And there it is. This is the main reason I'm effectively pro-choice, while technically being pro-life.
In case anyone cares, here's my specific policy preferences:
- women can never be charged with a crime for seeking an abortion - it's the woman's right to do with her body as she chooses
- the government should not be involved at all while miscarriage risk is high (say, 20 weeks or so)
- doctors should be the targets for any illegal abortion procedure, and medical data cannot be the subject of a subpoena (that would otherwise violate the women's privacy)
- after the initial "hands off" period, doctors (or anyone other than the mother) could only be charged with a crime for knowingly performing an abortion illegally, and abortions would be allowed to preserve the mother's life or to euthanize the child if complications would be significant
- if a mother decides to not keep the baby, the delivery should be performed as early as is safe, and the costs would be covered by the state
I'm okay with abortion being technically illegal, but the above would likely make it legal for all intents and purposes, and I'm okay with that.