THINGS WE THROW AWAY

Let's see, we've got 'sex-positive' education for all British kids, check. We've got contraceptives easily available, check. We've got morning-after abortifacients, check. The results should be decreasing rates of unplanned pregnancies and STD's, and fewer surgical aborticides given the convenient chemical alternative. So what's the problem? [emphases mine]

In Britain, one in five pregnancies ends in abortion
By Sarah Womack, Social Affairs Correspondent
(Filed: 31/03/2004)

More than one in five pregnancies in Britain ends in abortion while the number of childless women over 40 "increases substantially", according to new figures.

For the general population, parenthood has largely become a matter of choice as opposed to chance, says the Office for National Statistics.

Its report said 36 per cent of all pregnancies in women under 20 were terminated, a figure that has continued to rise despite the widespread availability of contraception and the "morning after" pill.

Among women of all ages, 23 per cent of pregnancies were terminated in 2000.

The report suggested that many women wanted to delay their families until they were married or financially secure.

But often the delay was detrimental and - despite the huge rise in the number of multiple births over the past 10 years as a result of fertility treatment - the birth rate is at an all-time low.

Although the statistics seem alarming on the surface, the vast majority of these women are forced into a decision to terminate their pregnancies for the sake of their health. Isn't that right?

Tony Kerridge, of Marie Stopes International UK, a pro-choice family planning agency, said: "I don't think there is any real evidence that women are using abortion as a method of contraception.

"Some women come to our centres who have had repeat terminations but we always discuss contraception with them. The vast majority of pregnancies are the result of unprompted and unplanned sex acts, maybe where contraception was not available."

He refuted suggestions that the abortion law needed to be tightened. "The legal requirement is that you need to seek the permission of two doctors. We think it is patronising and paternalistic to expect women to justify their decision. Individuals should be allowed to make choices about their health."

I'm wondering, if violent crimes were the result of "unprompted and unplanned" circumstances, would that make them undamaging to society? At least with condoms everywhere, the kids' health is protected.

New episodes of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among people under 20 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland rose from 669,291 to 1,332,910 between 1991-2001.

Rates of chlamydia in female adolescents have more than doubled since 1991. More than a third of women with the infection are under 20.

The report's authors, the Health Protection Agency, said the data underestimated the true prevalence of chlamydial infection, which does not present symptoms in up to 90 per cent of infected females and can lead to infertility if left untreated.

If I didn't know better I'd say that Britain hates children. Born and unborn. However our zeal to defend women's health should never, ever deter us from eradicating orthodox Christianity and its shackling, Puritanical, freedom-squelching, backwards sexual ethics.