Originally Posted by
DannyInvincible
Is it primarily a visual thing for you then, so, the more human the foetus might look, the harder you would feel it would be to justify permitting an abortion? Or would you consider other factors too in determining your preferred limit?
Personally, I would have difficulty with using the law to force a woman to proceed with a pregnancy that she didn't want, but if a legal restriction has to be imposed upon "on demand" abortions, I feel that around the point at which a foetus might develop the capability to perceive pain would be a reasonable cut-off point after which an abortion "on demand" would be prohibited. Of course, that point won't be the same for every foetus and, as you say, it is arbitrary, but that's where I would put a legal limit if I had to. I believe that point would be around 20-24 weeks for an "average" foetus. This also happens to be the point after which the "average" foetus would begin to become viable.
One would hope that that length of time would provide enough time for a woman who might contemplate having an abortion (for any reason) to have made a decision.
Where there might be a likely-fatal foetal abnormality or a palpable or serious risk to the health (physical or mental) or life of a pregnant woman, I would expect no time limit. Obviously, determinations in these circumstances would involve consultation with and approval by medical practitioners and/or psychiatrists, if necessary.
For what it's worth, there are a few countries where there is no time limit stipulated in law; they are Canada, China, Vietnam and North Korea, as far as I know. In Canada, it seems the matter is "regulated" by professional medical guidelines rather than the law. I'd need to study more how the system works there, but I do like that idea as I find the notion of criminalising women who might have abortions distinctly unappealing.