832 



methods. The standard method of performing abortions had been 

 what is known in medical jargon as a "D and C" : that is, dilatation 

 and curettage of the uterus. This process removes and destroys the 

 fetus. Other methods now in use include a vacuum method — developed 

 by doctors in the U.S.S.R. — which is safer than dilatation and curet- 

 tage, and a saline induction method. 



The morality of abortion is the subject of debate, not only in the 

 developed countries but in the underdeveloped ones as well. Opposi- 

 tion to abortion as immoral can be found among Roman Catholics, 

 fundamentalist Protestants, and some Orthodox Jews, in this coun- 

 try. Although many clergymen favor legalized abortion, there are 

 a number who would support it only if necessary to save the mother's 

 life.^"* A survey made in Nagoya, Japan, in 1964, of 153 married 

 women who applied for abortion, showed that "only 8 percent did 

 not think it was morally evil ; 17 percent thought it was evil rather 

 than good; 16 percent thought it was quite evil; and 59 percent 

 thought it was very e%dl.^^° 



In the United States 33 states permit abortion only to preserve the 

 life of the potential mother or, in some instances, to protect her health 

 as well."^ Seventeen other states have liberalized laws, ranging from 

 those which permit abortion for causes such as fetal deformity or 

 rape of the mother to the absence of any restriction save the recom- 

 mendation of a physician. ^^2 It has been estimated that in the past 

 fifteen months 400,000 American women obtained legal abortions; 

 comparatively few of these had strictly medical reasons for seeking 

 their abortions."^ 



While the recent trend has been toward easing abortion laws in 

 this country, it is by no means certain that trend will gather momen- 

 tum. Indeed, there is little movement on this issue at present. In 

 most of the world, including the developing countries, abortion is 

 illegal. Even those countries with liberal laws do not permit abortion 

 on request. Jap'an, where the control of runaway population growth 

 is usually attributed to the legalization of abortion, requires that a 

 woman apply for and receive official sanction before the procedure can 

 be performed. 



Japan is often cited as the model for the underdeveloped countries . 

 to follow in checking rampant population growth. Japan legalized 

 abortion, and it is sometimes implied that developing countries should 

 do the same. But Japan is an inappropriate example to hold out to the 

 LDCs. Moral questions aside, it is obvious tliat Japan is a highly de--t 

 veloped country, with the skills and facilities to operate a large scale 

 abortion program. The less developed countries do not have these 

 skills or facilities. They lack sufficient doctors and hospitals to operate 

 national abortion clinics except at high cost to other branches of their 

 health services. In addition, with legalized abortion held out as an 

 alternative, it would become that much harder for a developing coun- 



10.1 Time Magazine (September 27, 1971), page 07. 



"0 Arthur McCormack. "The Population Problem" (New York, Thomas T. Crowell Com-', 

 pany. 1970), pages 196-7. ' 



^"U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. National Center lor Family 

 Planning Services. "Current Status of Abortion Laws — January 1971" (Washington, U.S. 

 Gevernment Printing Office, 1971), table. 



"2 Idem. 



»" Time Magazine, op. cit., page 67. 



