My opinion on this subject stems from personal experience where a mother who was an addict had the choice of abortion, as it was legalized in SA in 1996. However, there were hardly any clinics performing it and of course the stigma of 'taking a life' was there.
We fostered her 2 children for a couple of years but it took its toll on my own children. The mother hardly ever made contact with them.
Her oldest now is an addict living on the streets, so to speak, just like his mother, whose life was ended after a beating by her 'boyfriend' .
She had no chance, her family turned their backs on her, even in death!
She was my ex-sister in law, that brother had/has no heart but that's another story!!!
My niece thankfully met a good kind man and is a good mother to her own children!
Right or wrong, it's a very difficult choice to make, but a child born from a mother who is not ready to take on the responsibility, doesn't have much of a chance in life!
I believe because of the stigma they often will not go for an abortion. Very difficult one, but at least give them the opportunity to make that choice!
I'm so sorry to hear about the struggles of these two kids (and their mother, of course), @lizelle. That's exactly it - you can't have an easy, blanket opinion on the matter, not when there are so many variables at play.
You're right, the stigma itself probably prevents a lot of women from doing this, even if the procedure itself might be legal. Though, who knows, maybe for some of them, that thought of how others will view them if they do this might be a reflection of how their own opinion of self would change, should they go through with it? I hope so.. Anyway, thank you so much for the thoughtful comment!
I agree, it's not an easy decision to make!