Right to life

To the editor:

Do women have a right to life? As mothers, nurses, teachers and caregivers, women make essential contributions to their families and communities. It saddens me to think that a law could force even one of these good women to maintain a pregnancy against her will, even a pregnancy that threatens her life or results from rape or incest. Pregnancy does threaten the lives of women with diabetes or heart disease. It saddens me to realize that many legislators, both men and women, and several justices of the Supreme Court would uphold such a law. I trust women.

Many “pro-life” writers do not seem to consider women’s right to life. Rather they seem intent on punishing women for their sexuality. Are all the women they know Jezebels? Is motherhood an appropriate punishment for Jezebels?

The women I know willingly share news of a pregnancy with parents and partners. No law is necessary. Very few want abortions. But if an adult woman finds secrecy and abortion necessary, the law should not interfere. In the case of minors, a family judge should decide. The parents of a very young pregnant girl, like the girl, usually prefer that the pregnancy be terminated. Carrying to term threatens a child’s life, as we see by the high rate of death in childbirth for child brides in other countries.

Most abortions can be prevented by adequate education about, and easy access to, birth control methods. If prevention is the goal, birth control is the method.

Mary Davidson,

Lawrence