I have noticed that in all the various abortion debates we have had, women are always for abortion.

First, are there any women on this website who are against abortion?

Second, what are the moral issues surrounding a womans choice to be pro-life or pro-choice?

I was raised as a Catholic and therefore don't morally approve of abortion. I do feel, however, that each situation of possible abortion for a woman is very personal decision.
A woman may be living in a situation where she cannot mentally cope with a pregnancy. How would childbearing in her situation in her mind be a positive thing when she is in a state of anxiety and abuse for instance. She has the right to abortion and may therefore use it as an exit from an otherwise powerless situation with no hope for the future.
A woman may be in an unhealthy pregnancy which may affect her ability to survive, and provide maternal care for the other children in her family. The choice to abort may allow her to live to be a mother to these other children.
A woman may be raped, and making the choice of abortion may allow a woman to make an emotional recovery to return to a healthy frame of mind in time.
These are a few examples of real life situations which may allow a woman to feel empowered.
I therefore feel that the decision to choose or not to choose abortion is a very personal one, but should never be done without mandatory counselling beforehand.
This would bring attention to the possibility of becoming sterile, and other issues surrounding guilt, etc.
I am therefore "pro choice".
I would add that abortion should never play a part in "casual" birth control due to a lack of self discipline.
This topic can be argued back and forth but the fact that a choice does exist provides fodder for much discussion.
This is my first contribution to this website. I am new to debating, so be patient with me.....

I am pro-Life.

I am a Catholic convert who used to be Unitarian Universalist before I converted. It was the result of a personal quest--my husband is still Unitarian Universalist.

It is difficult to determine when the growing life in the womb becomes totally human. I've seen the pictures of the fetuses sucking their thumbs. I have miscarried when we desperately wanted to have a child.

I do not take this stance because the Pope said so. It's because I believe that there really are few cases where an abortion is necessary, that it has become a method of birth control for some women and frankly, a developing life shouldn't be so expendable.

I don't suppose I've made it much of a secret on this forum that I'm pro-choice.

That isn't because (contrary to some of the on-line lectures I've received explaining the consequences of unprotected sex ) I don't like babies, or have a frivolous, promiscuous sex life.

Being a full-time parent is so life-altering and overwhelming, I can't imagine anyone being forced into it against their will. I have slept through the night about three weeks total in the last five years. I go out about two days a month. I have grown accustomed to nonstop chanting, shouting, crying in the car. I haven't shopped anywhere but online in about 4 years. Not to be a downer, I am happy as a mother....but I actually chose that. I won't even delve into what my pregnancies and childbirth did to my body. Suffice it to say, I can't take an aerobics class without wearing depends, and it has been that way since my first baby (I was 28 at that time).

I do love children, but I believe a person should have the choice at the beginning of the pregnancy. IMO, that choice doesn't "cheapen life", but makes it infinitely more valuable than any form of government enforced pregnancy would.

Mrs.Pigpen, the line about aerobics and depends almost made me choke on my OJ

I was raised a Roman Catholic so I should feel the sense that abortion is "wrong" because the church is strictly against abortion. The Catholic church is also against birth control, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, the use of condoms for gays...
So the Catholic Church and SoCal have had gone our separate ways on certain issues. When the parents of a 9 year old child were ostracized and refused an abortion for their daughter (I believe she was raped-not sure), I wondered whose life they placed more importance on.

My position on abortion is Pro-life. By that I mean I put the life of the mother first. Some equate being Pro-choice with not caring about "life." Not true. There is the life of the mother without whom, another life cannot exist. "life" is not merely functioning as a organism, it has more to do with quality than simply all bodily functions maintaining normally. Quality of life for the mother and quality of life for her child.

It strikes me that in the extreme fever over this abortion debate that the life of the mother...the drastic ways it effects HER life becomes secondary to that of the potential baby she will carry. If anything is "wrong," THIS is imo.

The ultimate responsibility for providing for a child lay with the mother. The decision should be hers as to whether she feels she is capable of handling the incredible responsibility that comes with bringing a child into her world and making sure that child is fed, supported loved and wanted. This is a decision that never comes easily.

I would agree that it would be terrible to be forced into motherhood, if that is the way the woman feels.

I also believe that the unborn child should at least get a chance to experience life, whether the mother decides to keep the child or entrust the child's care to someone else.

There are no guarantees that the new life will have mostly good experiences, but if the child is never allowed to enter this world it is certain that the child will have no experiences at all. No chance to experience suffering, but also no chance to experience love or joy or the sense of wonder that we all feel when we're little.

Ultimately our own personal experiences color our perception of how important it is to allow another being to experience the fullness of life. And while I would not go so far as to condemn the woman who decides to have an abortion, I would encourage her to consider carrying the child to term and giving another woman the chance to experience the ups and downs of motherhood.