story codes question

[botticelliangel]

So I've run into a story where the author used the tag 'abortion' to code for what is technically a miscarriage in stories. I've looked through the story codes a few times to see if there was a better tag to use, and couldn't find one. Is there a way to add a tag for this? I feel that using the tag 'abortion' to warn readers of unintended pregnancy loss is misleading, especially when the code specifically says that it is to describe "medical termination of a pregnancy".

I really don't even know if there is enough need for a tag, because I don't know if there are a lot of stories with this kind of subject in it. but I thought I'd say something because it bothers me.

[BronxWench]

As someone who's had a couple of miscarriages, I certainly agree that the "abortion" tag is not at all applicable in the case of an irrevocable, involuntary termination of a pregnancy for physical reasons outside the control of the pregnant person.

I suppose I'd have to look at the story in question to see if the tag was used to indicate a miscarriage caused by abuse or some other factor that wouldn't be outside the control of one of the parties. I do know that in the case of an impending miscarriage if surgical methods are used to facilitate matters, it is referred to as an abortion.

I'll defer to the admins as to the need for a miscarriage tag, but if you can link me the story in question, I'll check for the appropriateness of the abortion link.

[DemonGoddess]

The actual definition of the word:

Noun

1. The deliberate termination of a human pregnancy.
2. A miscarriage.

Synonyms

miscarriage - failure

[BronxWench]

Just.... ouch. Seriously. I've never thought of my abortion and my miscarriages as being the same thing. Not objecting to the definition, obviously, but ouch all the same.

Then again, I suppose it's like the hair-splitting between "noncon" and "rape." I'd personally call all noncon rape but that's me, so fair enough.

[DemonGoddess]

If you think about it, a spontaneous abortions is what most of us call a miscarriage. However, the medical term is the other. I don't remember exactly why the tag was added, other than that perhaps it might come up in a story.

[botticelliangel]

I get what you are saying Dg... and I still feel ick about it. In every day language people speak differently about abortions and miscarriages. It is only really medical professionals who use the term 'spontaneous abortion', and generally most of them are smart enough to know not to actually say that when talking to patients. The word 'abortion' is so charged in our language because of religion and politics that for many it really only has one meaning. I don't feel like the author did anything wrong by putting the tag in, because there really wasn't any better one. Stuff like this bothers me still...

[DemonGoddess]

I suppose having been involved in animal husbandry off and on for many years, my viewpoint of the word is a tad different. It is not uncommon for an animal to abort a pregnancy, should there be something wrong with the get.