The Student Room Group

How much input should the father have in deciding on abortion?

I am personally okay with abortion, if the circumstances make it necessary, but as a male I'd hate to have my own child aborted without me agreeing, yet it seems many people that are pro-abortion claim that it is the woman's decision only as it is her body.
(P.S this excludes rape, obviously the father then should be in prison, and have no input whatsoever)

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Reply 1
Original post by DraftMeteor
I am personally okay with abortion, if the circumstances make it necessary, but as a male I'd hate to have my own child aborted without me agreeing, yet it seems many people that are pro-abortion claim that it is the woman's decision only as it is her body.
(P.S this excludes rape, obviously the father then should be in prison, and have no input whatsoever)


Yeah, I agree, I too don't necessary like the 'no uterus, no opinion' claim which some people adhere to. Seems odd that it takes two people to make a baby, yet only one of the people should decide on its fate should an unfavourable situation arise.
None. Zero. Her body, her choice. The father doesn't carry the baby for 9 months or go through labour. You can't force a woman to carry a baby she doesn't want
Reply 3
Original post by mmmmmmmmmmmmm
None. Zero. Her body, her choice. The father doesn't carry the baby for 9 months or go through labour. You can't force a woman to carry a baby she doesn't want


Interesting, and this seems to be the prevalent opinion.

It's not something I've invested much thought in, but I'd be curious to know whether fathers build any emotion attachment to children in the mother's womb, and if so, how that can be dismissed.
Original post by mmmmmmmmmmmmm
None. Zero. Her body, her choice. The father doesn't carry the baby for 9 months or go through labour. You can't force a woman to carry a baby she doesn't want


I agree with this, but men shouldn't be expected to have to support the child if he doesn't want to. Both genders should get equal chances to terminate their role in a pregnancy.
I laugh at people suggesting they should have equal say.

There's two people. If you have a disagreement it's logically impossible to have equal say in whether it happens or not unless you get Schrödingers abortion.
Original post by mmmmmmmmmmmmm
None. Zero. Her body, her choice. The father doesn't carry the baby for 9 months or go through labour. You can't force a woman to carry a baby she doesn't want


The man should not be forced to pay child support for 18 years then if he doesnt want too
Reply 7
Original post by mmmmmmmmmmmmm
None. Zero. Her body, her choice. The father doesn't carry the baby for 9 months or go through labour. You can't force a woman to carry a baby she doesn't want


Surely you have to understand though that it is the father's child as much as the mother's, and so he should have input over whether the pregnancy is continued? I know women have a MUCH more difficult time when it comes to having a child, but that cannot take away from the fact that it is his child as much as hers.
Reply 8
He should be able to voice his view, talk to her. However have no part in the actual decision, imo
Reply 9
Original post by DraftMeteor
Surely you have to understand though that it is the father's child as much as the mother's, and so he should have input over whether the pregnancy is continued? I know women have a MUCH more difficult time when it comes to having a child, but that cannot take away from the fact that it is his child as much as hers.


No one owns children and ownership trumps 'guardianship', which means the woman's ownership of her own body trumps the fathered concern.

The father of course has every right to leave the woman forever.
He is so upset about it he should have chosen a better woman who wouldn't want to kill 'his' baby.
Of course woman can do this better too. They should have chosen a better man to stick with them.
Reply 10
None. I only support abortion for medical reasons - in which case, it's entirely for the person concerned - ie, the woman - to decide whether to take or refuse treatment.
Ideally I guess an equal weight in discussion with the woman regarding the pregnancy but it is the woman's body and thus she ultimately makes the physical decision.
Like the Section Leader said, I'm also laughing a bit at the people who say it should be an "equal" say (as he's already mentioned that that's impossible if they both have different opinions). In an ideal situation, contraception should've been used to avoid such life-changing decisions. (I know some use it and sometimes it still doesn't work.)

Both should be able to sit down and discuss it and not have the woman go "no" straight off the bat without considering the man's input. But ultimately, it is the female that has the changes happen to her body and therefore, in my honest opinion, I think it is the female that has the ultimate say (which I guess they do anyway, already, and have done for a long time?). I remember a story where the man said yes, the woman no, but the woman went through and had the baby and then the man got to look after him/her. Even though it seems like that was the mans choice, it still was the female's choice (unless he held a gun to her head for 9 months straight).
:h:
Her body, her choice. Would you want a partner to have any choice about whether you receive treatment if you have a parasite or tumour?

Also, anyone saying that if the mother has sole choice over abortion then the father shouldn't have to pay child support is ignoring the child's welfare. You are not paying money to the mother, you are supporting a child you helped create. And that child has a right to not be raised in poverty.
It's 100% the mother's choice, but the father should be able to abdicate responsibility for the child if it's unwanted and she decides to go ahead with the pregnancy.
Original post by SmallTownGirl
Her body, her choice. Would you want a partner to have any choice about whether you receive treatment if you have a parasite or tumour?

Also, anyone saying that if the mother has sole choice over abortion then the father shouldn't have to pay child support is ignoring the child's welfare. You are not paying money to the mother, you are supporting a child you helped create. And that child has a right to not be raised in poverty.


I don't understand the argument of 'her body, her choice' because we are not talking about the woman, we are talking about the child, that is growing in the woman. That child doesn't 'belong' to the woman for the 9 months pregnancy, it is still the father's also. Surely with the improvements in equality between genders, we should not be giving the choice to have the child or not solely to the woman.
Original post by mmmmmmmmmmmmm
None. Zero. Her body, her choice. The father doesn't carry the baby for 9 months or go through labour. You can't force a woman to carry a baby she doesn't want


If two individuals have consensual sex without contraception, they do so knowing full well the consequences of their actions. If there are legitimate reasons, then an abortion is acceptable, but merely saying "her body, her choice", fails to take account of the fact that both partners have an equal input in sex and both do so, without the aid of contraception, knowing the potential consequences of their actions.

Is it morally right for a women to smoke, drink and take drugs while pregnant, causing harm to the baby? "Her body, her choice", would imply that it is morally permissible. I think "her body, her choice" is an oversimplification of what is essentially a very difficult issue.
None whatsoever, legally anyway. What exactly is going to happen if the father wants to keep it but the mother doesn't? Nothing, so what's even the point?
None, there should also be no financial obligation towards the child if it is born. No responsibility whatsoever.

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(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by DraftMeteor
I don't understand the argument of 'her body, her choice' because we are not talking about the woman, we are talking about the child, that is growing in the woman. That child doesn't 'belong' to the woman for the 9 months pregnancy, it is still the father's also. Surely with the improvements in equality between genders, we should not be giving the choice to have the child or not solely to the woman.


While something is inside my body it is my choice what I want to happen.

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