Being an engineer and after listening, reading and talking to many people about this new law in NY, I felt the need to make a list on the points I've found.
- There are no restrictions on when an abortion can be performed.
- Any licensed health care practitioner (nurse, doctor, etc) can perform an abortion.
- These practitioners can decide to perform a late-term abortion for any health-related concern for the mother - physical or emotional.
- If an aborted infant is delivered alive, it must receive medical care as any newborn infant would receive.
Engineers tend to try to boil things down to their simplest forms in order to better understand the question. So, it appears to be a free for all on abortions - any of these people can perform an abortion at any time for any mother-related, health-related reason.
Engineers also think of possible scenarios in which variables could change outcomes - a precursor to actual experiments. In that vein and in light of the above points, consider the scenarios below assuming fetus is healthy, mother is physically healthy and given birth always has some risk:
- Age 17, decides at 8.5 months to terminate her pregnancy because she is terrified of the birthing process.
- Age 13, unplanned pregnancy and doesn't tell anyone until 8.5 months. Her parents don't want to support the girl and her child. The girl is confused.
- Age 22, can't decided until 8.5 months. Decides to terminate her pregnancy because being a mother would impact her financial future.
- Age 18, college freshman, decides to terminate her pregnancy at 8.5 months because being a mother would force her to give up college and career.
The next part of the scenario process is to dissect the statement and determine possible outcomes.
- Age 17, decides at 8.5 months to terminate her pregnancy because she is terrified of the birthing process.
- Most women are afraid of the birthing process
- Would her health suffer after normal birth? This is where the practitioners would make the determination. How do they make this determination? Which health - physical or emotional?
- Assuming physical is OK, would her emotional health suffer after giving birth? Do they know her current mental health status? Are they qualified to diagnose psychiatric issues?
- Age 13, unplanned pregnancy and doesn't tell anyone until 8.5 months. Her parents don't want to support the girl and her child. The girl is confused.
- In NY, a minor doesn't need parental consent for an abortion; They only need to give informed consent. Informed consent means the procedure and risks/benefits have been explained, the patient understands them and gives permissions for the procedure to be performed.
- In this scenario, the minor has informed her parents. At age 13, would the patient truly understand enough to give informed consent?
- Is the patient requesting the abortion or are the Parents requesting the abortion? Legally, only the patient can demand an abortion. Many times, however, a patient is pushed in this direction by Parents and others. As our scenario states the patient is confused, I would assume the abortion practitioner would retreat until and unless the patient makes a more clear declaration of intent.
- Age 22, can't decide until 8.5 months. Works at a low-income job. Decides to terminate her pregnancy because she cannot afford a child at this time.
- Does fear of financial hardship come up to the standard of causing emotional health issues for the mother?
- This appears to be the same question for the abortion practitioners as written for scenario #1 - would her emotional health suffer after giving birth? Do they know her current mental health status? Are they qualified to diagnose psychiatric issues?
4. Age 18, college freshman, decides to terminate her pregnancy at 8.5 months because being a mother would force her to give up college and career.
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- Does fear of loss of education and potential loss of career come up to the standard of causing emotional health issues for the mother?
- This appears to be the same question for the abortion practitioners as written for scenario #1 - would her emotional health suffer after giving birth? Do they know her current mental health status? Are they qualified to diagnose psychiatric issues?
I don't have the answers - do these practitioners?
[previously published on my old website liberalwhy.com]