"But a fetus in the womb is far more important than the lives and health of these women ."
"WOW simone , are you kidding me ? You will use this story as an example of how dangerous giving birth is on this American forum by referring to a story from Sub Saharan Africa ? And you consider this a rational argument ? Here 's another quote from your link : Fistulas are a scourge of the poor , affecting two million women and girls , mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia So tell us , PLEASE ! ! ! How is this an argument which justifies abortions in America where Fistulas is virtually unknown as a result of child birth ? Tell me how this quoted section below applies to any aspect of medical care in the USA . The women filled most of Ward 2 , a long , one-story building with a cement floor and two rows of closely spaced beds against opposite walls . All had suffered from obstructed labor , meaning that their babies were too big or in the wrong position to pass through the birth canal . If prolonged , obstructed labor often kills the baby , which may then soften enough to fit through the pelvis , so that the mother delivers a corpse . Obstructed labor can kill the mother , too , or crush her bladder , uterus and vagina between her pelvic bones and the baby & # 8217 ; s skull . The injured tissue dies , leaving a fistula : a hole that lets urine stream out constantly through the vagina . In some cases , the rectum is damaged and stool leaks out . Some women also have nerve damage in the legs . One of the most striking things about the women in Ward 2 was how small they were . Many stood barely five feet tall , with slight frames and narrow hips , which may have contributed to their problems . Girls not fully grown , or women stunted by malnutrition , often have small pelvises that make them prone to obstructed labor ."
"the lives and health of these women ."
"If prolonged , obstructed labor often kills the baby , Girls not fully grown , or women stunted by malnutrition , often have small pelvises that make them prone to obstructed labor ."