is also significant - and disgusting - that so many women here effectively bragging of having abortions show no remorse whatsoever.

Still, at least abortion often results in infertility, so women who have killed an unborn child they couldn't be bothered to raise will have less chance of another unwanted baby.

Duncan, England,

As noted above, it's true - comes a day when mum is old and unwanted, too much trouble for her grown kids to take care of - the ultimate act of daughterly love will then be to mercifully terminate her.

Heather, Woodbridge,

I applaud the author. A woman has a right and a responsibility to terminate pregnancies that aren't logical or viable. As for the so-called 'moral' aspect, it is far more moral to take responsibility and terminate a baby than to leave it to the tender mercies of the care system. The baby is the responsibility of the parents, BOTH parents, yet it still remains a fact that a man can abandon his children - not seeing or supporting them - with little censure while a woman who does the same is unnatural.

Therefore no man can condemn a woman for an abortion - they don't have the right. They are not offering to take responsibility for the child. At most they might offer joint responsibility which in practice is 60/40 at best

Helen, northampton, uk

I find this argument acutely insensitive and careless regarding an issue that requires much deeper analysis, perhaps one that casts aside personal convictions and experiences and instead relies on a sound perspective.

In her article, the author mentions that she was, "most importantly of all...too tired to do it again." Not only does this response disregard any personal affections, but it also overlooks any of the available alternatives. There are thousands of couples who are unable to conceive, and even more who are willing to adopt. The argument has a lazy tone, one that takes the conveniences of today as progress and chooses to ignore the moral aspects which we have worked toward for many years.

Finally, I believe that this subject deserves much more analysis. Most importantly, what defines a human being, is it simply physical characteristics? I would argue that it has more to do with human identity, and that is more difficult to calibrate than arbitrary physical characteristics

dma, Milwaukee, United States

Olivia from Toulouse,

How can I express this without seeming to 'hijack' your grief? The 'pro-life' movement that I know so well understands exactly your situation and your feelings. There is no possibility of any condemnation. That is the public caricature not the reality. So often women are told it is their choice, then offered no choice. It is a cruel deceit and leaves so many to carry alone the burden of the choice they never really had.

It is wonderful that you are beginning to recover. That is excellent, but do please be aware that there is help out there as well. Organisations such as Life in the UK and I am sure there will be similar help closer to hand as well.

Thank you for your courage and honesty in representing so many.

Pauline Gately, Weybridge, Surrey

I find the present time limit disturbing for several reasons; recent advances in medical techniques and technology allow for surgery to be performed in-vitro at relatively early stages of gestation – this in turn has raised vexed questions on suitability of, and requirement for, analgesia for the foetus lest it suffer pain or distress during the procedure. Other reports (highlighted recently in the press) further indicate that some aborted pregnancies at or near 24 weeks result in a (normally temporary) live birth – guidelines from the College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology apparently recommend an in-vitro injection of potassium chloride to stop the heart of foetuses aborted at this late stage - presumably to avoid the distressing dilemma of infanticide or trying to save a severely premature baby. cont..

PB, Horsham, UK

In an age of reliable and accessible contraception, abortion for ‘social‘reasons is a regrettable procedure – I am not necessarily against a woman’s right to choose whether to carry a pregnancy to term but I believe most strongly that such a right must be tempered with an obligation to decided early on if such a pregnancy is desired or not so that any termination is carried out at the very earliest stage of foetal development.

We run the risk of allowing an unfettered system of abortion such as in the U.S. which allows the chillingly titled ‘partial birth abortion’ wherein the procedure is carried out at such a late stage that the foetus would be viable – by dispatching it in the birth canal prior to drawing an independent breath, it is legally defined a termination and not infanticide. It is surely indefensible and we must hold our humanity cheap to allow such a legal chicanery and semantics to trample over obvious immorality.

