US Government Opposition on Abortions in Zika Developing Countries

The GOP has always had a strong opinion about reproductive health and the abortion issue for American women being at the top of their list. Presently, the GOP has made a stance on abortions for women who are infected with the Zika virus in developing countries.

In a recent article by Laura Bassett, the Huffington Post, she writes that many women in Brazil, El Salvador and Colombia where the Zika virus is spreading, are denied abortions and sometimes jailed for experiencing miscarriages. The House Republicans who were running the Zika virus hearing suggested that women in these countries accept their babies born with microcephaly stating these babies "can go on to lead very normal lives". I guess it depends on what their definition of "normal" is, as some of these infected babies can experience seizures, cognitive delays, hearing loss and developmental problems. 

As a nation we have had a long history of pro-life and pro-choice debate and that will probably continue into the future. It is interesting to me that our House Republicans feel they have the right to tell other women in other countries what they should do with their bodies and with their children. These women, in many cases, are poor so their financial resources are and would be limited, especially if they have a child with special needs. I understand that reproduction funding for abortions may not be the answer for these women, however, a reasonable discussion about funding for contraception and family planning should at least be addressed for these countries. 

I think this article is worth reading because Planned Parenthood now has limited the resources available in our state of Texas and this strong GOP opinion could further limit the rights of women in other areas of life.