But abortion is never needed to save the life of the mother.
It is not needed, because it is morally acceptable for the mother to have all life-saving medical treatment necessary to save her life. If, as a consequence of the treatment, the child she is carrying does not survive, that is a very sad consequence of the treatment. The treatment is not a direct attack on the life of the child. The treatment is intended to save the life of the mother, even if both doctors and patients know that the treatment will mean the child will not survive.
When an abortion is carried out with the intention of saving the life of the mother, it is a direct attack on the innocent life of the child in her womb. The abortion itself will not save the mother’s life. Treatment will still be necessary in order to save her life.
Three Obstetricians and Gynaecologists spoke at the Irish Parliament Committee Hearings this week, explaining that they didn’t know of any needless maternal deaths because of the Irish abortion ban. They also said that they could always provide life saving treatment for pregnant mother’s whose life was at risk.
In New Zealand, our law has become abortion on demand. Very few abortions are done “to save the life of the mother”. If Ireland is to enact the law it is proposing, they will find that the strings will be loosened over time, and the law will simply become an open door for abortion on demand. Sadly it would be a law based on a myth, because abortion is never needed to save the life of the mother.