South Dakota’s New Abortion Law
Imagine going to a doctor after deciding to have an abortion because you know you can’t support a child. Before you have the abortion, your doctor asks you to read a statement that says “the abortion will terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being” and you have “an existing relationship with that unborn human being.” Would you be shocked? Scared? Maybe you wouldn’t even bat an eye. Or maybe you’d leave before having the procedure.
In two weeks, women who choose to have abortions in South Dakota won’t have to imagine this scenario. A new abortion law will require that they be read a statement with this exact language.
The decision to have an abortion is tough. And women who choose to have abortions are very clear that it will end a pregnancy. Does telling women that they will “terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being” give women medical information they don’t already have? Or does it just manipulate women’s emotions about an already difficult decision?
Whatever you think about abortion, the decision to have one is personal. Tell us what you think about South Dakota’s new law.
(13 votes, average: 4.15 out of 5)
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July 10, 2008 at 11:16 am
I feel that it’s good to have girls read this message prior to getting an abortion. Not because of pro-choice or pro-life ideals, but because a lot of young girls get abortions out of fear and impulse without truly thinking of the consequences of their actions.
If every hospital in the nation has a “no shame, no blame” rule that states that any person can drop off a newborn baby without releasing identification, and such baby will be able to be adopted by a deserving family, then WHY do girls feel that abortion is the only answer.
This message is not saying “don’t have sex” or “you must take care of your child” and it’s not even a message about responsibility.
It’s a reminder to show girls what they are really doing.
Showing them that yes, they have found a quick solution to their “problem,” but with that, they are not only denying fulfillment of ONE future life, but of many.
There are sooo many people around the world who are infertile and would LOVE to take care of that child. But every time that procedure is done, the dreams of one more happy, stable couple are crushed.
Maybe if more people realized this, then they wouldn’t abort their pregnancies.
Kudos to South Dakota!
July 10, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Yeah I think this is a great law because terminating a life is exactly what your doing!!! Of course i think its a little ridiculous that a state can recognize this but not put an end to abortion completely, but I think it might make women a little more aware of exactly what decision they’re making. the only reason people don’t want this law is because then they’ll have to admit to themselves exactly what abortion is, and they aren’t prepared to face the truth. Making the choice to have an abortion is never easy, but it’s a whole lot easier than deciding to keep the baby. Abortion is the easy way out, and liek the saying “What’s easy is not always right, and what’s right is not always easy.” If this new law causes even one girl to change her mind about her abortion, which it will, then I think it is a huge success. We should all follow in the lead of South Dakota!
July 11, 2008 at 12:35 am
I don’t agree with that law at all. Most women/people should realize what abortion is if they are considering it an option and are going to go through with it. Not everyone is ready to be parent or wants to be a parent. So abortion is just another option for people who do not want to take that route. I mean, yeah girls/womens could hold the fetus for 9 months until it grows and becomes a baby and birth it, but that’s not always the right thing to do. Actually there is no right thing to do overall. Each person should make their own choice on whether they want to keep the baby or not. I just hope they don’t bring that law do other states or at least make it optional.
July 11, 2008 at 1:57 am
i think this is a good law.
its simply to let them know fully what they are doing. they are in fact terminating a life.
i personally do not agree with abortion…but i cant fully say i think it should be outlawed completely. because women will find a way to do it legal or not. like the coat hanger. which is what women commonly did before abortion was legalized int the 1960’s i believe.
its a very controversial topic.
July 11, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I don’t like it. They make it sound like your terminating it for the pure sake of doing so. I’d bet more than a few bucks most people do a lot of thinking and soul searching before deciding. How about a few laws to get the father involved? Not as a decider but so that he knows he has a kid. A buddy of mine was told he got his GF pregnant AFTER she had an abortion. That messed him up, he’s not the same.
July 12, 2008 at 9:08 am
I think this is what all medical papers on abortion for patients should say.
Not enough women 100% associate “pregnant” with “another life”; they only think about the responsibility, the money or — in worst case scenarios — the stretch marks.
Personally, I think that in most cases there shouldn’t be abortions available (the exceptions are if she is raped, or if carrying the baby endangers them both). If the woman is responsible enough to have sexual intercourse, she’s responsible enough to face the consequences. I’m not saying she’s ready to be a parent, but ready to find a family for her unwanted baby.
July 12, 2008 at 11:54 am
Regardless of how I feel about abortions per se. I do not agree with their law to make women disgusted with themselves over a decision they make… if it’s legal…it’s legal…if they don’t want it legal… take a vote and ban it… but don’t humiliate people who are doing something that the government itself says is perfectly legal and within their rights to do…
July 13, 2008 at 5:05 pm
I personally feel that this law is wrong. The wording of that statement is similar to what you might describe killing an adult human being with. It’s wrong. When facing teen pregnancy, your options are difficult and few. You can have the baby and keep it, with no money to support yourself or the baby and facing trouble from parents. You can have the baby and give it up to adoptive parents, which is risky because you dont have control over what they do to the baby after you give it up. Or you can have an abortion and not worry about starving to death, being to immature to care for a child properly, abuse to your child, or expensive medical/midwife bills. Either way you go it’s difficult to decide and this law is not helping.
