Abortion poll questions ‘loaded’

Anti-abortion activists say a poll commissioned by them shows majority backing for the current legal position.

Pro-choice campaigners claimed the questions used were “loaded” and point to the results being very different from surveys commissioned by neutral organisations such as newspapers.

The results from the Pro-Life Campaign survey are in marked contrast to a recent poll which found that 71% backed legislating for the X-case ruling which includes the risk of suicide to the woman.

Dr. Casey Professor of Psychiatry, discusses her research on how rare maternal suicide is in Ireland http://t.co/nuPecG9k #abortion #xcase

— ABC and X (@ABCandX) February 19, 2013

The Pro-Life Campaign says its poll, commissioned by it from Millward Brown, indicates support for the status quo.

When asked: “Are you in favour of, or opposed to constitutional protection for the unborn that prohibits abortion but allows the continuation of the existing practice of intervention to save a mother’s life in accordance with Irish medical ethics?”, 63% said yes, 19% said no, and 18% expressed no opinion.

When another question was posed, “In current medical practice in Ireland, the doctor treats the expectant mother and her baby as two patients and does his/her best to safeguard both in a crisis situation. Do you consider this practice should be protected and safeguarded by law or not?”, 66% agreed, and 15% did not, with 19% expressing no opinion.

Both sides in the abortion debate accused the other of referencing polls based on “distorted” questions.

A spokesman for the Pro-Life Campaign said: “The findings challenge the notion that there is broad middle-ground support for abortion in Ireland. A number of polls published recently citing support for abortion used the word ‘abortion’ in the question without defining just what it meant. These questions could only lead to uninformed answers.”

Labour TD Ciara Conway, who backs legislating for the X-Case ruling, said the Pro-Choice Campaign’s questions were “unclear”.

“They seem very loaded ... It is out of kilter with all the other polls. It does not correspond with those polls commissioned by non-stakeholders in the debate like newspapers.”