Two Out of Three Support Informed Consent On Abortion
MEDIA RELEASE 28 March 2011 EMBARGOED UNTIL MONDAY 28
MARCH
Two Out of Three Support Informed Consent On Abortion
The majority of New Zealanders think women considering abortion have the right to be fully informed of the medical risks of abortion - and the alternatives.
In the poll of 1,000 people undertaken by Curia Market Research this month, respondents were asked "Would you support a law that would require a woman considering an abortion to first see a doctor, who is not an abortion provider, to be informed of the medical risks and alternatives to abortion?"
64% supported this proposed law, 29% disagreed, and the remainder (8%) were either unsure or refused to answer. Interestingly, women were slightly more in favour of this restriction than men. There was also significant support from younger people (18-30).
"Family First NZ is
calling for a law which requires informed consent including
ultrasound for all potential abortions, and counselling to
be provided only by non-providers of abortion services.
Parental notification of teenage pregnancy and abortion
should happen automatically except in exceptional
circumstances approved by the court." says Family First
spokeswoman Marina Young. "A poll Mrs Young says the poll results fly in the face of
recent calls for the complete decriminalisation of
abortion. "It looks like the majority of people believe
women have the right to the best independent information and
advice before making a decision that could impact them later
in life. Decriminalisation - which we virtually have at the
moment anyway - will simply place more pressure on women to
access an abortion without any need for fully informed
consent." "The Abortion Supervisory Committee has been
rebuked "Abortion can harm
women - yet groups seeking to decriminalise abortion refuse
to acknowledge this, seeing the right to abortion more
paramount than the long-term health and welfare of the
women." "With 98% of abortions in NZ being
performed on the basis of the mental health of the mother,
it is time that the research on the post-abortion mental
health outcomes was given equal weight with the pro-abortion
claims." "Along with protecting the rights of the
unborn child, we need to protect the rights of women and
young girls to know the medical facts in order that they can
make fully informed decisions," says Mrs Young. "The current
safeguards are a small step towards that." The poll has
a margin of error of +/- 3.2% ENDS For More Information and
Media Interviews, contact Family First: Marina Young -
Spokeswoman Founder of Buttons Project www.buttonsproject.org ABORTION ADVICE Poll March 2011 Would you
support a law that would require a woman considering an
abortion to first see a doctor, who is not an abortion
provider, to be informed of the medical risks and
alternatives to abortion? Require abortion seekers to see
a non provider first Count Col % Require abortion
seekers to see a non provider
first Yes 631 64% No 285 29% Unsure/Refuse 75 8% Require
abortion seekers to see a non provider first BY Gender + Age
+ Area Gender Age Area Female Male 18 -
30 31 - 45 46 -
60 61+ Metro Provincial Rural Col % Col % Col
% Col % Col % Col % Col % Col % Col % Require
abortion seekers to see a non provider
first Yes 65% 62% 62% 55% 67% 65% 60% 66% 67% No 28% 30% 32% 35% 28% 26% 32% 27% 26% Unsure/Refuse 7% 8% 6% 10% 5% 9% 8% 7% 7%
PARENTAL NOTIFICATION FOR ABORTIONS Poll March 2010 Should
the law require parents to always be informed before-hand if
their daughter who is under 16 is pregnant and wants to have
an abortion? Gender Age Total Female
Male 18 - 40 41 - 60 61+ Col % Col
% Col % Col % Col % Col % Parental notification
for under 16 yr old's
abortions Yes 79% 79% 80% 77% 84% 79%
No 13% 11% 12% 14% 7% 12% Don't Know
6% 11% 9% 9% 7% 8% Refused
1% 0% 2% 1% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Area Have children under 12 Total Metro
Provincial Rural Yes No Col % Col % Col
% Col % Col % Col % Parental notification for under
16 yr old's
abortions Yes 79% 75% 82% 75% 81% 79%
No 11% 15% 11% 14% 11% 12% Don't Know
9% 10% 6% 10% 8% 8% Refused
1% 1% 1% 0% 1% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
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A University of Otago study
ends