Pro-abortion Canada shouldn’t envy risky U.S. abortion businesses

The United States has some of the most relaxed abortion laws in the world. We are one of only seven nations which allows for elective abortion past 20 weeks, and one of only four allowing abortion for virtually any reason up until birth.

Few nations are more pro-abortion, but one of the select few which is proud to hold that distinction is Canada. Our neighbors to the north not only allow abortions up until birth for any (or no) reason, they support it with taxpayer dollars. (They’re so pro-abortion, they couldn’t even pass a motion to simply study when life begins.)

But Canada is apparently looking for ways to make abortion access even more appealing. Earlier this month, D.C.-based writer Matt Kwong reported in the Canadian media outlet CBC News on Carafem, a “spa-like” U.S. abortion facility which Kwong says is “part of a new U.S. trend.” Perhaps most disturbing, however, is Kwong’s subheadline which reads, “Reproductive health centre focus on holistic approach to ‘de-medicalize’ abortion.”

While abortion is not health care – nor could the public opinion of any nation ever make it health care – one would think that if you want to be known as a “reproductive health centre,” de-medicalizing your procedures could be potentially dangerous and shouldn’t be something to strive for.

Live Action News readers have likely heard of Carafem before, which is just as the headline and subheadline describe it. Kwong’s lengthy piece (over 1,200 words and five pages without pictures) offers a glowing feature on the abortion business, written in an almost envious tone, describing how Carafem handles this barbaric procedure by dressing it up to be like a relaxing day at the spa.

Melissa Grant, Carafem’s VP of health services (and former director of a Planned Parenthood), is quoted as saying:

We’ll have flowers, there’s music, there’s no harsh medical smells, images on the walls are of people smiling. We’re trying to maintain an experience that is as friendly and comfortable as it possibly could be.

Grant confirms that Carafem, with their “spa-like” atmosphere, is indeed seeking to “de-medicalize” and “normalize” abortion as well as seeking to counter “a social myth for clients that abortion clinics are these scary, frightening places.” But that “myth” is actually based in reality for far too many women – many of whom have bravely shared their experiences.

Carafem can “de-medicalize” abortion because it is strictly a chemical abortion facility, but very little mention is made of this, with the exception of claims that “the Carafem model removes most of [the U.S.’s RU-486] restrictions.” In other words, Carafem can very easily seem “spa-like” because the nasty business of the actual abortion process doesn’t happen there like it does at other abortion centers – it happens at home.

Only one pro-lifer was quoted in Kwong’s article – Day Gardner, President of the National Black Pro-Life Union – who called the spa concept “horrendous”:

Abortion is not a spa-like procedure for mother, and most certainly not for the child. Name another spa where a person is purposefully killed. Name another spa where two living beings go in but only one comes out.

Putting women at greater risk by “de-medicalizing” the killing of preborn children is not something either the U.S. or Canada needs to strive for.