With concerns about the effects of the Zika virus rising, there’s also been a rise in a change in most American’s opinion.
A recent Stat-Harvard poll says 59% of Americans think terminating a pregnancy after 24 weeks is o.k. if the baby could be born with birth defects because of the virus.
And some women around Waco seem to agree with the poll.
"I would love the child anyway if I decided not to have an abortion, but I think I would do the abortion and i’m OK with that," said Doris Mason, a Waco resident.
"I think that in the case of Zika, when it’s known that the baby is going to have Microcephaly, I would be OK with that," said Adelyn Cohen, a women who lives in Robinson.
"I’m pro-choice. Whatever is best for the person," said Alisha Quintanilla, a Waco native.
The cost of caring for a baby born with Microcephaly may play a part in the number of people who think a late-term abortion is o.k. The March of Dimes estimates raising a baby born with defects caused by Zika could cost a family $10 million.
But John Pisciotta, an economist – who also happens to be the director of Pro-life Waco – said not only are Zika-related birth defects not reason enough to terminate a pregnancy, but that the cost of taking care of a baby born with Microcephaly should not be a parent's concern.
"I think of a baby as having right," said Pisciotta. "I’m an economist, and with economist we think a lot in terms of cost-benefit-analysis, but I'd like to throw away cost-benefit-analysis when we’re talking about an innocent precious baby."
Pisciotta said terminating a baby who would likely be born with Microcephaly is cost effective. But the economist also said that he does not see babies being born with Zika-related birth defects as an issue right now.
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