PB, Horsham, UK

Introducing and educating the next generation is surely the biggest responsibility a person undertakes, a role which is building foundations for future society. Just because we may not directly experience the future, does not mean that our actions do not have an impact. In a world that is seemingly over-run by random chances and decisions made for us, having a baby is a decision that a woman can consciously choose to do or not to do. Therefore, should not each individual be able to choose whether they are able to accept such a responsibility and to be confident in the belief that they can fulfill the task to the best of their ability?

Melanie, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

I commend you for daring to speak on a very controversial topic that can often bring out the worst in people for what they feel are the right reasons. I feel MMaureen that you are generalising people - people who all happen to be in the same situation will not all behave the same way, Caitlin Moran has clearly expressed that she did not feel emotional distress and if peole respond differently in generally situations why assume that because this is considered a major or controversial situation everybody who experiences it will automatically feel the same way or experience the same emotions when precedence has shown otherwise? people confuse the idea of being pro-choice with being pro-abortion, it is not so much about having the abortion as it is about the reasons why - women should be allowed to choose what to do with their own body, whatever your argument sanctity of life, killing a baby etc - it is the woman's body and hers alone, there should not be a say from anyone else except her.

Victoria Princewill, London, England

As such the present time limit seems to be based upon viability of the foetus up to that stage rather than any distress or suffering its immature nervous system might register during the abortion. We now know far more about development in the womb including at what stage a foetus begins to react to external stimuli – it is fanciful to believe that when the nervous system has developed to this point that it is somehow incapable of registering a basic level of pain or distress.

I find it incongruous that a society which expended vast amounts of time wrestling with the comparatively trivial issue of foxhunting and arguing over the distress to an animal which that might or might not cause, and similarly wrings it’s hands over the reintroduction of capital punishment for some of society’s most depraved and wicked individuals can sit idly by whilst this procedure is practised on the most innocent and vulnerable on an almost industrial scale with little sign of reasoned debate. cont..

PB, Horsham, UK

I am so glad I have just read your article. It has made my choice easier. Thankyou for the uplite ;)

Sarah, Nottingham , UK

Caitlin Moran appears to make her living by producing articles that try to shock. This article is an example. In a previous article she writes about how good news compared to bad news doesn’t demand our attention. As a freelance writer myself I agree. A title that makes readers sit up and fume is fantastic, or a disapproving reaction, especially from people like myself who draw attention to it and merit it being important enough to write a blog. However, using her own personal experience of having an abortion and telling us how wonderful it is, I find a tad sick. She refers to it as an even greater relief than leaving an abusive partner! Apparently, by having abortions we are ensuring “there are as few unbalanced destructive people as possible” Are we supposed to be touched by her concern for our society’s welfare? Surely Isn’t this a case of a woman trying desperately to justify her actions.

Susan Hegedus, Billericay, UK

I am very lucky in that I have never had to make the decision about whether to have an abortion. I did, however, once have to deal with a split condom and there was no hesitation in my mind about taking the morning-after pill. Obviously a slightly different scenario but potentially only one stage from having to make the abortion call. And if you are a pro-lifer, you may believe that, had a pregnancy been about to occur, I had already made that call. On reading this I breathed a sigh of relief that someone has exposed what my female friends and I have long believed. We all live with the repercussions of the actions of unwanted and unloved children. It is generally agreed that it is unthinkable to choose to have a pet with the intention of neglecting it and engineering it to destroy everything and everyone it comes into contact with. How can I compare a pet with a child, I hear you cry? Well exactly. If only more people took the decision to have a child as seriously.

Sally, London,

Answer to SNELSON:
..and, as a male, what the heck do YOU know about pregnancy, menstruation, morning sickness, a fetus inside of you etc. and all of a woman's fears, joys, traumas and psychological rollercoasters accompanying a pregnancy. I find it extremely presumptious for any man to insert himself into any conversation on this issue. The one, the only thing men have not (and never will) succeeded in is a woman's ability to conceive, carry and nourish a fetus and ultimately be able to give birth to a child. Unless and until YOU, the male, are able to do this, you should have the decency and the guts to stay out of the discussion - especially when all you have to offer are ultimately meaningless assumptions and opinions!

