Buchta letter: Abortion

Sen. Dan Foreman’s opinion on abortion, as outlined in the Jan. 11 Statesman, is contrary to medical science, the Constitution and the facts regarding abortion in this country, yet he thinks his election gives him the right to force it on everyone else.

The medical fact is that no fetus is capable of consciousness or viability outside the womb before 22 weeks of gestation. Accordingly Roe v. Wade and subsequent decisions are that a woman’s right to abortion cannot be unduly interfered during this period. After viability the State may regulate or even ban abortion provided exceptions are made to protect the life or health of the mother. As a matter of public policy this is the only defensible position.

In practice, over 91 percent of abortions occur in the first trimester and little more than 1 percent occur after 20 weeks. These are invariably women who had hopes of a successful birth, but faced an unexpected and terrible life-or-death choice, not a casual last-minute change of mind as some pro-life advocates would have you to believe.

I respect religious beliefs, but they are poor substitutes for facts when it comes to making laws.

This story was originally published January 30, 2017 at 5:49 PM with the headline "Buchta letter: Abortion."