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To the editor:
I am writing as a woman well past my child-bearing years, as a Christian, and as a voter who plans to vote for Josh Shapiro for governor in order to protect women's right to an abortion in Pennsylvania.
Current law in Pennsylvania allows for abortion thru the 23rd week of pregnancy, and after that if the woman's life is endangered by the pregnancy. While we might debate the 24 week limit for viability of the fetus, I feel the law should remain as it is.
Some faith traditions believe that life begins at conception, and thus oppose all abortions. But this is far from a universal understanding, even among Christians. I do not believe it is right to try to impose that view on a society as diverse as ours.
And even if you believe that life begins at conception, there are two lives involved here: that of the fetus and that of the mother. Mr. Mastriano has said that he opposes all abortions, even in the cases of rape, incest, or health concerns for the mother. In essence, this is giving priority to the unborn, over the living, breathing mother who is already here.
Another concern is that miscarriage medical care is virtually the same as the medical care given in the case of abortion. I've had an early miscarriage. Certainly I felt grief at the loss of this potential child and some sense of guilt that I may have somehow caused the miscarriage.
If abortions become illegal in PA, will women in a similar situation be interrogated about whether they somehow ended their pregnancy? With the kind reassurance of my obstetrician that miscarriage is, in fact, a very natural occurrence and more common than I realized, I was able to receive prompt medical care and go on to have two children. This is what I want for future generations, as well.
In 2020, according to the Pa. Dept. of Health, there were six patients aged 12 or younger who received abortions in Pennsylvania. Now, maybe I lack imagination, but I can think of no good scenario in which a child of 12 is pregnant. And I cannot see how subjecting that child to carrying a pregnancy to term is reasonable or caring.
There were 232 patients under the age of 16 who received abortions. On the other end of the spectrum, there were 96 women aged 45 or older who received abortions in 2020. One can easily imagine that at least some of these were due to medical risks to the mother.
The question of whether to have an abortion is one best left to the woman and her doctor. Those who oppose abortions can certainly offer support to those in a crisis pregnancy in hopes of ending the need for an abortion, just as they have been able to do for the last 49 years. Let's vote to protect the right to safe, legal abortions in Pennsylvania.
Jene S. Mertz
Milroy