Lucky Dip Abortions
SIR.- Professor !McLaren says (Letters. July 8) that suicide caused by pregnancy is comparatively rare. though infanticide followed by the mother's suicide is more common. This is hardly a convincing argu- ment for compelling a woman to continue with an unwanted pregnancy.
The Royal Medico-Psychological Association re- cently published its Memorandum on Therapeutic Abortion. Tais document offers a warning against over-simplification. 'When considering the possibly deleterious effects of pregnancy, and the desirability of terminating it. psychiatrists.' it points out. 'have to beer in mind not only the direct, but also the re- mote effects on the health and well-being of the mother. For instance, a greatly overburdened mother may need not only relief from the pregnancy but also from the cares of looking after an additional infant in an already over-large family.'
Professor McLaren's assumption that the mother simply needs to be 'protected-from herself' (by being in effect over-persuaded against her own better judg- ment) is.one that cannot be accepted without the rnost careful scrutiny.
D. L. SIMMS
68 Uphill Grove, London, NW7
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