Make Abortions Less Easily Available

IN CONSIDERING the declining birth rate, one statistic seems to have slipped under the radar screen: In 2006, one in four pregnancies here was terminated. That simply means too many babies lost.

And these terminations were not mostly limited to teenagers or unmarried women either. In fact, a 2002 National University of Singapore study reported that up to 75 per cent of such women were married. Thus, what used to be considered a desperate measure has transmuted into just another mainstream method of birth control. Surely, given our baby dearth, we need to grapple with this abortion conundrum urgently.

The fact that abortions are being used in this manner masks a problem that we may have with the notion of contraception per se. In fact, in May, the medical profession urged that there be more education about contraception here. This came after surveys revealed that Singaporeans are not warming up to the various contraceptive methods available, opting for abortions instead if and when the need arises.
This means that, for many, procreation has become a regrettable accident most of the time, which is why abortion is seen as the logical solution. What can be done to change this mentality?

Do go read the rest of Nick Chui's letter to the Straits Times here. And check out his other blog entries too: they're very insightful and eloquent.