Military Women Seeking Abortions Contemplate "Drastic Measures"
It's estimated that between 19,000 and 23,000 servicewomen have
unintended pregnancies every year. And as we've already noted,
the options for those women who want abortions are far more
limited than for the general population. A new study details
just what the consequences are.  The study, conducted by Ibis
Reproductive Health, interviewed 130 military women (two among
them dependents) who had been online seeking information on
abortion. They reported anxiety about jeopardizing their careers
no matter what course they took.  While each woman had a
different story, the rate of sexual assault in the military is
at least twice as high as the civilian rate. Currently, no
Defense funds can be used for abortion unless the woman's life
is at risk; in cases of rape or incest, military hospitals
perform abortions but only if women pay for it themselves.
Otherwise, the women are on their own, a particularly grim
scenario when deployed in a combat zone or