And what about women who are raped? Do they deserve to be scared into not having an abortion?
I think perhaps the law was a good idea, that women should understand the full weight of their decision, but the wording sounds terribly biased towards the pro life side of decision making.
Sometimes, when you’re young and ill-equipped to deal with parenthood, abortion is indeed the best choice, as hard as it is to imagine. I hope perhaps more people will realize this in the future than they seem to be now…
July 15, 2008 at 2:45 am
I agree with this- I think its great.
too many people use abortion as birth control, and maybe this will at least make them think before they continue to do this. For example, there is a woman that works with my mom, who openly tells coworkers that she is 3months pregnant, and will abort soon. This happens often, she is constantly getting abortions. Even strong pro-choice activist must agree that this is wrong…
July 15, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I think it’s absolutely ridiculous. As if those who have decided to get an abortion aren’t looked down on enough. They obviously thought long and hard about it. It’s not an easy decision for a woman of any age. They shouldn’t be told that they’re killing a human being while they’re getting ready to actually have it done. There is no medical value to it so they shouldn’t have the right to throw something like that in the face of a woman who has already gone through enough. It takes a lot to decide on an abortion. Some people just don’t have any other options. And for your information, there is an over abundance of kids waiting to be adopted. People have now decided that it’s cheaper and easier to adopt children from other countries, so they do. Leaving an excessive amount of kids in the system. So many grow up with out any family, adoptive, or even foster. Also, most people go through years of treatments before they even begin to consider adoption. Putting a baby up for adoption is also extremely traumatic, especially for a teenager. Sometimes abortion is someone’s only option. It’s not anyone’s place to pass judgement, or to try and change their minds. What’s right is different for everyone.
July 17, 2008 at 10:34 am
I think it’s absolutely ridiculous. It’s hard enough to make the decision about having an abortion or not. But this is like trying to make the women change their minds. This would make the woman in the clinic feel like a bad person for even thinking about an abortion. I hate the way government views abortion.
July 20, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I think it’s terrible. Women making that decision have enough problems to deal with as is, without a super-duper-guilt-trip.
July 21, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Are you serious? Do they think women are stupid? When a women is making a decision about her pregnancy I think she is more than aware of what abortion entails. It infuriates me to know that a women has to read from a script, stating things she herself may not believe, in order to exercise her right to have an abortion! You don’t see a man having to read any phony script when he goes to get a vasectomy. He’s not questioned or made to do degrading things in order not to have children, so why should a women have to go to such length to do what she wishes with her body and future? To me this is not only another pathetic attempt to restrict a womens right to choose, but it is a form of discrimination and a double standard that should not be tolerated!
July 26, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Um…hello?!?! Every women knows what an abortion would do to them and the unborn human being before they get it done. I agree with one of the earlier posts that said that most women probably do a lot of thinking and soul searching before deciding. An abortion takes a very high tole mentally, as well as physically. Who wrote this law? MEN?? Some girls get abortions because they were _raped_, and no girl who’s gone through that needs another thing to feel terrible about. Does the world want every girl who gets into a bad situation to feel guilty and turn around and have their baby(s)? If a women chooses to get an abortion because they can’t support a child, they chose it to save the child from suffering! If I was in a situation where I needed to get an abortion, it’s not because I’m selfish, or because I’m treating abortion like birth control, it is because I want to raise a child the right way. Too many kids suffer because they’re parents had a baby too soon, and were ill-equip.
August 23, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I belive it is very wrong to have women read that statement. it was probly had for the to even walk into the doctors office, so why make them feel like a terminater ever more?!?!
yes i guess in a way its good so the know that after the procedure is done they are not able to have this baby ever again.
i think the should reword the statement if anything.
August 29, 2008 at 8:24 am
i think its pretty cool
the only thing is that yes it is tough to hear but it might save some lives
im adopted and i really wish alot more people would give the children up there are so many people who want them
August 29, 2008 at 4:47 pm
I think this is grat i know that women get abortions sometime because of rape or incest but according to stats most women get it cuz they didnt use potecttion and i think that an abortionis an escape out of prenacey that is most of the time just out of laziness they dont learn the leson!!!! and its better to have a child then to not give it a chance at all the thing inside you is a human being anybody remamber this “a persons a person no matter how small” as dr. suess put it. there are so many organizations that can help you out you may feel alone but you are NEVER alone god is with you and if you visit a church naer by im sure theyll understand and help you out. this law makes women think if they should do this one last time i promote it 110% is anybody with me here?
December 28, 2008 at 2:05 am
This is a great law. People who have abortions are selfish people that are only thinking of themselves. If you don’t want to have a baby maybe you shouldn’t be having unprotected sex. Just a thought. Good job south Dakota every state should be doing this. I think it will help people realize what they are really doing when they have abortions.
