Mitsuru Kasai
Reading 4a
Oct 12 '98

"I Basically Used Abortion As A Form Of Birth Control"

Theresa Flores has had many abortions since she was 15 or 16 years old. She regarded abortion as one kind of birth control. Abortion was, for her, a mere way not to raise a child. Her own daughter got pregnant at 15, too. However, contrary to her mother's, she decided to raise the baby staying in school. Now, Flores is working as a counselor for a social agency where she used to be a client as a drug addict.

I cannot agree with abortion as a form of birth control. Surely, we need to practice worldwide birth control to solve the overpopulation that causes other problems like a food crisis or a shortage of resources. However, abortion is too harmful for mother's body to be called "a form of birth control" It should be a last resort. In this project, I wanted to get articles related to the opinion of catholic groups toward birth control. I am interested in this subject, but I could not find. I got "lost" in the Netscape. I will probably try this subject next time again.

fetus (n) : a young human or animal before birth (from second trimester) cf. embryo (n) an animal or human that has not yet been born, and is in its first state of development in the mother's body (during first trimester)

conceive (v) : 1, to become pregnant
2, to think of new idea, plan etc and develop it in your mind
3, to imagine a particular situation

"Flores had tow or three more abortions of fetuses conceived with the same boyfriend,"

trimester (n) one of the three-month period of pregnancy

anesthetic (n) : a drug that stops you feeling pain.
cf. anesthesia (n) : the use of anesthetics in medicine.
Local/general anesthesia : affecting a small part of your body/all of your body

"Because many first-trimester abortions are performed without anesthesia,"

plead (v) :1, to ask for something that you want very much, in a sincere and emotional way.
2, to state in a court of law whether or not you are guilty of a crime.
cf. Pleadingly (adv)

"Flores pleaded with her to get an abortion."