Michael, Boise, Idaho/USA

I am a card-carrying feminist but I still grieve for the child I lost through termination ten years ago. Ironically perhaps I have miscarried 4 babies since and now face infertility. At the time I felt incapable of standing up to the pressure of family, partner and partner's family, all of whom pressured me to abort (indeed my then partner threatened to leave me if I did not). The anger and guilt at what I did rendered me suicidal throughout much of my twenties; only recently have I allowed myself to embrace life again and to let go of these emotions and believe that I deserve compassion.

The whole subject remains too painful for me to engage with politically although I am a feminist. I wish that there was public space to discuss the grief that abortion can cause. It is forbidden grief - grief that is not allowed to speak its name. It is grief that becomes immediately hijacked by the so-called 'pro' or 'anti' life brigade; people focused on condemnation & anger not compassion.

Olivia, Toulouse, France

Legal or illegal, abortion has always happened and always will. Regardless of all attending circumstances, as long as sex causes pregnancy and pregnancy happens within the confines of a woman's body, some women will end their pregnancies. If aborton is illegal, then women will have secretive, dangerous abortions. For those who look back to some historical golden age when women gladly gave birth to every conception, what a crock. For much of human history, infanticide was the norm. This decision was most often made by the father, who held life and death in his hands. And even when active infanticide was illegal, one has to only look back to European history to find that the fashion was farming infants out to milk farms where they were typically fed on gruel and most died in the first year while their parents went on with life as if nothing had happened. Check a good biography of Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Only when fetuses are farmed in mechanical wombs will abortion end forever.

Onetexsun, Washington State, USA

I would be very surprised if the flppant way in which you describe your decision was in fact the reality. You evade all the human detail of your story and make out that their was no mental, emotional or physical suffering involved. I simply do not believe that you are being honest in your account of this abortion. How did yoy explain yourself to your GP? And should there be a police investigation into whether the criteria of the rules for abortion where followed. Exactly what mental, physical ofr emotional danger or destress were you in? Your description only enters into a rather selfish sense of inconvenience whcih would probably have been quite short lived. Surely not enough for any honest doctor to have supported your demand for an abortion.

MMaureen, Caterham, Surrey

ichael, Nashville, Tenn. I too am infertile. But other women are not my breeding cattle, to provide offspring on my behalf. Do not use infertility as a weapon against other women's reproductive options.

Maz, Yorkshire, England

It seems that we are dealing with the consequences of an act that precedes the pregnancy – sex. Sex for pleasure, sex without responsibility, selfish, self-indulging sex.

The author of the text surely knew how babies are made – why not prevent making of an unwanted one instead of murdering it without a second thought?

The modern Western medicine offers a number of contraceptives – although many of them do not prevent conception, but staying of the fertilised egg in the womb (!). Why would a modern Western woman not at least think about that?

We have grown “too modern” and too self-indulging to think further than our own pleasure, comfort and career. The traditional and Christian principles are considered old fashioned and our modernization has made us blind and senseless. A woman has lost more of her gentleness, femininity and motherhood than she ever thought possible.

We ARE NOT masters of life and death, as much as we would like to be. And thank God for that.

Z, Belgrade, Serbia

I find it interesting that a lot of people posting comments about how 'evil' abortion is are men. If you're a man and your partner suffers an unwanted pregnancy you get to walk away, and how many men do that without being villified?

Also what happens if you are raped? I was raped at the age of 14 and if I had fallen pregnant as a result I would not have been able to go through with the pregnancy. Does that make me a bad person?

ej, uk,

To Mike Hunter (and any other man), who complains that men aren't protected from these women who lie about their birth control and refuse to have an abortion, forcing the man to become a father...
Put on a condom, and share some responsibility. If you are resting all of the weight to prevent pregnancy on the woman, they you are giving her all the power to make you a father. A pack of condoms costs a lot less than child support.

