To date, the debate on abortion has mostly been based on moral issues and upon the rights on the unborn child. One factor that has not yet been discussed in any detail, however, is the potential financial cost involved.
Women who decide to keep their as yet-unborn offspring need more just than a pat on the back and the ‘solidarity’ (whatever that meaningless word implies) of their admirers.
Should a young lady who accidentally becomes pregnant and who refuses to abort her foetus be thrown out of the parental home? Where is she going to live? Would the State provide her with free or subsidised accommodation during her pregnancy? Would she also be given a realistic State-funded allowance on which to live until she gives birth to her child and gives it away for adoption?
Many commentators (mostly male) seem to think that giving the baby up for adoption is the best option for an unmarried mother or indeed for any woman, married or not, who unintentionally becomes pregnant. However, in a number of cases a strong bond forms between the mother and her unborn child and she may very well decide to keep it rather than giving it up for adoption.
In this case, would the State also provide her and her child with free or heavily-subsidised accommodation? Would it also provide reasonable financial benefits for the mother and child and free childcare facilities until the child reaches school age? Chasing the father (if his identity be known) for maintenance does not always work. Indeed, the father may have no assets. Anti-abortion campaigners should also campaign for the above-mentioned financial help, which would go a long way towards preventing the termination of unwanted pregnancies. The government, on its part, needs to fully cost these measures, which may very well result in increased taxation, and present them to the public. There is, of course, always the risk that unscrupulous individuals may use these financial incentives to obtain a free ‘meal ticket for life’; however, that may very well have to be the price we all have to pay to prevent the legalisation of abortion in Malta.