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A recent court ruling in Florida shows, in gut-wrenching fashion, the dangers of putting decisions about pregnancy and abortion into the hands of judges and politicians.
The decision whether to have an abortion is emotionally fraught, a decision often made under difficult circumstances. The same is often true about the decision to become pregnant and to carry the pregnancy to term. Done right, the birth of a child means a lifetime of caring and support, for both mothers and fathers (who are too often excused from this conversation).
These decisions should be made by the people most impacted by them — namely the parents — with input and support from other family members, if appropriate, and from their medical care givers.
A recent Florida court ruling that found that a 16-year-old girl is not “sufficiently mature to decide whether to terminate her pregnancy,” seems to consider only half the picture. That same girl, given the same rationale, isn’t sufficiently mature to fully understand the impact of having, and potentially raising, a baby.
The girl, who was 10 weeks pregnant at the time of the initial court ruling, is parentless and living with relatives, according to news reports. In her petition to the court, the girl wrote that she is “not ready to have a baby” because she doesn’t have a job, is still in school, and the father is unable to assist her.
There are no easy solutions to this situation, but forcing the girl — a child herself — to have a child is fraught with complications, for her and her future baby.
Forcing girls and women to have babies against their will is, not surprisingly, bad for them as well. Women who are denied abortions are at higher risk of poverty as they are more likely to raise their children alone than women who received abortions, according to a study that followed up with these women five years after they sought and were denied abortion care. They are more likely to stay in abusive relationships. And, pregnancy and childbirth brings health risks that can last a lifetime, not to mention the psychological consequences of carrying and perhaps raising a child that was not planned.
Many of the consequences of living in poverty, domestic violence and poor health can carry on to the next generation.
Even if the baby is given up for adoption, as some have glibly suggested as a “solution” to unwanted pregnancies, the harm may continue.
Adoption can be a wonderful way to provide loving homes to children born into difficult circumstances. However, across the country, there are more than 400,000 children in foster care, many of them waiting for permanent homes. Some of the states with the strictest abortion laws have some of the largest lists of children in foster care.
There are plenty of stories of children who were adopted and lived wonderful lives with wonderful families. But, statistics show that children who are in long-term foster care are at high risk for difficulties in their lives.
For those who age out of the foster care system, meaning they are essentially told to be self-sufficient when they turn 18, the statistics are bleak. Within four years of aging out of the system, 70 percent will be on government assistance, half will be unemployed and/or will experience homelessness, a quarter will not have completed high school, and less than 12 percent will earn a degree, according to iFoster.
Again, the recent case of the Florida teenager is complicated with no simple solutions. But, when determining that a child is too immature to decide to terminate her pregnancy, it seems only rational that she is also too immature to become a parent. That’s why family planning decisions should be left to individuals, families and caregivers.
