As we all know, not all pregnancies are planned. And, conversely, desired pregnancies are not always achieved. Animal studies have demonstrated that almost half of fertilized eggs fail to implant in the uterus; of those that do implant, some are lost to spontaneous abortion (miscarriage). The "pro-life" contingent, which insists that life begins at fertilization, are either ignorant of these facts or choose to ignore them.
Furthermore, anti-abortionists, some of whom even oppose the procedure in cases of rape, incest or maternal risk, see adoption as the answer, pointing out that abortion leaves the mother with emotional scars. Labeling the pro-choice position as "pro-abortion," they seek to impose their view on the rest of society. Few of these individuals have adopted unwanted or abused children and most seem to ignore the emotional problems faced by mothers who give up full term babies or by the adopted children themselves. To compound the issue, one of the leading opponents of abortion, the Catholic Church, also opposes the use of birth control, the primary means (other than abstinence) of preventing unwanted pregnancies.
On this Mother's Day, let's acknowledge that we hope all children are wanted, loved and raised with care. And, contrary to the rhetoric of the Religious Right, let's agree that no one wants to have an abortion. Unfortunately, anti-abortionists prefer the birth of an unwanted child to the elimination of a fertilized egg and, in this political year, their self-righteous demands will blur the concept of motherhood.
