Abortion conversation questions
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This is a potentially controversial subject in some societies, and consequently some teachers may want to carefully consider if they wish to use all of these questions.
Abortion[edit | edit source]
- Is abortion legal or illegal in your country?
- According to your religion is abortion permitted or not?
- Which areas in the world have the most abortions? (Asia)
- How many abortions do you think happen world wide? (approx 50 million annually)
- How many abortions happen after the 20th week of pregnancy worldwide? (approx 700,000 annually)
- Where do you stand on the question of abortion? Which of these statements do you agree with most? Can you explain why you hold this view?
- It's the mother's body and it's her choice.
- Society should set xx (weeks or months) as the time limit for abortions.
- Abortion should only be allowed under .... circumstances.
- Abortion is murder and should not be carried out under any circumstances.
Issues[edit | edit source]
- What makes a "human being"? Memories? Thought? The ability to sense the environment?
- At what point do you think that we can call a foetus a "human being". At conception; at birth; at some point during pregnancy?
- It is sometimes claimed that a foetus is a "potential human being" or that "life begins at conception". Women generally produce an egg a month and men produce vast quantities of sperm - both of which are also alive. Do eggs and sperm also represent "potential human beings"? Should people be prosecuted for "wasting" them?
- "Sex specific abortion" is carried out in some parts of the world. Parents use this to ensure that their child is (usually) male. What is your opinion of this practice?
- Some pro-life campaigners deny abortion even in cases of rape, or where the mother's life would be in danger. What is your opinion?
- In countries where abortion is illegal many women die as a consequence of illegal abortions. If abortion were made illegal in more countries then more women would die. Is this a valid argument in favour of making abortion legal? Why/why not?
- Do you think the "morning after pill" is a form of birth control or abortion?
- If a young teenage girl becomes pregnant and asks her doctor for an abortion - should the doctor have an obligation to tell her parents?
- If you were the parent of a young teenage girl who became pregnant - what advice would you give her?
- What rights, if any, should the potential father have if he is not married to the girl/woman?
- What rights, if any, should the potential father have if he is married to the potential mother?
Birth control[edit | edit source]
- Which is the best way to reduce the number of unwanted teenage pregnancies.
- Give all children a strict religious upbringing.
- Improve health and sex education.
- Provide young people with free, or very cheap, contraception.
