Federal abortion law should be based on facts

Virginia Jones
·2 min read
196

To the Editor:

This is an open letter to Rep. Arrington of Texas about introducing a bill to have a federal abortion law. It does not seem that a federal law is likely, but just in case Rep. Arrington’s idea makes head way:

People against the recent decision on abortion picket at the corner of Oak Ridge Turnpike and South Illinois Avenue on Sunday, July 17, 2022.
People against the recent decision on abortion picket at the corner of Oak Ridge Turnpike and South Illinois Avenue on Sunday, July 17, 2022.

Such a law should be based on the everyday facts about abortion, including learning whether the number of abortions has been trending up or down. It should be known how many abortions are spontaneous or caused by some physical problem, and how many are deliberate because of circumstances in the lives of the expecting parents.

The physical facts about pregnancy and the things that can go wrong should be learned: such as miscarriages, see https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pregnancy-loss-miscarriage/symptoms-causes/syc-20354298.

How the age of the mother affects the pregnancy: http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12264602/.

The danger of tubal pregnancies: https://www.pregnanteve.com/tubal-pregnancy/.

The realities of a stillbirth: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/stillbirth/facts.html.

The results of inbreeding from incest can be found simply by looking up inbreeding. Incest is the most reported form of child abuse.

Such legislation should be based on facts and not be a one-size-fits-all bill.

Legislators need to hear the testimonies of physicians, as well as mothers and fathers, geneticists, and therapists.

It takes courage to bear a child, and when things go wrong, a family should not have to worry because their mother cannot get medical attention for life-threatening developments out of her control, or that she and her physician may be arrested. Hospitals should not have to worry that dealing with a medical problem will lead to legal problems and make them turn away mothers in crisis.

There is more research that can be done, but these are a start.

In hopes that Rep. Arrington has respect for the amazing task of carrying a child to term and can see the hazards that accompany nine months of being pregnant, are allowed for, and that a medical procedure is sometimes the right thing to do.

Virginia M. Jones, MSSW

Oak Ridge

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Letter: Federal abortion law should be based on facts