Irish Times-Breda O'Brien: Pro Abortion campaigners ignoring threats to women’s lives posed by abortion

Here I am, wearily writing about abortion yet again, for the simple reason so few commentators will attempt to address the egregious spin put on the tragic death of a young woman.

A woman bleeds to death in a taxi after an abortion in a Marie Stopes Clinic, and that is somehow the fault of people who oppose all direct abortions? Is there nothing that will cause ardent pro-choice people to question abortion, or abortion providers, not even the unnecessary and cruel death this young woman suffered?

Apparently not. Over a decade ago Prof Patricia Casey and I organised a conference called 5,000 Too Many, which brought pro-choice and pro-life people together to discuss reducing the numbers of women seeking abortion by providing viable alternatives.

However, among pro-choice people, it appears that attitudes have hardened to the extent that any abortion, for whatever reason, so long as a woman wishes to have it, must be facilitated.

Senator Ivana Bacik has been commendably honest about her pro-choice views. I believe she is motivated by concern for women.

‘Hypocrisy’

However, this week, she was to the forefront, not in demanding that there be an immediate investigation into Marie Stopes Clinics, but in condemning pro-life people for their “hypocrisy” in not wanting abortion clinics to open here.

Let’s look at some cases involving Marie Stopes Clinics. In 2007, a 15-year-old girl, Alesha Thomas, died from a heart attack caused by bacterial toxins after an abortion.

The Leeds clinic was reprimanded by the coroner because no one had bothered to follow up when Ms Thomas left without picking up a prescription for antibiotics, not even when her worried mother rang the helpline to say how ill she was. ... Continue reading at Irish Times