Child-bearing age

Press, 12 June 1978, Page 16

Child-bearing age

Sir, — Patricia Bartlett, (June 10), shows a narrow view point in criticism of the Mental Health Foundation lecturer. Moral standards in the community certainly need attention, but, does forcing a 16-year-old girl to continue an unwanted pregnancy really help our problems? These girls may be physically mature but their emotional development is not. Life experience and self-discipline are necessary factors to cope with the responsibility of bringing a child into our difficult, modern world. Miss Bartlett states that 16 is the legal age for marriage. The largest figures for marital breakdown are from this group. What stability is provided for these children? Rigid anti-abortionists should look further than the developing foetus, and consider long-term emotional consequences on that unborn child, delivered into an environment totally unprepared to administer loving care. What is the purpose of perpetuating a cycle of emotional deprivation with its rebound effects on society? — Yours, etc., JOCELYN V. HAY. June 10, 1978.

Sir, — Patricia Bartlett says that giving birth is as normal a function for a 15-year-old girl as eating or sleeping. S.P.U.C. and S.P.C.S. do not recognise or respect normal human emotions, and are trying to put us all into their own moral straightjacket. Her claims that abortions cause guilt and later physical problems do not justify her cause. Guilt is caused and reinforced by ruthless religions. Abortions done by doctors in public hospitals, such as Christchurch Women’s, have been proved to be more dangerous than those done at clinics such as the Auckland Medical Aid Centre. Christchurch women face four days in hospital with considerable pain, instead of a safe 10-minute operation almost anywhere else in the world. —- Yours, etc., ALAN L. WILKINSON. June 10, 1978.