MY TURN: Reproductive Health

by JOANN LOKKEN/Guest opinion
| July 30, 2022 1:00 AM

Protecting women’s access to reproductive health care is imperative.

Let’s start with the definition of reproductive: life-giving, procreative, reproducing. Antonyms of reproductive are the destruction of life-giving, end mid-stream, abandon or termination. Abortion therefore should NEVER be associated with reproductive healthcare. Abortion is terminating life.

When women protest the abortion ban holding signs “my body, my choice” they are correct in that women have a right to “choose” whether or not to become pregnant. They do not have the right to choose to end the life of their unborn child. Would they think of ridding themselves of their other children while they sleep?

Of course incest and rape are exceptions to the ban on abortions. However, without a medical exam and a police report how can anyone prove this has happened? Roe v. Wade has caused women to casually use abortion as a birth control method and under the guise of reproductive healthcare. It has decayed our moral foundation.

Taylor Kowalski’s "My Turn" article references data from a website. There are no definitive results of these studies listed, which renders it inconclusive. I don’t believe that any doctor will leave a dead baby in the womb. We are not in Ireland. This does not happen in the U.S. When a mother's death is certain, no doctor will oppose abortion.

There are alternatives for those who don’t want their baby. Different kinds of adoptions are available. Options include closed or open, direct placement, or the use of an agency. Using these options the pregnant woman/child is giving someone who is unable to have children the chance to raise a child. Also consider giving the child the opportunity to have a lifestyle or family you are unable to provide. You can focus on school, work, or other needs if you aren’t ready to be a parent.

Women should start thinking about protecting the innocent unborn child. With all the birth control methods available women should be held accountable.

JoAnn Lokken is a Coeur d'Alene resident.