Abortion, Prenatal Screening, and IVF

This seems like a heavy topic to discuss to many, I'm sure. But the three topics listed in the title have been the major bulk of discussion thus far in my bioethics lecture that I've been teaching this summer. It's amazing how controversial topics such as these invoke so much emotion and people who tend to be a quiet person can be quite outspoken if they feel strongly about these issues.
I am believer of pro-choice, I always have been, and I can't necessarily say that I always will be since I have not yet had children, although I can't say if that would sway my views. I believe that it is ultimately a woman's right to choose to have an abortion. Morally I think that it's wrong to kill a fetus if you are irresponsible and end up pregnant as a result of a mutually agreed sexual encounter. I do think on the opposite side of things that it is your choice of whether or not you want to keep a child that is the result of rape, incest, etc. Although I think adoption is a choice people can make, I'm not going to say that it is my decision on that matter. I've never been put in that situation.
It's amazing how people think that 48 hours is the window in which a rape victim can be treated with the Plan B drug and then after that, conception may have occurred and they should carry the baby to term, even if it means adoption. I think that's a lot to put on someone's shoulder's after being the victim of a heinous crime. I think this comes back the idea that it's pro-choice, not because all pro-choice advocates think that abortion is always okay, but because it should be a choice that a woman, not the government or the church, should decide upon.
I do firmly believe that there is not nearly enough education given to women to let them know what an abortion does, how it can affect future fertility, and how there are chances that even after an abortion a baby can survive (it has happened). They need to be made aware of the counseling available because I do not think that women are provided with the counseling necessary to cope with a situation as difficult as abortion.
I am aware of other's beliefs and do think that it's great that I can have a class of students with very different opinions who can debate a topic in a constructive and productive manner. It's amazing, really.
I think that it's sad that these nutters that think killing an abortion doctor is justified don't step back and look at themselves. Thank god no one in my class thinks like that. But it's sad that they justify "killing" with killing. They are hypocritical and unethical and most of all, immoral. Ugh.

In terms of pre-natal screening, I think it's great there are technologies available to screen the health of your baby during pregnancy. I do think there's an issue with the information given about problems found during pregnancy, such as Down's syndrome. Did you know that 92-93% of all pregnant women who are told that they have a fetus with Down's syndrome have an abortion, and that rate is even higher in the UK and Australia? I know a few people who have children with disabilities and I know that they would not trade their children for any other child in the world. It seems sad to me that something such as Down's is enough of a justification to person to have an abortion. I think this all goes back to the education issue. Women need to be informed of what's available for children with disabilities, educational opportunities, etc.

Moving into in-vitro fertilization, I think there should be some sort of limit put on the number of embryos that a person is allowed to have implanted at one time. Successful studies have shown that 1-2 embryos being implanted have just as high of a success rate as having 7-8 implanted. There also needs to be some sort restriction on who can have this procedure done. I mean, realistically, are you irriated like me that my taxpayer dollars will help someone like Nadya Suleman who's selfish need to have a bunch of children comes at a cost to us and to the health of those babies? 14 children? All IVF? Come on now. That's not good, at all. Or what about Jon and Kate? Their sextuplets landed them a TV show and now that the family has personal issues with their marriage it's splattered all over the tabloids for all of the media hungry hounds the USA has for citizens. At what cost to the children? I don't care if she has PCOS, are you telling me that you need to be taking fertility drugs at 25? Keep trying for a while? That's my theory. I think you should keep trying and give it a few years. Good lord. It's a little different if the biological clock is ticking. Restricting the number of embryos implanted reduces the risk of a multiple pregnancy in which a wide range of complications and birth defects can occur. I think selective reduction should also be encouraged (which I know is difficult, how do you choose which ones get to live?!) just because the health and safety is important for the babies and you could lose them all if you cry to carry all to term. (And do not use the phrase "It is God's will" because it was God's will that you could not concieve naturally, it was science that implanted those embryos). I believe it's unethical to have 8 very sick and handicapped babies instead of 1-3 healthy ones. It's also unethical for a doctor to allow someone like Nadya Suleman to have IVF again after 6 children- it's supposed to be for those having trouble concieving, not those who love the government handouts and pretend to be Angelina Jolie- which I think she is trying to do- creepy!!!

Well I could write all day, but I have to get back to work. :)