Posted on 07/04/2004 11:44:07 AM PDT by wagglebee
The Sexual Revolution has taken yet another unintended twist.
Dr. Jo Heaton, who runs a sexual health clinic in Swindon, UK, was approached on four occasions in the past year by 14-year-old girls desperately seeking in vitro fertilization (IVF) services in order to become pregnant. "I found it absolutely extraordinary," she told the London Telegraph.
The girls, white and from working class backgrounds, were fearful that they would not be able to become pregnant without assistance. They had already been sexually active for two years, reported the Telegraph.
In each case the conversation went roughly the same," said Dr Heaton, whose practice caters to those under 19 years of age. "I said 'How can I help?' They said what they said [that they were seeking fertility treatment], and I gulped with amazement.
"I found it hard to know what position to take. It was tempting to say, 'You must be completely crazy. Why do you want a baby now?' However, we are not in a position to judge. We are there to help.
"The impression I got was that they had a low self-esteem and low aspirations. It was almost as if they felt there was nothing in life they could achieve except to get pregnant. Then they would have a baby they could love and who would, in turn, love them."
A World Health Organization report released last month revealed over half of 15-year-olds in the UK had experienced sexual intercourse. Only Greenland, of the 32 nations included in the study, was higher.
While claiming to be surprised at her young clients' requests, Heaton's publicly stated positions on teen pregnancy probably should have prepared her. "I have sometimes got up at conferences and said, 'But what about those children who want to get pregnant?' and there has been a deathly silence. It's something people don't really want to admit to.
"I think we have to make it easier for girls with babies to dip in and out of education so that they are not lost to the workforce for ever."
The sexual health clinic owner notes that politicians have put all their efforts into programs to prevent pregnancies and had failed to account for what she believes are large numbers of teens who want to become pregnant.
Sexual intercourse for children under 16 is illegal in England although, the Telegraph notes, authorities generally look the other way if the acts are consensual and the participants are near the same age.
"The girls came to me for input," said Heaton. "All I did was to say the only person who could help would be a gynecologist but the chances of them being willing to assist in these circumstances was next to nothing."
National Health Service guidelines restrict IVF services to women between 23 and 39 with diagnosed fertility problems. The treatment is usually obtained privately and costs more than $3,600.
"I found it hard to know what position to take. It was tempting to say, 'You must be completely crazy. Why do you want a baby now?' However, we are not in a position to judge. We are there to help.
Here to help?! Impregnating a child is not "help", it is an abomination. This is insanity!
Sounds like a "natural" extension of "reproductive rights", giving birth control to children, etc. Just an example of the "slippery slope"...
In related news, former President Bill Clinton has announced a two-city tour for the promotion of his new book. He will be spending the next several days in London and Nuuk, capital of Greenland. "It's one of the few countries I've never visited, and what better way to escape the dog days of summer?!"
All those girls can think of to do with their life is to squirt out another loser? Sheesh.
Let's see. This girl is 14, has been having sexual intercourse for 2 years which would make her 12 when she started. I think it's a blessing from God that she's NOT pregnant!
Where are her parents? My girls were not allowed to date until they were 16. My son is 16 now, but doesn't have a job or a car. My youngest will not be allowed to date until she is 16. This rule is carved in stone.
I suppose I'd probably be considered some sort of troglodyte if I suggested that children (ie under 18) having babies that they are not capable of supporting them should have those babies removed and put up for adoption. Now, if there's a loving family (the mother's or father's) involved that is willing and able to take responsibility for the baby's welfare, that's different. But putting teenage girls who can't even take care of themselves, far less a child, on the dole seems to be to be good for neither the mother or the child.
Of course, there was a time when a pregnant 15 year old would have been too ashamed to keep the child.
It would appear that the idea here is to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars (actually pounds) to create a baby who basically by default would be yet another welfare drain for the taxpayers. If she was my daughter, she would be in a convent after this type of behavior.
Nope, it's just Socialism.
Socialism and insanity are essentially synonymous.
Yeah! Where are all the really good convents? There are times I want one for my sixteen-year-old. I was thinking of sending her to one in Spain, staffed by a lot of absolutely humorless Spanish nuns, or to Romania, where she'd have to cross three mountain ranges before she'd see any boys. How come they don't have good convents like that in this country anymore?? Now, there's a fantastic business opportunity for some Catholic entrepreneur! Someone ought to start a chain of franchised convents to hold itchy teenagers. It might be a great economic shot in the arm for the Church. Parents will pay ANYTHING to know their teens are not screwing around, drinking, smoking weed, driving fast, etc. ;-)
You know, when I was a teen, the thing that finally convinced my Dad to geta horse for me was when my mom said it would distract me from boys... ;~D
"I found it hard to know what position to take. It was tempting to say, 'You must be completely crazy. Why do you want a baby now?' However, we are not in a position to judge. We are there to help.
STUPID WOMAN: When you willfully give up your God-given power of Judgment you shouldn't be amazed when this sort of thing happens.
"The girls came to me for input," said Heaton. "All I did was to say the only person who could help would be a gynecologist but the chances of them being willing to assist in these circumstances was next to nothing."
Woman, you failed in your obligation as a human being. You should have tried to shake some sense into them. You shouldn't have referred them to a gynecologist, how could you?! You should have referred them to counselling. You should have been the one adult to stand up and say, "This is wrong. This could ruin your life and that of the child." You should have been the one adult to not look the other way when you see a tragedy in action. Instead, all you can do is refer these misguided girls to a gynecologist and make noises about making things easier for pregnant girls. For shame.
Great, refer them to the nearest mental health provider and while you are at it, Dr. Heaton, make an appointment for yourself. [Notice there is not a word about the parents in the article. I wonder if they even know.]
Naturally, they had to mention that all of the girls were white. Would race have been mentioned at all if even one of the four were a minority? Nah.
If only there were still convents to put them in.
I remember a time where a girl would be sent off to help "Aunt Betty". That usually meant that she got pregnant and was sent to an unwed mother's home. There was a lot of shame attached to being an unwed mother.
When you consider the fact that one of the largest minority groups in Britain is Muslims from the Middle East, the only unwed mothers in Britain who get pregnant and live to childbirth are white girls.
If a kid has to get up at 4:30 to muck out before school, then come home after school to exercise, hotwalk, groom, do afternoon stables, feed and water, and tuck the ponies into bed, s/he is TOO BLOODY EXHAUSTED to smoke weed, drink, drive around, or get into the back seat with a boy. When parents complain about the high cost of riding, I tell 'em, "It's cheaper than drug rehab."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.