I am responding to Amy Peet’s Oct. 29 column, “Partial-birth abortion is unnecessary, hazardous.”

Ms. Peet is arguing a fetus has a “beating heart and pain-sensing nerves” while in the womb. However, she leaves out what period of pregnancy she is talking about — these two things do not occur simultaneously and do not arrive until very late in the pregnancy.

The recently passed partial-birth abortion ban would give states the power to restrict abortions at as early as eight weeks. At eight weeks, the fetus has not even quickened. Actually, before nine weeks it is still referred to as an embryo. So the partial-birth abortion ban can prohibit abortions of embryos.

Obviously Ms. Peet has never read a medical journal or else she would know a pregnancy is more than a simple nine-month ordeal. This “ordeal” can change a woman’s life in these “simple” nine months. A woman’s life can be deeply affected emotionally, financially, and/or physically.

The term “partial-birth abortion” that she claims is widely used by the medical community is not a medical term. It is a term that was made up. Late-trimester abortions are currently regulated by the government for situations that pose a possible health risk to the woman’s life or if the baby has some form of severe retardation.

I do agree with Ms. Peet when she says both sides need to come together and work as one. I am pessimistic about this, especially after Wednesday’s demonstrations on campus.

In a perfect world, abortion rights and anti-abortion activists would come together to create policies that would eliminate the need for abortions — something feminist activists have been working on for over a century. For example, comprehensive sexual education, better support for women after they give birth, readily available childcare and improved healthcare are all things that would reduce the need for abortions.

Unfortunately, we are watching the Bush administration reduce funding for many of the programs that would improve these factors while drastically limiting the availability of safe abortions for women (a dangerous combination). Until these issues are tackled and resolved, our problems go way beyond abortion.

Next time you are protesting against abortion, stop and ask yourself why women feel the need to have an abortion in the first place.

Erica Carnes

Junior

Political Science