(Correspondence) The Canadian abortion law

May Cohen, Wendell Watters, Linda Rapson

Canadian Medical Association Journal, CMAJ
Canadian Medical Association Journal

Extract
. . . risks are relative. A woman exposed to childbirth is at greater risk than a woman having an induced abortion . . . Blame for cervical lacerations sustained in the course of an induced abortion should be laid on the surgeon, not on the procedure. . . . .We are impressed by improvements in maternal and infant health reported in areas where safe legal abortions are relatively easy to obtain: mortality and morbidity from septic illegal abortion all but disappear and neonatal mortality plummets. . . While the state did not force her to have heterosexual intercourse, it is clearly intending her to remain pregnant against her will by making it impossible to interrupt a pregnancy she has tried to avoid. It is our view that abortion should be at the bottom of a list of options available to an unwillingly pregnant woman. . . . there needs to be a consensus among gynecologists as to the point during gestation when abortion is no longer an option. . . abortion is a nasty business. The answer to its elimination surely lies in . . . adequate sex education in our schools, and training programs in human sexuality and reproductive regulation in the curricula of our health care educational institutions.


Cohen M, Watters W, Rapson L. (Correspondence) The Canadian abortion law. Can. Med Assoc J. 1977 Feb 05;116(3):247, 250.

(Correspondence) Therapeutic abortion

PG Coffey

Canadian Medical Association Journal, CMAJ
Canadian Medical Association Journal

Extract
The country that liberalizes abortion creates an atmosphere that encourages abortion. . . Is abortion really no different than any other operation? The people who see no difference are the same people who see all the difference in the world between feticide and infanticide. . . .Dr. Watters refers derisively to the “pro-life” group as the “Canadian Crusaders for Compulsory Pregnancy. . . Is it so difficult to understand that in certain circumstances principles come before expedients? . . . Killing has always been one of the most tempting ways for man to achieve his immediate ends. The numerous complications that may result from abortion, especially the long-term ones, provide good medical reasons for encouraging a pregnancy to continue.


Coffey PG. (Correspondence) Therapeutic abortion. Can Med Assoc J. 1975 Feb 08;112(3):283.