Repeal the 8th

It's not as easy as all that to have an abortion. It involves several trips to doctors/clinics including the possibility of the end of the pregnancy occurring in public.

I suspect that some women who do have so-called 'convenience' and/or repeated abortions have an awful lot of other issues going on in their lives as well, when an unplanned pregnancy could be the last straw.

Faced with a pregnancy and no idea who is to pay for everything and where to live is terrible for a any young women. In the 60s you could go to a home where you scrubbed floors on your hands an knees. Why on earth that? Wasn't there mop you could have used?

To find the answers to these questions when there is only 13 weeks to go and where a boyfriend - who might come round to it later, is frightend at how quickly everything has to be decided. I hope that they agree to abortions and spend bit of money and thought on how to finance a mother and baby should the pregnancy go ahead .

When abortion is legal then plans and schemes should be put in place to see that these women can get on with their lives. Hopefully real help and no accusations.
Not too much to expect from a Christian country.

ab you have made comments about convenience abortions - would you vote Yes today?

Anniebach just noticed your post about Afghanistan not being catholic...no but there are countless catholic countries accross the world especially in Sth America who might be encouraged to fight against unjust decision when they need/want an abortion.Countries where women end up in prison when its even suspected they've had an abortion

I wonder how accessible and available contraception for women is in Ireland today?

It seems sad now that every form of contraception and advice is freely available in England the demand for abortion appears to have risen, particularly since having a child without marriage is not the problem it was when most of us were young.

That said, I hope abortion will be legalised in Ireland.

Abortion has existed for as long as womankind has existed. My grandmother was a nurse and she told my mother about various methods used to end unwanted pregnancies, way back in the 1920's & 30's. All illegal then, of course.

All that enshrining abortion in law does is change it from illegal to legal.

eazy what you say is simply not true overall - abortion rates have fallen overall, with the only increases being in the over 30 age group

Contraception was made legal in 1974. 2013 abortion was made legal if the mothers life was in danger.

When abortion was made legal in this country there were doctors who refused to undertake the surgery.

I supported the legalisation of abortion but really believed the provisions set out would be adhered to, they were not.

I think the vote will go ‘yes’ but there will be more problems ahead

or being on a whim ( a whim? Bloody hell. WTF)
Yes
Unfortunately, tragic though it may seem, it is occasionally treated casually.

Doctors and nurses in GB can still opt out of being directly involved in an abortion being carried out

How occasionally? How do you know? And anyway so what? Their bodies their choice. I wonder what having an abortion in a whim actually means - it’s Tuesday so I’ll have an abortion? I’ll toss a coin, heads it’s an abortion for me? The father has red hair do I’ll abort the baby?

I think by on a 'whim' posters are referring to it seeming as if some women go 'oops, I got pregnant, oh well I'll just have an abortion'. Unfortunately, I have known a few people do this is late teens/early 20s. However, they seem to struggle with the decision afterwards and in the case of all 3, were pregnant with a baby they kept in the next few months. I think in some cases of accidental pregnancy, better counselling and advice is needed for younger women to understand how hard having an abortion can be.

Don't think you've got your dates right ab! Abortion was legalised in 1967.

I agree about better support services for anyone of any age having an abortion but like the rest of the NHS there just aren’t the resources. Neither is there the infrastructure or support services if you decide to keep the baby and of course it might be the third child which might mean in some situations you wouldn’t get any extra benefits. That’s an interesting one isn’t it - anti abortionists caring about the child before it’s born but not afterwards?

I think ab is posting about the situation in Ireland ( she got the contraception date wrong I think)

My error minesaprosecco, no idea why I typed 1974, mind on other things , thank you.

Exit poll gives a clear yes.

Good

I hardly dare believe the exit poll - if it’s true then actually getting the legislation through should be much easier with such a margin.Also it should cheer our N. Irish sisters - and all our sisters in countries where they are still fighting for this right. I was watching the scenes at Dublin airport - all those wonderful ( mostly young and female) coming home to vote and in many cases being met and hugged by fathers and mothers. There was even earlier today a group of older men holding a banner saying ‘Grandfathers vote yes’. Some of the young women at the airport were saying I’ve come home to vote so others won’t have to leave home to get an abortion. But I’m still waiting to be sure

I think it’s a done deed. So many young people turning out to vote.

It’s certainly looking hopeful, but I daren’t quite start rejoicing until the final result comes through. Holding my breath.

It’s looking good. Let’s hope the women in Northern Ireland are now given the same rights as the rest of the U.K.

Does that mean hospitals and medical staff will cooperate though .?

We’ll have to see how tge legislation is written. In E and W the vast majority of abortions are provided in clinics run by charities etc who receive state funding so that model will pose no problems. Asfor hospitals and doctors, once the threat of prosecution is removed, that should change their attitudes. There will be I’m sure a conscience clause as there is here. Given the apparent landslide and the number of medical staff who spoke up for Yes it seems unlikely that having staff will not be a problem. Once the abortion pill is legally available that will also help deal with demand

Yes poor NI - no same sex marriage, no abortion. Women there only recently were given the right to a NHS funded abortion in E and W and still have all the travel costs to pay I think.