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Abortion debate (1 Viewer)

Abortion debate

  • Abortion illegalised

    Votes: 51 19.8%
  • Tougher laws

    Votes: 35 13.6%
  • Keep current laws

    Votes: 155 60.1%
  • don't care

    Votes: 17 6.6%

  • Total voters
    258
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MoonlightSonata

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Potential side effects of birth control pills

"Although today's birth control pills use much lower hormone levels than in the past, they still may cause a variety of side effects. Common side effects of birth control pills include:

* Irregular bleeding, spotting or breakthrough bleeding
* Amenorrhea (a condition in which women no longer get their period)
* Abdominal cramping
* Bloating
* Mood swings
* Acne
* Breast pain, tenderness or swelling
* Dizziness
* Nausea or vomiting
* Unusual tiredness or weakness
* Headaches or migraines
* Depression
* Changes in menstrual flow

Less common side effects include:

* Vaginal infection with swelling, redness, burning or itching of the vagina or white discharge
* Painful or missed periods
* Brown, blotchy spots on exposed skin
* Gain or loss of body or facial hair
* Increased or decreased interest in sexual intercourse
* Increased sensitivity of skin to sunlight
* Weight gain or loss
* Change in appetite
* Difficulty wearing contact lenses
* Rash

Other possible side effects include:

* Lumps in breast (in women with a history of fibrocystic breast disease)
* Pains in stomach, side or abdomen
* Yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice) in women who smoke
* Swelling of the ankles or feet
* Diarrhea
* Constipation
* Gingivitis
* Bulging eyes
* Fever
* Dark colored urine
* Light–colored stool"
 

erawamai

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Not in favour of the pill Moonlight?
 
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Some of those sound pretty good though, how can a lighter shaded stool be a bad thing? :)

On a serious note though, obviously for those who have unfavourable reactions to birth control pills there are alternatives which aren't abortion (Which as we've already discussed isn't a harmless procedure in itself). I definitely see it as something of a "last" resort when it comes to birth control, and not something to favour ahead of more conventional methods.
 

MoonlightSonata

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erawamai said:
Not in favour of the pill Moonlight?
One of the arguments in favour of abortions involves the situation where the condom breaks.

It was mentioned that it is reasonable to double (or triple) up on contraception.

My point is that doing such a thing isn't exactly a snap: those who think that going on the pill is as easy or on the same level as as using a condom are mistaken.

So, I think using a condom is responsible enough.
 

MoonlightSonata

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erawamai said:
Sometimes people don't even get around to using a condom. I'd imagine many girls on the pill would still make their bf's use a condom.
Well yes, to prevent STDs I think you really still ought to use it.
 
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I'd be inclined to agree with you, I think. Not in that I think condoms are reliable 100% of the time or anything, but that given the circumstances which abortions seem to come about as a result of, I'm not too sure if you can expect any better.

Used correctly, and carefully, I think condoms offer a reasonable tradeoff between protection and premeditation, and don't have a problem with abortions as a result of breaking. Obviously not everyone having sex and accidentally falling pregnant is going to have thought things through in advance to the extent where they're kitted up with gels, condoms and/or on the pill, so it's not really reasonable, at least not in my opinion, to deny abortion to those who have tried to prevent pregnancy and have failed, due to problems with said contraceptive methods.

On the other hand, I can see reason for denying abortions to those who just don't bother, but I'd assume these people are in the minority given that having an abortion is no picnic in itself.

Edit: Or at least, agree with your inference that the pill isn't a perfect solution to the abortion issue.
 
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Serius

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Yeah i dont know all that much about the pill, never really felt the need to learn about it aside from a few random facts i find on the net and what girl - friends have told me. I didnt know all about the side effects and all, they just said it was heaps good and one of the best decissions they have ever made to go on it and its a good idea to still use condoms for std protection but also because doubling up reduces the chances of pregnancy to basically zero
 
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katie_tully

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As a female who has been on the pill, I am not really an advocate of it. That said, it has different effects on different people and there are alternatives.

Like all contraception, the pill does not have a 100% success rate. I think the condom is sufficient enough contraception in most cases, (unless you're allergic to latex :) ). I think you'd be highly unlucky if the condom broke, and generally it's a case of not putting the condom on properly, checking for defects in the wrapper and the actual condom itself.

Again, these are things that are taught briefly in about year 9/10, but I think it's a rather embarrassing thing to teach for some people. I remember when we did the banana, people were more interested in squirting lubrication at people than they were learning how to put a condom on.
 