Elizabeth Font, Washington DC, USA

It strikes me that amongst all this debate..the people who passed the laws are missing. Did they know how the rules would be 'leant on' over the years..and do they care now?
They are surely more culpable than the stressed women seeking sad solutions. Their votes were purchased via fem activists and led to the denial of the right of men to involve themselves in much since, to do with women- and their doubtful morality on this issue!
PS: I'm not a Christian- or in the US ! Nor do I want to end up Muslim by default !

tegz, Swindon, England

what a heartfelt article indeed.
the only problem is,abortion stops a beating heart.

john ryan, south dakota, USA

It is sad to see that so many men and women feel that men should have no say on this issue. Men should be speaking up on this issue and not be afraid to do so.

Edward Snelson, Sheffield, UK

I am amazed at how many men are participating in the debate over this issue! I am a male and I am somewhat envious of the number of people of my gender who have such profound psychological, moral and philosophical understanding of and insight into this issue. I hereby promise that as soon as I get pregnant, I will join the fray and vigorously participate in all discussions about abortion. Until then, however, I shall refrain from doing so and admit that I have no opinion on the subject whatsoever!

Michael, Boise, Idaho/USA

First of all there aren't only two choices' available to a pregnant woman. After you became pregnant you could have given your child up for adoption. But because you didn't want to go though the social shame of abandoning your son or daughter you elected to secretly kill it instead. A move that society considers much less compassionate.

Second of all your argument of the harm done by unwanted child fails to address the same dilemma faced by males. You see if a woman has an unwanted child on the way then she has numerous abortion, adoption, and abandonment laws in place to protect her. While it is true that no man can force a woman into motherhood, women force men into fatherhood routinely. Such men are many times defrauded about the state of their partners fertility and use of birth control. They are then held both financially and legally responsible for their child. Sometimes it is a child they cannot afford. But neither the law nor your article addresses this fact.

Mike Hunter, Fort Myers, Florida

Anyone who invokes the argument abortions should be carried out for reasons pertaining to resources has not looked at the latest census data for Europe which shows all of the countries well below replacement rate (except for predominantly Muslim Albania). Unless they think unilateral reductions of the population in the West are the answer, perhaps their interests in abortion and resources should be focussed on reducing the total fertility rate of countries such as Malawi whose population will double in 10 years despite over 50% of its population being dependent on UN Aid.

Jon, Toronto, Canada

A profoundly disturbing piece. It would be a frightening world indeed if we accepted Ms. Moran's premise: "women are, by biology, commanded to host, shelter, nurture and protect life, why should they not be empowered to end life, too?" Would she like to be considered "unwanted" by someone with the power to kill her? The argument that we do the world a favour when we kill unwanted babies makes no sense when one considers that historically many people who have made powerfully good contributions to the world were "unwanted children", while a number of "wanted" children have been profoundly destructive. Surely we as a society should strongly commit ourselves to supporting families in the very difficult and sacrificial work of raising young children rather than seeking to rationalise their "termination".

Daniel, Vancouver, Canada

I had an abortion. I do not regret it. It was the right thing to do. It was my choice and it should be the choice of others.

Sarah, Toronto, Canada

A great article Caitlin. I find it fascinating that the majority of people talking about the guarenteed nature of contraception are men, therefore people that have no idea about how it really works or the weight of the responsibility that women feel relating to the decision we have to make when we take it. Nothing is guarenteed and the sheer ignorance of people saying that abortions should no longer be necessary astounds me. To all you men out there that have such an issue with abortion maybe you should be the ones that start taking some responsibility, if you dont like abortion dont have sex with a women for whom it might be a possibility. Just grow up and stop judging.

Bex, London,

If you abort your unborn, you are choosing not to be a mother, rejecting the very idea of being one to that aborted. Therefore whatever that you haved done, it is not a motherly act. It is an impossibility.

haz, oxford,

Thank you Caitlin for a thoughtful and honest article.

