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."
A University of Otago study
"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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