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katie_tully

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Yes. Because having sex is irresponsible and should only be done in the case of procreation. If you want to have pie babies you'd better damn well be prepared to raise pie babies.
 

erawamai

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I refuse to believe that it is healthy for people with three children to have sex less than10 times in their WHOLE life.

That is not healthy.
 

Spirits

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katie_tully said:
I think you'd be highly unlucky if the condom broke
No.

Somebody hasn't been paying attention in PDHPE. Condoms have a 5% -7% failure rate. As i said before, if you have sex 20 times, you should expect the condom to break atleast once.
 

MoonlightSonata

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What about condom failure rate?

The term “condom failure rate” isn’t very specific. Any assessment of condom effectiveness must distinguish between user effectiveness (or failure) and product effectiveness (or failure). “Condom failure rate” is often imprecisely used to refer to a percentage of women who become pregnant over the course of a year in which they reported using condoms as their primary method of birth control, even if they didn’t use condoms every time they had sex.

Studies that don’t distinguish between consistent, inconsistent, and non-user cannot adequately address the issue of condom effectiveness. A simple analogy would be to say that seat belts don’t work because there are accidents in which passengers are hurt because they are not wearing them. Clearly, seat belts don’t work unless they are used. Equally as clear, condoms don’t work unless they are used.

At other times, “condom failure rate” refers to the percentage of condoms that break during laboratory stress tests — a measure of product failure. Or it refers to the number of couples who report that a condom broke or slipped (typically the result of user error, not product failure).

The average published condom breakage rate is around 3 percent. The majority of breaks do not result in exposure, and it is clear that most breaks occur as the result of incorrect use. A recent study (Albert, Warner, Hatcher, Trussell, and Bennett) suggests that regular condom use may lead to condom mastery and the development of techniques to reduce the likelihood of breakage and slippage.
(National Education Association Health Information Network)
 

fish fingers

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I wasnt able to actually read all the comments on this thread due to their incredible number, however from the few I could read I have noticed a great lack of logic. Many of you have commented to the effect of 'men cant comment on abortion because they dont have a Uterus.' However just because they dont have a uterus doesnt mean their arguments are to be disregarded. Thats evidence of circumstancial ad hominem, and is a terrible habit.
 

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OK, I'll tell you a story.


Everyday on my way to uni, I have to walk past the family planning and health clinic, it's always a pleasant walk, EXCEPT- every thursday morning, I have to walk past the family planning and health clinic, with religious anti-abortionists protesting out the front.

The fact that most are elderly men really gets to me. However, what gets to me even more, is seeing elderly women there. As a woman, they should atleast be able to understand a woman's right to make decisions about her own body. I can't comprehend what it feels like to be raped, fall pregnant, and hate the child that you are carrying.

Think about it. That child is going to be hated from the moment it's born. NO, it's not it's fault, but it's the terrible truth.Imagin making the harrowing decision to abort a child, ANY child. SHowing up at the clinic, and there's a group of people standing out the front calling you a murder and saying prayers for you.

I'm all for freedom to protest, however for me, it's frustrating and agrivating.

That's my whinge and bitch.
 

withoutaface

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When people bring rape into the debate it really sours things. I think that a large percentage of pro-lifers would at least agree that rape is an exceptional case and abortion should be allowed in that case.
 

erawamai

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withoutaface said:
I think that a large percentage of pro-lifers would at least agree that rape is an exceptional case and abortion should be allowed in that case.
It is an inconsistent position. Either way the life mother is being prioritised to the unborn. An unborn is being 'murdered' to use the pro life term. the actual way in which the pregnancy came about is irrelevant.

I cannot understand how ardent pro lifers can on one hand talk about the importance of life of the unborn and how the unborns rights should not be destroyed and that abortion is murder. But when the women is raped an abortion is fine.

The killing an unborn is murder regardless of how the pregnancy came about. If you are a pro lifer it is murder regardless.
 
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withoutaface

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erawamai said:
Why? It is an inconsistent position. Either way the life mother is being prioritised to the unborn. An unborn is being 'murdered' to use the pro life term.

I cannot understand how ardent pro lifers can on one hand talk about the importance of life of the unborn and how the unborns rights should not be destroyed.

The killing an unborn is murder regardless of how the pregnancy came about. I cannot see how it is any different if the woman is raped and falls pregnant as a result. If you are a pro lifer its murder either way.
Good point. I dunno, I just felt like playing devil's advocate, because a lot of pro-lifers do feel that way, I suppose it's up to them to justify it.
 
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