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When a Michigan couple begins a custody fight, things can quickly move from civility to all-out warfare. The love of a child is a powerful thing, and struggles over child custody can lead some parents to make choices that they might otherwise never make. In one recent case that has made headline across the nation, a court has allowed a woman’s choice to have an abortion to be considered within a custody dispute.
The issue came up in court after the woman asserted that she was under a great deal of stress caused by her former husband. The husband’s attorney began to question the woman about an abortion procedure she had gone through. When the woman’s attorney objected, the judge allowed the questioning to continue, suggesting that the late-term abortion could have factored into the woman’s level of stress.
Pro-choice advocates and health care professionals have expressed shock and outrage that a woman’s choice to terminate a pregnancy would be allowed as a factor within a child custody case. In particular, the assumption that abortion is always a stressful event is simply not backed up by empirical data. In fact, many women who choose to terminate an unwanted pregnancy report feeling relieved after the procedure is complete.
In many Michigan child custody cases, abortion is unlikely to play a role. However, the case mentioned above should serve as a cautionary tale to any parent who is fighting for the care and custody of their child. There is no way to predict what the other party may choose to use as a weapon in court, and it is imperative to be prepared to defend any and all attacks on one’s character or ability to effectively parent.
Source: Care2 Causes, Have an Abortion, Lose Custody of Your Children, Robin Marty, Sept. 29, 2013