Abortion is always an emotive topic and there are compelling arguments on both sides of the debate. This makes it all the more disappointing (although entirely predictable) that the "Have Your Say" section has been hijacked by simplistic and hypocritical (predominantly American) rants which totally fail to recognise the complexities of the issue.

Naomi, London, UK

Thanks mum for letting me live..the ULTIMATE motherly act. My mom gave me up for adoption when she was 16 despite the fact that her mother , my grandmother , is pro abortion. It was the 70's and she hid her pregnancy till the 6 or 7th month , so thank God they let me live. Well, I've been married for 10 years and have children I love dearly.
Of Course, ms. Moran wrote an article trying to promote her position on murder. She murdered her own flesh and blood. Why can't ladies give up 9 months of their life for another?
Pope John Paul II was right , we do live in a culture of death.

I would not be surprised if Ms. Moran wakes up frequently at
night as do most women who have had abortions and regrets her desicion.
She needs a prayer said for her, I suppose the best thing I can do is just that.

Sheri M., Mission , USA

brilliant. humankind has a chance after all. thank you.

ashley, new york, new york

Well the kid is gone. He or she might have grown up to cure cancer.

Jennifer I., Saline, Michigan, USA

Absolutely the most contradictory title I have ever read!
Oh and MY Body MY Decision? What's that decision? Heaven or Hell? Life or Murder?

Brad, Goodland, KS

I am totally against late abortions but, early abortions up to 12 weeks if the mother was raped, in danger ,or there were the risk of abnormalities i think should be carried out if the woman wishes.

Having suffered four miscarriages this is something i feel strongly about. I lost my first baby at 20weeks and i was devastated. The baby was perfectly formned but small, to think that we allow abortions upto 24 weeks makes me sick there is no excuse for it, it is murder.

Carolyn, Yorkshire, England

MY body, MY decision

"How would you feel if your mother had done that 'motherly act' when you were inside her womb? "

That's the point. I wouldn't feel anything: the bunch of cells which might one day develop into me (assuming there wasn't a natural miscarriage) have no conscious thought or feelings.

E, Bham,

Through prayer and dedication to God, we realise more and more that love and human peace expands only through a growing respect for life.

Father Bryan Storey , Tintagel, UK

Why is it a bad thing to not have full control over our bodies? No matter how much women might not like it, the moment we conceive, we forfeit our right to do whatever we want with our bodies. What a double standard is at play when society is sickened by a pregnant woman snorting cocaine or otherwise harming the baby, but are willing to turn a blind eye when a woman wants to kill her baby.

If it is okay, today, to kill an embryo at 12 weeks, based on the argument that it is less human and has less rights than a full term baby, then why isn't it okay to kill a newborn who is less developed and has less rights than an 18 year old. The arguments and justifications are illogical and unfortunate for both the woman and her child.

Amanda Peterman, Grand Rapids, MI USA

Anyone considering abortion should have no issues with birth control. The woman's place in reproduction is obvious and a fact women have to deal with. Just like I can't kill a co-worker because they inconvenience me niether should a woman end a pregnancy because it inconveniences her.

Ending a life because you are too lazy, incompetent or even ignorant is a pathetic excuse. In all other aspects of law, terminating a life is illegal. In all other aspects of life, ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law.

Jim, Toronto, Canada

As a trainee doctor I had to watch a late abortion. The girl, we were told, was pregnant through no fault of her own. Possibly she didn't know that sex was all about making babies. The operation was full of euphamisms. At no point was the victim identified as a baby and only once as a foetus. Reference was made to 'stopping the heart' as if the heart didn't belong to anyone. At no point was it mentioned that the baby was being killed or was dead. In fact the dismemberment was carried out with the heart still beating because it took too long to stop. The 'contents of th uterus' were extracted - arms, legs, torso and a head like a cracked egg dripping white brains. The 'products of conception' were then checked and the procedure deemed successful. This is not what I signed up for. I want to help heal, not kill. Instead of talking about abortion it would be more honest to say 'killing unborn babies' because that is what happens.

