THE CADRE, Nov. 5.....page 1+

1,000 women die from abortions

Br.an CO'RITLCL

The critics say to us "If you dumb women would only use birth control, you Wouldn't need abortions" or more kindly "I disagree with abortion but think birth control information and devices should be made available."

Cf coursc, they should be made available. Free of charge in community clinics. Birth control information should be distributed widely. Al- most everyone (except the Catholic Chirch) has reconized the spectre of overpOpulation and need for contraception.

It must be stressed that abortion is a birth control method and one of the most effective.

Right now most contraceptive methods available have a significant failure rate (3 per cent a 20 per cent or more). Add some (the IUD, condom

and coitus interruptus) represent little improVement from ancient Egyptian or Roman times.

The Pill has been a major break through in effectiveness but many women simply cannot take it or are rightfully worried about its long term effects.

Given the present state of medical and scientific knowledge and scientific birth control programmes must be backed by:

1. Government sponsored research into birth control and “reversible sterilization".

_2) a liberal abortion law and adequate abortion facilities.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cu e —sure - but sickness sill strikes_ e still need the cure for pregnawe" abortiOn.

Abortion is a reality. Let's have legality and morality aside for the ‘moment and just look at the facts. Each year thirty million women around the world have abortions. These women are not degerate or 'promiscuous -- 80 per cent of them already having several children.

Canada's "liberal" abortion laws are still very restrictive and most women who find themselvas unwillingly pregnant turn to illegal abortions. There are at least 100,000 of these performed each year in this country. 100,000 women are so determined not to bear a child that they risk imprisonment and death.

Of these determined 100,000 app— roximately one—fifth are admitted

'to hospital for postabortiVe .complications. Some of these com- plications lead tqseribus injury, sterilization or death. About 1,000 Canadian women die needlessly each year as the result of a botched abortion.

And is it any wonder? Driven out of the hOSpital and clinic, abortion becomes dangerous. A good many abortionists particularly those a poor woman can afford, are not medically trained at all and use improper and unsterile methods. Desperate women try to about them- selves with a frightening array of tools— knitting needles, vacuum cleaners, coat hangers, lysol.

These women don't need quot- ations from the Criminal Code or the bible. They need safe abortions.

RESPECT FOR LIFE

That's why I have little patience with those who get dewy-eyed about a fetus' right to life.

Any decision as to when life begins must be aritrary. The church that makes the most fuss hasn't decided on the magic moment itself. The law doesn't require a death certificate for a miscarriage and, as far as I know, the Catholics don't hold funerals for then either. .

Paul Erhlich has pointed out that to confuse a blueprint with a building. Our main concern must be with the right of a woman to decide when and how many children she will bear.

If a woman decides, as 100,000 did last year, that for some reason- _ physical,emotional or financial— that She. cannot give birth to a child that has been conceived in her body, that is her decision and it has-been be enough for us. He must not stand in the way with the 0 law that forces

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Our goal is to have abortion re- moved entirely from the Criminal Bode. The matter should be question of concern only to the patient and her doctor and should be covered by xcdicare (like an appendectomy or any other operation).

There should be local clinics hat perform abortions. This would decrease the demand for valuable hospital bed Space and the clinic could serVe the community with birth control information and prescriptions pre and post natal care.

Respect for the dignity of human life, demands that we work until this slogan is truth.‘ '

~ "Evory mother a willing mother.

Every child a wanted child."

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her to undergo humiliation and pain. $rm Lhe shouldn't have to fear legal gy,§ reprisals or death. . a'fi In countries 0,? {74:

where legal abortions, performed by trained persons is available deaths 5?

from abortion are minimal. For example 0 e " . Czechoslovakia has had no deaths in SFg? 1h0,000 legal abortions. o g Q”

It is clear that 1,000 women died I”.e e :? senselessly last year. We have any ' .7 330*, reapect for life, we must demand f" gi’ E that those deaths stop. How? By -§4?.§1§ making available free and safe g_¢ f3} abortions to all who ask for if"? a“ "1' A A the ;. a ‘5

"It's my first time too"

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