Fœtal Rights - Abortion and Fœtal Research

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Please note that we have tried to be even-handed with the inclusion of sites on this page. The inclusion of a site does not mean that we support the views of that site. This is one of the most contraversial issues being debated today, and it causes emotions to run high. It appears that there are two basic views: Those who argue for a woman's right to choose. Those who claim to represent the rights of the unborn child. However, the issue is not as simple as that! As you research these difficult issues, be careful not to jump to conclusions before you consider all the opinions!

Quarter of Norwich's unborn aborted This is a news story from the EDP dated 15th July 2005. It has been saved as a .pdf file, so you will need something like Adobe Acrobat (availabe for free download if you don't already have it - click here). The story discusses the numbers of terminations in Norwich, and includes some comments from doctors and from the Pro-Life campaign. The article also features some statistics about births in Norwich - it makes interesting reading! BBC GCSE Bitesize Abortion and Contraception When you are studying the issue of abortion, it is easy for the topic to become a PSHE issue, and many students forget the "RE" part of their studies. The GCSE Bitesize RS pages have all the religious teaching you will need keep the religious perspective in mind when you research abortion. Also, this site includes information about the issue of Contraception - both topics come together under the heading "Sanctity of Life". A Level students (and others who want detailed information about religious teaching may be interested in the links to the Roman Catholic views on Abortion - click here for more details. BBC Ethics - Abortion The BBC Website has some excellent resources to help you to understand this difficult issue. It balances the rights of the mother-to-be with the rights of the unborn, and also includes a discussion of the philosophical issues associated with when life begins. Curate wins abortion challenge The Revd Joanne Jepson (a Church of England curate) has won the right to a judicial review into a case where a foetus with a cleft palate was aborted late in pregnancy. This is a link to the BBC News webpage on the story. You can also reserach the issue of "late abortions" with a page from the Health section of the BBC Website. Click here for more information, or visit Rev Jepson's campaign website to find out more about her campaign - click here. Click here to read the BBC News report posted on Friday 16th April 2004 about the Court Case. Ethics for Schools - Abortion page This page is part of the Christian Medical Foundation's website - go to the main index by clicking here Family Planning Clinics You'll have heard about the FPA through your Passport lessons - they provide advice on all aspects of reproductive health, and are often the first port of call for women who find themselves with unplanned pregnancies. Life Life provides a nationwide care service for pregnant women, unsupported mothers, women with problems relating to pregnancy, fertility or infertility, or suffering from the effects of abortion. They aim to protect and preserve good health, and educate the general public in all matters relating to pregnancy. Pro Life Alliance Perhaps best known among the anti-abortion campaigners for their '97 Election broadcasts, the Pro-life Alliance's site is an excellent resource for researching the "Pro-Life" movement. BE WARNED - there are some disturbing images on this site. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service BPAS offers advice and counselling for women who find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy. The BPAS website includes a useful section specifically for research - click here Marie Stopes International The Marie Stopes clinics offer advice and support for women (and men) - their aim is to "ensure the fundamental human right of all people to have children by choice not chance". Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child SPUC aims to "To affirm, defend and promote the existence and value of human life from the moment of conception, and to defend and protect human life generally" - visit their site to find out more. StandUpGirl This is a visually stunning site, whoch makes excellent use of Flash. It tells the story of Becky, and claims to offer advice and support to girls who find that they are pregnant. It is supported by "Oregon Right to Life", an Anti-Abortion organisation. The site includes case studies which it says have been posted by girls who have asked the site for advice. Please remember that I cannot verify the accuracy of these case studies. Remember too that the site may be biased - read the case studies with that in mind. abortionfacts.com This is an extensive site which claims to offer "Abortion Facts that you can use". However, it is operated by an Americal Pro-Life group, and much of the information appears to be intended to persuade people that Abortion is morally wrong. Bear this in mind as you browse the site! UK Government Plans for access to Abortion This is a page from the BBC News Online service - it refers to the recent decision to make the termination of an unwanted pregnancy simpler by providing drugs that induce a miscarriage. These drugs are currently only available at Hospitals, but the plan is to make them available from Family Planning Clinics. Click on the link to read the story, and also make sure you read some of the related stories! Abortion in Ireland This article, by Ann Rossiter looks at the legal and political situation in Ireland from a liberal standpoint. It poses some interesting points about the relationship betwenn Religious Belief and Individual Rights. Abortion - Rights and Duties This is a link to an essay on whether Abortion is simply an issue concerned with Rights and Issues. IVF Infertility This website is designed by infertility specialists primarily for couples who are experiencing difficulty in having a child, and thinking that they might need medical help. Religious Tolerance - What the Bible Says about Abortion This is an article posted on a site that seeks to promote religious tolerance. It gives an alternative interpretation of the Biblical texts usually cited by Christian Fundamentalists in the Abortion debate. Catholic Answers on Abortion This is a website that gives information about the Roman Catholic Faith - this page gives you an excellent resource on Catholic views on abortion - it includes some "source texts". Roman Catholic Texts on the Sacredness of Life The Catechism The Catechism is the summary of Roman Catholic belief. This link is to Part Three, "LIFE IN CHRIST", Section One, Chapter 1: "THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON" Humanae Vitae Pope Paul VI issued this Encyclical in 1968. It deals with artificial contraception and the sanctity of life. Casti Connubi This Encyclocal dates from 1930, when Pope Pius XI spoke of the Roman Catholic view on Abortion.