Madam, - In relation to the "D" case in the High Court currently, John Muggivan, of Louisiana, (May 3rd) no doubt an expert in Irish abortion law, hopes that the "psychiatrists who are being asked to examine her will be able to attest to the harm that is likely to result from interfering with her wishes".
Mr Muggivan is, however, not quite accurate in predicting which is the most likely psychological harm to Miss D - abortion or continuing her pregnancy to give birth to her child who is unlikely to survive past a few days. Mr Muggivan is sure abortion prevents all "harm". I regret to inform him that current research and growing anecdotal evidence suggest that abortion is more harmful to women than pregnancy.
Nobody can deny the innate tragedy of this case but to glibly suggest abortion cures all ills, both now and in the future is irresponsible. - Yours, etc,
MARY DILLON, Ballymahon, Co Longford.
Madam, - What a sad and tragic case of a young girl, already in difficult circumstances and now pregnant with a baby who will live for a few days after birth! This young girl has obviously had a plethora of negative and damaging life experiences.
Yet all of your letter writers seem to think that abortion is the correct and only solution to this problem.
Surely the physical, emotional and spiritual trauma of an abortion is yet another negative and damaging experience for this girl. If she did give life to this baby, even though its existence would be brief, the child could be named and loved even for its brief time on this planet, rather than both mother and child having to experience the damaging and destructive effects of abortion. - Yours, etc,
NORA CORKERY, Powerscourt Lawns, Waterford .
Madam, - Miss D, the 17-year-old in the care of the State, who is carrying a child with anencephaly, has all our sympathy and indeed our prayers.
Instead of subjecting her and her unborn child to a serious medical procedure, upsetting her system and leaving her with both physical and mental sequels, it would be far better to allow matters to take their natural course, and to support her until her baby was born naturally and inevitably died. The aftermath of that would be far less damaging to the health of Miss D.
Unfortunately, referring the matter to the courts will doubtlessly cause her more anguish than if she had been supported with sympathy for the full course of her pregnancy. - Yours, etc,
LIAM Ó HALMHÁIN, Chairman, Family Solidarity, Dublin 3.