[Cerek]

Originally Posted by Luvian Birth control isn't infallible. A couple who did use protection could very well ends up with an unwanted pregnancy. A woman who choses "no" with birth control could still ends up pregnant. How can that be a real choice?

There are only about 9 days during any month that a woman can become pregnant (approximately 5 days before and 3 days after ovulation). For many women, this "window" is even smaller.

There are numerous birth control methods with varying effective rates.
Implantable rod - 99% effective
IUD - 99% effective
Shot/injection (Depro-Provera) - 99% effective
Oral contraceptive (various types) - 95% effective
Skin patch - 95% effective
Vaginal ring - 95% effective
Male condom - 84-89% effective
Diaphragm w/spermicide - 85% effective

These effective rates are based on each method being the sole method used. If methods are combined (such as male condom and diaphragm), the effective rate will be increased.

If the woman simply chooses NOT to have sex of any kind for roughly 1 week period around ovulation, she cannot get pregnant. If she decides she does want to have sex during that period, there are a plethora of birth control options available to prevent an unwanted pregnancy occurring.

In other words, the woman has several choices she can make about her sexual behavior to prevent having an unwanted pregnancy.

"But forcing her to restrict her activity isn't fair?" - Why not? It is just as fair as an employer forcing you to restrict your desire to consume alcohol until after business hours when your job performance won't be affected.

The point is that the woman DOES have a choice BEFORE any pregnancy ever occurs and the numbers clearly indicate that the great majority of abortions are nothing more than "after-the-fact birth control". Once a woman decides to have unprotected sex during ovulation, I feel she has forfeited the "right" to decide to kill the baby that might result from that particular "choice".

Please note, that does NOT include the 7% of cases in which the woman either could NOT make a choice about the sexual intercourse or her health would be in danger if she had the baby. Those are legitimate reasons for the woman to decide "after the fact". But the data shows us that this is the case in only a very tiny percentage of abortions performed.

I do not advocate banning abortion completely. I most assuredly DO advocate placing restrictions on abortions so that the woman has to exercise her "choice" BEFORE an innocent victim's life hangs in the balance of the choice she makes.