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Opinion
The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
News / Opinion / Letters to the Editor

Letter: Abortion definition distinction

By Hope Swan, Kelso
Published: December 14, 2024, 6:00am

Defining a medical term according to medical billing codes has nothing to do with the reality or morality of the procedure of abortion (“Clarifying meaning of ‘abortion,’ ” Our Readers’ Views, Dec. 7). According to the Cleveland Clinic, the term “miscarriage” means “the unexpected ending of a pregnancy in the first 20 weeks.” This is an unplanned loss of an unborn baby. A grievous loss for the parents.

Whereas the term “abortion,” according to the California legislative website, means “any medical treatment intended to induce the termination of a pregnancy.” In other words, abortion (not miscarriage) means the deliberate killing of a human life in the womb at any age of the preborn baby’s growth.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 613,383 legally induced abortions in the United States were reported in 2022. The tragic human loss from legally induced abortions isn’t even comparable to two women from Georgia who tragically died after taking abortion pills and a Texas mother dying from a medical error that exposed her wrongly to bacteria. The fact that a mother has a legal right to murder her own unborn child is beyond comprehension.

We encourage readers to express their views about public issues. Letters to the editor are subject to editing for brevity and clarity. Limit letters to 200 words (100 words if endorsing or opposing a political candidate or ballot measure) and allow 30 days between submissions. Send Us a Letter
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