mellysblog

More in reproductive news! In addition to the 24 week victory in the UK, the Virginia Court of Appeals overturned the 2003 Partial Birth Infanticide Act. Although the 2003 law never went into effect, the April 2007 Supreme Court ruling has "trumped" more restrictive laws in Virginia and Michigan. (Still waiting for someone to go apeshit over that's happening in Oklahoma.) In a sense, the victory is somewhat redundant, but it's a victory nonetheless.


A lot of media attention on second trimester and late term abortions lately. After reading an interview with MP Nadine Dorries you'd think that clinics were chock full of women, bellies bulging, but no. In reading up about second trimester abortion procedures, I learned that only 10 percent occur AFTER 12 weeks, and something like 1.46% after 20 weeks.

So, what's the big deal? A bill like this obviously wouldn't effect the majority of the population, right? Why is this significant? because, despite those numbers being small, and although the difference between 24 weeks and 20, or even 22 is slight, it's a very sneaky attempt to take control over womens bodies an inch at a time-but the predominating issue here is still control.

I also learned that the number one reason for second trimester abortions is when the woman's health is in jeopardy, and read horror stories about women who's spouses and partners turned violent later in the pregnancy. Unfortunately, stress in pregnancy sometimes manifests itself in physical violence. In 30% of domestic abusive relationships, the violence began during pregnancy. I also read one story of a woman who went ahead with an unplanned pregnancy, only to realize that her husband had been molesting her other two daughters. For some women, being forced to continue a pregnancy after an emotional ordeal like losing a spouse or another child is more trauma than they can bear.

The 24 week protest mainly focused on the lowering of the abortion week limit from 24 weeks to 20, but also on the bill was the requirement of a "father" figure for women wishing to undergo IVF. Single heterosexual women or lesbian families who WISH to bring a child into the world are being denied that right, while other women, who for their own reasons are not able to create a safe environment for a child are forced to. How is this NOT a case of government meddling with my body???

But hey, TWO HUGE victories in TWO DAYS. That's amazing.


VA story here, UK story here.