I actually feel almost the opposite of a lot of people, then. I think that they are very important, but feel like abortions should be handled differently.

In the UK, you have to stay the night in the hospital when you get an abortion. This keeps internal bleeding and infection down, helps with the mental state of the patient, and also keeps it from being used as an 'oops' form of birth control (which I hate to say it, but some people treat it like that.)

I think that Planned Parenthood is essential, as many people don't have the resources for proper gynecological health. I feel like if PP went down, many people wouldn't be able to afford proper pregnancy testing (the sooner you find out you're pregnant, the healthier you can live to help your baby), and many people certainly wouldn't be able to get STD testing (which is an utter epidemic in the US. The more people who get tested, the less likely they are to spread it.)

They also are invaluable when it comes to birth control options. If you can't afford condoms, you certainly can't afford a baby, and they hand them out like candy. (This also helps the STD scene) They also give other birth control options out for pretty much free, which helps greatly. If you're born into poverty, you're likely to have a child very young, which keeps you from getting a good job and going to school. Offering birth control to people without insurance helps them get their lives together and get to a better place.

In total, while I don't really agree with their 'in and out' abortion stance and really like the way it's handled elsewhere, I feel like they are EXTREMELY important. less

I actually feel almost the opposite of a lot of people, then. I think that they are very important, but feel like abortions should be handled differently.

In the UK, you have to stay the night in the hospital when you get an abortion. This keeps internal bleeding and infection down, helps with the mental state of the patient, and also keeps it from being used as an 'oops' form of birth control (which I hate to say it, but some people treat it like that.)

I think that Planned Parenthood is essential, as many people don't have the resources for proper gynecological health. I feel like if PP went down, many people wouldn't be able to afford proper pregnancy testing (the sooner you find out you're pregnant, the healthier you can live to help your baby), and many people certainly wouldn't be able to get STD testing (which is an utter epidemic in the US. The more people who get tested, the less likely they are to spread it.)

They also are invaluable when it comes to birth control options. If you can't afford condoms, you certainly can't afford a baby, and they hand them out like candy. (This also helps the STD scene) They also give other birth control options out for pretty much free, which helps greatly. If you're born into poverty, you're likely to have a child very young, which keeps you from getting a good job and going to school. Offering birth control to people without insurance helps them get their lives together and get to a better place.

In total, while I don't really agree with their 'in and out' abortion stance and really like the way it's handled elsewhere, I feel like they are EXTREMELY important. less

I actually feel almost the opposite of a lot of people, then. I think that they are very important, but feel like abortions should be handled differently.

In the UK, you have to stay the night in the hospital when you get an abortion. This keeps internal bleeding and infection down, helps with the mental state of the patient, and also keeps it from being used as an 'oops' form of birth control (which I hate to say it, but some people treat it like that.)

I think that Planned Parenthood is essential, as many people don't have the resources for proper gynecological health. I feel like if PP went down, many people wouldn't be able to afford proper pregnancy testing (the sooner you find out you're pregnant, the healthier you can live to help your baby), and many people certainly wouldn't be able to get STD testing (which is an utter epidemic in the US. The more people who get tested, the less likely they are to spread it.)

They also are invaluable when it comes to birth control options. If you can't afford condoms, you certainly can't afford a baby, and they hand them out like candy. (This also helps the STD scene) They also give other birth control options out for pretty much free, which helps greatly. If you're born into poverty, you're likely to have a child very young, which keeps you from getting a good job and going to school. Offering birth control to people without insurance helps them get their lives together and get to a better place.

In total, while I don't really agree with their 'in and out' abortion stance and really like the way it's handled elsewhere, I feel like they are EXTREMELY important. less

Hi, Ryuson!

"...also keeps it from being used as an 'oops' form of birth control (which I hate to say it, but some people treat it like that.)"

You know, this is a paradigm that pops up a lot in discussions of abortion, but it's usually not really examined. The stereotype is generally that there are women of unknown numbers out there having unprotected sex without concern, because if they get pregnant they know they can just hop on over to an abortion clinic, and that these women abort pregnancies over and over again.

Now, while I know there are a few women who have had more than two abortions, and there may even be a rare few who come close to fitting the above stereotype, it is VERY rare. An abortion is no picnic, and every woman I know (and, I'm pretty sure, most of the women I don't know) would far prefer to use a simple and convenient form of birth control rather than have to endure even just the physical effects of early pregnancy and abortion.

But when you mention keeping abortion from being "used as an 'oops' form of birth control," it confuses me a bit. Because"oops" birth control is exactly what abortion is. The whole intent of abortion is to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, regardless of the reason why it's unwanted: health risks to the mother, serious health problems in the fetus, the mother's desire not to carry to term for whatever reason.

Do you know someone (or more than one) who you're specifically referring to in your post? If so, can you clarify what it is about their actions that is a problem? less

Hi, Ryuson!

"...also keeps it from being used as an 'oops' form of birth control (which I hate to say it, but some people treat it like that.)"

You know, this is a paradigm that pops up a lot in discussions of abortion, but it's usually not really examined. The stereotype is generally that there are women of unknown numbers out there having unprotected sex without concern, because if they get pregnant they know they can just hop on over to an abortion clinic, and that these women abort pregnancies over and over again.

Now, while I know there are a few women who have had more than two abortions, and there may even be a rare few who come close to fitting the above stereotype, it is VERY rare. An abortion is no picnic, and every woman I know (and, I'm pretty sure, most of the women I don't know) would far prefer to use a simple and convenient form of birth control rather than have to endure even just the physical effects of early pregnancy and abortion.

But when you mention keeping abortion from being "used as an 'oops' form of birth control," it confuses me a bit. Because"oops" birth control is exactly what abortion is. The whole intent of abortion is to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, regardless of the reason why it's unwanted: health risks to the mother, serious health problems in the fetus, the mother's desire not to carry to term for whatever reason.

