The EDITOR, Sir:

Please allow me to respond to some of the points raised by Professor McGaw-Binns in the issue of July 14, in which she advocates the legalisation of abortion.

First, the title of the article, "Abortion saves lives", is interesting. The fact is that every induced abortion always takes the life of at least one human being. While emphasising that the loss of any human life is regrettable, it should be stated in the interest of accuracy that the professor's own published research alludes to six out of 84 direct maternal deaths between 2001 and 2003 being due to abortion.

Both the unborn child and the pregnant female are human beings. The legalised devaluation of any human life at any stage is an indictment on the society.

good governance

The figure of 641 "botched abortions" represents skilful use of statistics, for the report of the Abortion Policy Review Advisory Group states that this figure represents the number of admissions to Ward 5 of the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, and 48 were known to be a result of attempted induced abortion. This ward treats bleeding in the first 28 weeks of pregnancy, however, this bleeding is caused.

I entirely concur with the professor's wish to create "an environment in which abortions are not needed". My question would be: How is that to be done without any reference to morality or telling people what to do?

I am sure Professor McGaw-Binns would agree that improved antenatal care and the availability of skilled attendants during delivery significantly decrease maternal deaths. I would add that good governance, values-based sex education, better access to education, male responsibility, and stable family life would decrease the desire for abortion. The problem is that all of the above involve 'telling people what to do'.

Finally, I also agree that keeping abortion illegal would not erase the practice; much the same may be said for larceny, corruption, murder and rape, none of which would be targeted for legalisation on this basis.

I am, etc.,

Dr DOREEN BRADY-WEST

drbradywest@hotmail.com

Kingston 6

Via Go-Jamaica