Without provocation???? I can only assume that in your entire life you've never actually talked to a pregnant woman. I have, and I can assure you (with complete confidence that these women would vouch for its accuracy) that pregnancy is one gigantic disaster made tolerable only by the copious production of endorphins, with occasional interludes of steadily decreasing comfort.
One even explained to this clueless male that pregnancy can quite accurately be compared to a large parasite that ruins your career, your education, your recreation, quite often your marriage, and any other activities that you consider important... and that it doesn't end with a successful delivery.
You must be the last unreconstructed Male Chauvinist Pig from the 1950s if you don't understand what a fetus does to a woman's life--most especially a woman who never wanted a fetus in the first place and put all her faith in contraceptive technology.
I know full well what a fetus does to a womans body... I also, unlike some people around here, understand that, outside of unfortunate and extenuating circumstances, the woman has the ability to avoid becoming pregnant in the first place.
The fact that you consider pregnancy a disaster is... deplorable. I can only assume you do not have any children?
Let me tell you - my mother in law had several miscarriages and underwent several treatments to have a child because of her Endometriosis. It was a STRUGGLE for her to have a kid at all... and in the end, she had not one, but three kids - two were expected, one was a complete surprise.
Talking with her... at NO point has she considered them a "disaster made tolerable only by the copious production of endorphins, with occasional interludes of steadily decreasing comfort."
And once more... if the woman never WANTED a fetus in the first place, why WAIT six months or more to get rid of the goddamn thing?
A fetus, by default, provides provocation: it makes use of the bodily function of a woman. That is something that requires consent; if a woman does not consent, then nothing should force the woman to continue that state.
Again, allowing women to consent to what happens to their bodies is not something that is part of popular media and culture.
Are you daft? The woman consented when she had sex unprotected! I will reiterate my position once again since you are apparently incapable of figuring it out:
Woman has sex and the condom breaks - get the morning after pill and be done with it.
Woman has sex and birth control fails - a month later she misses her period, gets tested, and is pregnant - get an abortion.
Woman gets raped - go to the police, get medical treatment, and get the proper medication to ensure pregnancy will not happen. Failing that, get an abortion ASAP.
Woman gets knocked up by an abusive husband, is effectively placed under house arrest by said abusive husband, and only manages to escape eight months into the pregnancy - due to the extenuating circumstance (and one that I cannot believe is commonplace in the civilized world) she is granted a third-term abortion.
WHAT is the problem here? The only reason you people can provide as to why third trimester abortions should be allowed without question is that it is "convenient" to give the woman that long to come to the decision. I say if she is that indecisive, then there is a much BIGGER issue at play, and that should be resolved.