Dr Norman Kerr, London, UK

I have just returned from a wonderful holiday in France with my husband and daughter, her husband and their two children,my grandchildren.We had a really close happy family time something that I shall treasure.Why am I telling you this?My father was born in 1912 and was illegitimate.Had his mother been able to have an abortion on demand as many women have today I would not have had the gift of life nor would my children and their children.Yes life was hard for my father living with the stigma of illegitimacy but that was not his fault but the opinion of the time he was born in.My mother suffered and so did my sister but not once did he say he wished he had never been born
Caitlin Moran might feel alright at the moment but does she and thousands of other women realise that they have cut off a life line that stretches for generations ahead .In this day and age some abortions could surely be avoided with all the contraception aid available .

Beverley Cleland, Norwich, England

I say AMEN and WELL SAID Sister Caitlan. Thank you!

Beth, Odessa, USA/Texas

Thank you Caitlin for this article. I totally agree that the real lack of morality lies with the irresponsible who bring children into this world without a second thought.
I for one see no problem with the abortions figures as they are. People speak about others being willing to adopt but are these people putting their money where their mouths are? Plus How does that tackle the issue of an unwanted pregnancy? Why should a woman, any woman be forced to suffer through an unwanted pregnancy? Ultimately it is not up to other's to dictate to women what they may and may not do with their bodies. The slavery argument is week in the extreme as to my knowledge slaves never formed a part of their master's body. The ownership of a slave cannot be in any way compared to duties involved in motherhood. It is time we rid ourselves of the stigma surrounding abortion. If only more people followed Ms Moran's example

NAtalie Thompson, London, UK

I found your qualification of what is "moral" in the penultimate paragraph to be quite interesting. I would very much like to know under what basis you find your moral code, if you consider yourself a "liberal," which I am so boldly concluding you do. If so, I wonder if you've noticed the dirty little secret that the philosophical foundation of liberals is pragmatically impossible in a society and can only exist by making arbitrary exceptions to its own credo. This vastly overlooked phenomenon is perfectly illustrated in your argument that women should be empowered to end life, followed immediately by the disclaimer that you're not advocating their killing children or having late abortions. However, the rational conclusion to the philosophy that women should be able to end life is that they should be able to kill children and have late abortions, for starters. If a philosophy can't serve a society without negating itself, society will be ruled by the whims of those in power.

Kate Halseth, Arlington , USA/ VA

1. Working for protection of all of human-kind, even those less developed and yet to be born, is a very INclusive and comprehensive policy and not narrow-minded at all.
2. I'm not sure what kind of junior high biology textbooks are being used in the UK, but in the U.S., it is not up for debate when life begins. What might be up for debate, though, is whether one class of humans has the right to decide the fate of another entire set of humans.
3. Since my 1 year old is less developed than my 5 year old and could not survive without me, does that make her less human or a candidate for being killed by me?
4. This author may have had an unwanted pregnancy, but she has no proof that her child would be unwanted...especially by the millions of couples waiting to adopt.
5. Just because some women do not regret their abortions, STILL doesn't make it right.
6. My taxes go towards FREE insurance for every baby born into poverty. And I am MORE than happy to help!

Amanda Peterman, Grand Rapids, MI USA

To Mrs. Magoo: You are the exception to the trend, and I admire you and your brother for welcoming adopted children into your homes. Not everyone is blessed with the resources to adequately physcially and emotionally support so many children under one roof. Hopefully anyone else with the means who is anti-abortion will follow in your footsteps to prevent themselves from being hypocrites.

Elizabeth Font, Washington DC, USA

Ah, Britain--thank God my forefathers and foremothers had the good sense to hop on the steamer and get out before the moral Gumbys took over.

