abortions in china

there's an article in the new york times regarding the high abortion rate in china. the trend is fevered by the chinese one-child policy, a drift away from traditions as china has opened itself to the rest of the world, economically and culturally, and a general lack of sex education.

what's frightening is that while i believe a lot of american pro-choice advocates do not see abortion as a form of contraception (more of an issue of rights), in china, abortions are seen as just that. it's apparently not uncommon for women to have had more than one abortion; some have had as many as six. i wonder if these women realize that every time you go through an abortion, you decrease your chances of being able to conceive and maintain a pregnancy. it is not a naturally occurring procedure; therefore, it can prove detrimental to your health. obviously, if you don't want to have children ever, then knowing this will not deter you from future abortions. it could prove devastating, however, if you do want to bear children some where down the line.

i guess i've been taking it for granted that choosing abortion is a heavy decision for a woman. the idea of destroying what has potential to be your child is frightening. but i still believe that with the proper education, women should have the right to choose. and i think this is what is needed in china to stop these women from harming their bodies any further.

also, it's not just education for the women. men need to be educated just as much. some of these women claim that it's their lovers who do not want to use other forms of contraceptive. this attitude also contributes to the rise of AIDS infections and very likely other forms of STDs in china. if the chinese government has the power to impose such restrictions as a one-child policy, in addition to multiple forms of brutality upon its people, it certainly has the power to educate them. what are you going to reign over if your people destroy each other?