Gingrich would not support rape, incest abortion exceptions

Newt Gingrich said Tuesday that he would not support exceptions for abortion in cases of rape or incest, saying he would instead urge women to give those children up for adoption.

"I wouldn’t make exceptions," the former House Speaker (Ga.) said during a town-hall meeting in Iowa. "What I would try to do is create a program that would enable women in those circumstances to have support and help them through whatever process they needed both in terms of counseling and in terms of if they wanted to give up the baby for adoption."

Gingrich's record on abortion has been mixed. During the campaign, he signaled support for a "personhood" pledge that would afford human embryos all the legal protections of a person. In the 1990s, however, Gingrich said he would consider exemptions in instances of rape, incest or potential harm to the mother.

The topic has been an especially touchy one for Gingrich. A pro-Mitt Romney political action committee released an ad late last month insinuating that Gingrich supported taxpayer funding of abortions, a claim Gingrich has disputed.

Rivals Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum and Rick Perry have also signed off on the personhood pledge, whereas Jon Huntsman has argued the platform "goes too far."

---