I hate the very phrase "pro-life". It means that the other side are "anti-life". Well at the stage an abortion takes place, there is no "life" at all - and Mother Nature herself ensures that most fertilised embryos are spontaneously aborted, which gives the lie to anyone thinking there's somehow something sacred about a fertilised embryo. Sorry, but no.

The Dying Rooms of China and Romania should be ample proof for anyone that unwanted pregnancies are better terminated for all concerned. Western children's homes are better, but they ain't anything *close* to a family environment. Children's homes can only guarantee that these kids will survive to 18, not that they'll have anything like a real life. I can't think of anything more evil than forcing a child to grow up in the knowledge that they're fundamentally unwanted and uncared-for.

Abortion should always be the last option available. For one thing, it's painful and potentially damaging. But the only form of contraception that's 100% guaranteed is to have no sex at all, which is unacceptable for any couple. So I don't believe anyone can believe in the right of couples (or single women) to control their own fertility and also oppose abortion. Either you allow abortion on request, or you believe that people (and women especially) don't have the right to say whether they have children or not. There is no middle ground, as far as I'm concerned.

Graham.