Do you know someone (or more than one) who you're specifically referring to in your post? If so, can you clarify what it is about their actions that is a problem? less

I actually am wonder the same thing too. I feel very strongly about keeping abortion legal nation wide, as there is very little evidence that supports that stereotype.
Pulling this from a paper i found earlier this semester -- One study found that 61% of women seeking abortions already have children and cannot afford to take on any more; and almost 70% are poor or near poor, being unable to afford to care for or raise a child themselves. The same study found that 58% of women who choose to get legal abortions are in their twenties.
I personally have a close friend who has had multiple abortions, this most recent time was because while being intimate with her current partner the condom slipped off, and the frist was because her birth control failed. Being in her mind 20's, living at home and making minimum wage, she knew she was unable to care for another living being since she can barely take care of herself. Some people may think that she choose abortion as a "oopsy" form of BC without taking into consideration the certain circumstances she was put under to choose to get an abortion.
I strongly feel that, that stereotype is build on personal views which are also cultivated by media to make people believe that this is how many teens and people in their 20's use abortion with little regard of the individuals reasoning for choosing to get an abortion. less

It is a little weird to talk about abortions sometimes from a male perspective, since it is such a sensitive topic - and for biological reasons... you know. I support the women who have to make these decisions. While I have never been the participant in a situation that ended in a pregnancy, I have known a number of people who have went through the situations discussed here.

Everyone that I know who has had an abortion, did not take it lightly and said they never wanted to go through that again. I don't know anyone that has had more than one. All of these people for one reason or another also thought they were unable to get pregnant (protection, prevention, health issues, and even medical procedures).

I am not saying this is a universal representation, but it does give me the impression that it is not something a woman takes lightly, especially if she has experience with it. less

I actually feel almost the opposite of a lot of people, then. I think that they are very important, but feel like abortions should be handled differently.

In the UK, you have to stay the night in the hospital when you get an abortion. This keeps internal bleeding and infection down, helps with the mental state of the patient, and also keeps it from being used as an 'oops' form of birth control (which I hate to say it, but some people treat it like that.)

I think that Planned Parenthood is essential, as many people don't have the resources for proper gynecological health. I feel like if PP went down, many people wouldn't be able to afford proper pregnancy testing (the sooner you find out you're pregnant, the healthier you can live to help your baby), and many people certainly wouldn't be able to get STD testing (which is an utter epidemic in the US. The more people who get tested, the less likely they are to spread it.)

They also are invaluable when it comes to birth control options. If you can't afford condoms, you certainly can't afford a baby, and they hand them out like candy. (This also helps the STD scene) They also give other birth control options out for pretty much free, which helps greatly. If you're born into poverty, you're likely to have a child very young, which keeps you from getting a good job and going to school. Offering birth control to people without insurance helps them get their lives together and get to a better place.

In total, while I don't really agree with their 'in and out' abortion stance and really like the way it's handled elsewhere, I feel like they are EXTREMELY important. less

They have birth control for really cheap? 0_o this is news to me. They wanted to charge me $75 dollars just to TALK to me about the different kinds of birth control and I'm a student with no job. I guess it's different from place to place. I guess they think if you have enough money to have insurance you have enough to pay that kind of price, I just decided to go to a real doctor instead!

But yeah I think they should stay open, I'd rather see more people getting abortions than children living in foster care all their life. less

They have birth control for really cheap? 0_o this is news to me. They wanted to charge me $75 dollars just to TALK to me about the different kinds of birth control and I'm a student with no job. I guess it's different from place to place. I guess they think if you have enough money to have insurance you have enough to pay that kind of price, I just decided to go to a real doctor instead!

But yeah I think they should stay open, I'd rather see more people getting abortions than children living in foster care all their life. less

I actually feel almost the opposite of a lot of people, then. I think that they are very important, but feel like abortions should be handled differently.

In the UK, you have to stay the night in the hospital when you get an abortion. This keeps internal bleeding and infection down, helps with the mental state of the patient, and also keeps it from being used as an 'oops' form of birth control (which I hate to say it, but some people treat it like that.)

I think that Planned Parenthood is essential, as many people don't have the resources for proper gynecological health. I feel like if PP went down, many people wouldn't be able to afford proper pregnancy testing (the sooner you find out you're pregnant, the healthier you can live to help your baby), and many people certainly wouldn't be able to get STD testing (which is an utter epidemic in the US. The more people who get tested, the less likely they are to spread it.)

They also are invaluable when it comes to birth control options. If you can't afford condoms, you certainly can't afford a baby, and they hand them out like candy. (This also helps the STD scene) They also give other birth control options out for pretty much free, which helps greatly. If you're born into poverty, you're likely to have a child very young, which keeps you from getting a good job and going to school. Offering birth control to people without insurance helps them get their lives together and get to a better place.

In total, while I don't really agree with their 'in and out' abortion stance and really like the way it's handled elsewhere, I feel like they are EXTREMELY important. less

I assume when you say neglect you're referring to something similar to the recent stories in the media about the places being discovered to have highly unhealthy things going on, things harmful to the patient & all that? I know the most recent story is where a woman ended up dying because of them not being truly certified and doing wild things like prescribing large doses of meds & all. Well, in those cases where they're illegally practicing, yes. I can understand shutting them down. I mean, I would not want my loved ones' safety risked further by some dr. who only claims to have a degree and know what they're doing. I don't want to see that happen. However, do I just think PPs should be shut down because they perform abortion procedures? Absolutely not. There are reasons to keep those places open, but I do believe they should make sure the place is healthy, in good shape and that the workers are qualified professionals. less