You cannot be pro-life and pro-choice at the same time. I understand that abortion is a difficult issue, but you stand on one side of the fence or the other. While women do not take abortion lightly, easy access to abortion has caused the rate of repeat abortions to sky rocket.
"According to the APS, 48 percent of women in 2000-2001 were obtaining repeat abortions, including 29 percent who were seeking their second abortion, 12 percent seeking their third abortion and 7 percent seeking their fourth or higher order abortion."
In addition, children are expensive, but abortions are as well.
"In 2001, the average charge for a surgical abortion at 10 weeks' gestation was $468; but since most abortions in the United States are performed at low-cost clinics, women on average paid $372 for the procedure."
"Some 74 percent of women pay for abortions with their own money; 13 percent of abortions are covered by Medicaid, and 13 percent are billed directly to private insurance. Some women who pay for the procedure themselves may receive insurance reimbursement later."
All of these quotes are from the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood's research group.
A woman who decides to keep her child has several resources available to her free. The Women's Care Center in South Bend has several free services, as do many other groups around the nation. Care Net and Birthright are just two of many groups that offer free pregnancy tests, counseling and other services.
The desire to adopt a healthy infant in the U.S. has exceeded the number of available infants. If a woman does not want to kill her child, she has options. There are free services to support her during pregnancy, and people desperate for children.
Unplanned pregnancy is difficult in every situation, however abortion is not the only way out if one is not financially stable. Adoption is a beautiful option and free care for women during pregnancy is readily available.
Adoption is the pro-life option, the pro-choice is abortion. Once it's a baby, there cannot be a choice.
Anne Christine Barbera
senior
off campus
Nov. 15
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
