# Should a ten day waiting period be instituted for abortions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 28, 2012, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356 "2012-12-28T04:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/82 "2012-12-30T22:18:33Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > She has to physically appear, to maximize the inconvenience, expense and humiliation. That’s the point after all. Especially since women in much of the country have to travel to a remote city to have an abortion. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/83 "2012-12-31T00:34:29Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > I agree that these laws are simply to make abortions inconvenient. But the Supreme Court won’t let states outlaw them, so they must do what they can. The Supreme Court ruled that abortions are legal. Any state trying to outlaw abortions is violating the Constitution. It’s no different than a state trying to outlaw guns because they don’t agree with the Second Amendment. ---
**Author:** ![aag3981](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@aag3981](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aag3981)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/84 "2012-12-31T07:29:42Z")
> [@gunchris](#): > > in CA, you have to wait ten days to get a gun. A single mom found out the hard way when she testified against a hells angel in Alemeda, she told the cops that he said he was going to kill her and they simply told her they would be patrolling her neighborhood and to call if she saw him. > They killed her son first and made her watch, then her. She needed a gun immediately not in ten days. > Most women know if they’re pregnant or not, whats ten days? I know its a _right_ but so is gun ownership. > Come to think of it, no one should have an abortion unless they have a background check too. Taking single incidents like this to prove that a 10 day waiting period is dangerous is the same as using a tragic, though rare, mass shooting incident as a reason guns should be banned. Maybe this woman should have had the foresight to get the gun THEN rat out a gangster. And what sort of background do you think would qualify a woman for an abortion. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/85 "2012-12-31T07:40:48Z")
gunchris, if you shoot someone with an aborted foetus, that will gross out the shootee and cause him or her to flee, so no lives are lost. If you shoot someone with a bullet, that will kill the person, so a life is lost. Ergo more lives will be saved if you permit abortions and prohibit bullets. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/86 "2012-12-31T11:16:55Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > This thread is for ACTION, not FACTS! This thread is for FACTIONS!!! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/87 "2012-12-31T14:58:32Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > A background check for an abortion? Now I know you’re not serious. Of course. In 10 days the police can come to the pregnant woman’s house, kidnap her, hold her in prison until she gives birth, then take the baby because obviously any woman who would want an abortion to kill her own baby is an “unfit mother.” Jesus H. Christ:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/88 "2012-12-31T15:01:42Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Of course. In 10 days the police can come to the pregnant woman’s house, kidnap her, hold her in prison until she gives birth, then take the baby because obviously any woman who would want an abortion to kill her own baby is an “unfit mother.” Given the increasing practice of investigating/arresting women who miscarry on “murder” charges we seem headed that way. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/89 "2012-12-31T15:03:50Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Given the increasing practice of investigating/arresting women who miscarry on “murder” charges we seem headed that way. If a woman should miscarry during the ten day waiting period, should she be executed for murder? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/90 "2012-12-31T15:24:03Z")
The only way to prevent abortions is with more abortions. If you outlaw abortions, only the criminals will have abortions. Abortions don’t kill people, people kill people. Look at these two pictures of abortions and tell me which one is more dangerous (hint, it’s not the one that looks like an assault abortion). ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/91 "2012-12-31T19:32:28Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Given the increasing practice of investigating/arresting women who miscarry on “murder” charges we seem headed that way. OK, that one I need a cite on. Not that I’d be surprised to see that someone HAS passed a law like this, but the closest I ever heard was a proposal in VA a couple of years ago to have doctors report suspicious miscarriages (assuming I’m remembering it correctly), and that one got pulled before it was even voted on. NB: I’m pro-choice. But we’re not helped by being as hysterical and hyperbole-prone as the anti-choicers. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/92 "2013-01-02T18:14:08Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Sex-change operations do, I believe; two years at minimum. Understandable, since irreversible. WPATH 7 requires 1 year of hormone therapy and 1 year of real-life experience, which can be concurrent - thus, 12 months. But your over-arching point is valid, there is a waiting period. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/93 "2013-01-02T18:25:08Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > OK, that one I need a cite on. [Here’s](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/24/america-pregnant-women-murder-charges) an article on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/94 "2013-01-02T18:52:34Z")
Abortion doesn’t harm anyone, so no ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/95 "2013-01-02T19:12:22Z")
Where does the idea come from, anyway, that abortions are BIG MONEY? Cause they’re not. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/96 "2013-01-03T01:12:22Z")
> [@gunchris](#): > > in CA, you have to wait ten days to get a gun. A single mom found out the hard way when she testified against a hells angel in Alemeda, she told the cops that he said he was going to kill her and they simply told her they would be patrolling her neighborhood and to call if she saw him. > They killed her son first and made her watch, then her. She needed a gun immediately not in ten days. > [@DMC](#): > > Can we get an actual cite for that? The only thing I’m aware of that even somewhat fits that description is the Margo Compton case, which was way back in 1977. It was also in Oregon, which has no waiting period for gun purchases (okay, you have to wait a few minutes to have them make a quick phone call and ring up your order). Well, I did some preliminary Googling. Neither the entire passage above, nor “she testified against a hells angel in Alemeda,” nor “she testified against a Hell’s Angel in Alameda,” nor “They killed her son first and made her watch” got any hits at all except this thread. Obviously I can’t prove something doesn’t exist, but I’m often able to finds a story using such tricks. No luck so far. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/97 "2013-01-03T01:16:06Z")
Hey, I know it’s dangerous. But it sure beats Riker’s. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/98 "2013-01-03T03:00:25Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Where does the idea come from, anyway, that abortions are BIG MONEY? Cause they’re not. Well, not yet. But they’re building brand recognition. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356/99 "2013-01-05T07:32:02Z")
So, would you rather be shot by twelve, or aborted by six? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-a-ten-day-waiting-period-be-instituted-for-abortions/645356.md?page=4)