December 30, 2008 at 3:44 am
*EDITED BY SEX, ETC*
I think it is a great law.
You shouldn’t kill a innocent living baby just cause you cant take care of it.
There’s always the option of giving it up for adoption.
Think about it, your killing a poor innocent kid, that hasn’t even been brought into this world yet.
Yes I think the father should have a say in it to, I mean he’s the one who helped someone make the baby.
Maybe the father could take care of it.
I have my own opinion about it.
ABORTION IS NOT THE ONLY ANSWER.
January 16, 2009 at 5:21 pm
So first we have the media that is already trying to give “beautiful” a reputation of being skinny, wearing makeup, etc., and making women feel bad about their appearance, and now we have religious/political games entering into the medical office? Making women feel bad through manipulation to make them change their minds about the procedure? We need to work against this. Women should not be guilted into changing their minds on a decision they made just because in the opinions of some it is wrong to go through with the procedure.
July 11, 2009 at 1:28 am
Well I for one, think a teenager should just rid it because one: it will be hard on mother and baby, sometimes the parents don’t want to take responsibility for their action of having sex and getting pregnant, people will look down on them,and they are just babies themselves. But if a woman young age or old got raped and they did not want that child or was not ready yet..should be able to decide they want to no longer carry it. Because, if they were raped they would have to live with it, kinda a reminder of their rape and if they keep it, their child may ask their momma about their dad..now many girls/women will find it hard to explain that their father raped them. They shouldn’t have to suffer b/c of the rapist. But, if its a girl/woman who sleeps around all the time then they shouldn’t have an abortion. They should keep it because if they can’t learn the first time then they will never learn from their mistake.
July 20, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Oh, this is revolting. Abortion isn’t murder it’s terminating the potential for life not an actual life. I don’t deem it morally wrong until it reaches the third trimester (of course problems like danger to the mother’s life or cancer are exceptions). Also I believe when you get a first time abortion it’s equivalent to killing a bacteria culture. Why? Because in that stage the embryo has no emotions, thoughts, feelings, friends, and the people don’t care for it just what it may become. However abortions shouldn’t be covered by insurance except in cases of rape, danger to the mother’s life, or incest. And to the people who say it isn’t the only choice your correct. However the emotional agony of separating from your child forever after merely glimpsing it (I don’t consider it a baby until it reaches the third trimester). Most of the time kids just bounce from foster homes and rarely get fully adopted. Unless they get adopted while they’re a baby their chances drop severely. And how could you live completely happy knowing you were unwanted and unplanned? And I agree mother’s who don’t want to accept the consequences are in the wrong most of the time but many are from poor areas and aren’t educated on sex and make mistakes. But they shouldn’t force that onto the child or use the child as a punishment. People also shouldn’t abuse abortions. I think a limit of three should be in place. Also abortion isn’t the “easy way out”. Saying that is incredibly shallow. It puts loads of emotional and mental strain on a woman. And remember rape victims in SD would hear that spoken to them through. People need to research and stop being shallow and making knee-jerk reactions. Get off your fricken’ white horse.
November 25, 2009 at 12:30 am
Frankly, I think this is a horrible idea. Not to mention the political bias inherent, it pours guilt upon women who, as previously mentioned, have already endured much stress and inner turmoil. Anyone who thinks a woman is not aware of the consequences of abortion is sorely, sorely mistaken.
“People who have abortions are selfish people that are only thinking of themselves.”
This statement, also, is terribly erroneous and beyond judgmental. I cannot speak for every woman, but I know that if I were to become pregnant now (which would be rather difficult because I’m a virgin), I would definitely get an abortion not only because of the risk bearing a child would pose to my college education, health, and wallet, but also the harm done to the child. He/she would most likely end up in the foster system, have a pretty awful life, and contribute minimally, at best, to society. If I kept the child, it would probably be even worse than that. So it would be best all around for me to get an abortion.
Every woman who chooses to have an abortion has probably gone through very similar thought processes over and over again, and they don’t need further grief from such a cruel and inaccurate statement. Innacurate because “whole” and “separate”, for starters, do not describe a developing embryo/fetus as it is still forming (hence not ‘whole’) and still fully reliant on the woman (hence not ’separate’). I could go on, but I don’t want to get into semantics.
What also really bugs me about this is the way in which it aggravates gender inequality. Sure, it’s trying to make the woman think over her decision, but where’s the guy in all of this? Why shouldn’t he have to bear equal amounts of the guilt, discrimination, and hatred that his partner experiences? Why should she have to bear it all? How is that at all fair? And instead of trying to help with this unfairness, South Dakota only aggravates it.
And what is with this judging women for getting abortions? Even if she didn’t choose to get into that situation, it’s her choice to get out. Especially if she got raped, or tried to be safe (I know people who have gotten pregnant with a condom/the pill, as virgins, you name it) she does not need or deserve that sort of judgment.