Dale Price, Warren, USA

This article is a moral cop out. In 2007 with contraception available to everyone at virtually zero cost there is no excuse for anyone ending up with an unwanted pregnacy. Abortion was supposed to be a last resort for women in desperate situations. It is now a lifestyle choice. This is after 40 years of wall to wall sex education and contraception being handed out like smarties. Also there is no social stigma today whatsoever against single mothers and a generous welfare state provides for their every need. What the writer is really saying is she can't be bothered with the hastle of having another child and will be a bad parent so therefore that child would be better off not being born. 1/3 of children now grow up in unstable homes with 1 parent and a succession of casual partners. For some reason people in the UK get more worked up about foxes than the ending of 190,000 human pregnancies every year.

John O Callaghan, Dublin ,

Ms. Moran,
I found your qualification of what is "moral" in the penultimate paragraph to be quite interesting. I would very much like to know under what basis you find your moral code, if you consider yourself a "liberal," which I am so boldly concluding you do. If so, I wonder if you've noticed the dirty little secret that the philosophical foundation of liberals is pragmatically impossible in a society and can only exist by making arbitrary exceptions to its own credo. This vastly overlooked phenomenon is perfectly illustrated in your argument that women should be empowered to end life, followed immediately by the disclaimer that you're not advocating their killing children or having late abortions. However, the rational conclusion to the philosophy that women should be able to end life is that they should be able to kill children and have late abortions, for starters. If a philosophy can't serve a society without negating itself, society will be ruled by the whims of those in power.

Kate Halseth, Arlington , VA

Re: Comments by Fenella, Melbourne, Australia
"But what extraordinary hypocrisy from the responses to your article, particularly from our self-righteous American friends, who care so deeply, so spiritually and so profoundly about human life, and yet who can't be bothered offering uninsured expectant mothers and babies proper healthcare. "

There are many Christian ministries that offer free medical care, housing, and post natal, as well as helping these expecting mothers to find a home for their unwanted children.

Jerry Fallwell opened several homes of this kind, in Texas and made committment to take help any woman (esp. geared towards unwanted teenage pregnancies) have a place to stay, receive medical treatment, post natal counseling, etc. and to find a loving home with for their child. As much as he gets a bad wrap for things in the media, I applaud him for putting his money where is mouth is. That's on public record.

Ryan, Irvine, CA, USA

As a teenager I took part in the 'Women's right to choose' marches in the early 1980s. I have since come to realise that it is not a 'collection of cells' or a 'blob of jelly ' we are talking about but a fellow human being at a very early stage of life. As a nation we will one day realise, (as we did when ultimately recognising the humanity of black slaves 200 yrs ago) that unborn babies needs rights and protection.

Julia Baynes, Manchester, UK

I keep reading over and over all the responses that say "why not adoption?" I'll tell you why not. I know of a person I worked with who could not have children, was desperate to adopt and yet was turned down by every adoption agency in this country because she was being treated for breast cancer. She and her husband were finally able to adopt a beautiful son from Russia, where unwanted children are frequently abandoned by parents unable to care for them. I am embarrassed by all the responses from my country that just show how ignorant and superficially religious Americans are. Like one response said, birth control can fail. And for all the responses that said, tie your tubes, get a vasectomy, I reply to you, those can also fail and result in a possible death scenario for the mother if she has an ectopic pregnancy. The only absolute and certain birth control is not having sex. Are any of you willing to do that to prevent an unwanted pregnancy? Sure you are!!!

D. Sigman, Denver, NC, USA

Lots of people are saying 'there are no unwanted babies'.

STUPID

People don't just have sex to have babies, they have it because they enjoy it. If the contraception they use doesn't work, then that's not their fault. She is not irresponsible, just making the choice that is right for her.

Chris Lutton, Epsom, Surrey

If more Drs refuse to do abortion then hopefully the evil of abortion will come to an end and we will see it as the worst holocaust in history. There is hope for the defenceless child through these courageous doctors -let us hope no doctor will carry out this gruesome murder.

Dominie Stemp, Burwash Common, UK

Well done for being able to think. If we don't curtail our fertility our environment won't cope .There are far far too many of us already