An
abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal of a fetus or embryo
from the uterus. The United
States laws regarding abortions vary state-by-state, but in general most will
allow an abortion to take place without restriction in early-term pregnancies.
There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the topic of abortion, and
people’s views on whether abortions should be legal or illegal are affected by
moral ideals, the right of choice, and the questioning on if a fetus is, in
fact, alive or not. The government has already outlawed the idea of simply
stating an all-inclusive law that promotes or is against abortion, and for years
have been working towards the most logical and acceptable compromise. The
legalization of abortions has both positive and negative aspects, and while
some view it as an indisputable civil right, others see it as murder or an
excuse to partake in sexual intercourse without contraceptive.
Citizens of the United States are given many rights in
what is deemed “the land of the free”.
Being able to control one’s pregnancy is a right that many women believe
should be granted to them. Even in areas where abortions are not legal, they
are still performed. These unmonitored procedures are often very dangerous and
carried out in ways that could severely harm both mother and the unborn
child/future children. ''Most people saying it [an abortion] compromises safety
actually have an agenda to make abortion illegal, which we know from decades of
experience actually makes abortion unsafe”. (Tracey Weitz) The legalization of
abortions would not entirely put a stop to these unsafe practices. In fact
eighty-seven percent of United States counties do not provide abortion services
for those eligible(Abortion ProCon), and some women would have to travel very
far to get to a clinic. Abortion being an option for women is something that
not only terminates unwanted pregnancies, but also prevents children from being
born into a family or life that cannot support them. Contraceptives should be
used to avoid these unwanted pregnancies, but an abortion performed in the very
early stages of a pregnancy is a relatively safe and harmless emergency backup.
Morally, many have issues with the concept of abortions,
as it is essentially the murder of an unborn fetus. The main point of dissent
is whether one’s life begins at the time of conception, at birth, or sometime
in between. “There is substantial evidence that the process of an abortion will
cause the unborn fetus pain…Images of the fetus have fueled a reassessment of
fetal capabilities along with suggestions that the fetus can respond both
emotionally and cognitively.” (SW Derbyshire) The idea that fetuses are capable
of reacting to the process of abortion was not really relevant before
Derbyshire’s work, as it was thought that a fetus so undeveloped could not
possibly be formed enough to feel any pain. This is why many laws now only allow
abortions within the first few months of a pregnancy, and not otherwise unless
doctoral consent is given or the mother’s life is at risk. There have been
abortions that were conducted later on in a pregnancy, which resulted in a fetus
being born alive, sometimes dismembered, and then potentially killed. The
infamous Doctor Gosnell was put into prison with three counts of murder that display how abortions can go very
wrong, and need to be restricted in ways so that live births cannot be
terminated as if the fetus was still within the uterus. Gosnell’s practices
were seen as an “operation "house
of horrors," prosecutors allege the doctor created an "assembly
line" of patients, performing more than 1,000 abortions a year profiting
lavishly, while treating women with unsterilized equipment and employing
untrained workers.”(Joseph A Slobodzian, Philidelphia Inquirer) These abortions
were clearly perceived as murder, so why aren’t all? The gray area between
being alive and not is what has stopped this decision. Abortions conducted when
the fetus is clearly developing are ones done in ignorance and complete
insensitivity towards the beauty that is life. There is no real excuse for why
one would not get the abortion upon finding out about the pregnancy, rather than
waiting, except for serious medical issues.
Whether or not abortions are morally
allowable is heavily affected when it comes to religion and rape victims.
Instituting a law that bans abortions, but not in the circumstances of rape or
severe financial changes would not work, as anyone wanting an abortion would
just try to lie to fit into those standards. A child conceived during the
unfortunate incident of a rape legally has as much of a right to life as any,
but in carrying a child that is a direct product of that incident, the mother
could face psychological issues. “The psychological
damage done to rape victims should not be increased…especially not by the
addition of a child that is the product of the rape.”(Andrew P. Nappoliti) It
is not fair to make a woman carry a child conceived in this manner if she does
not want to, so any pro-choice advocate could argue that it is not fair to make
any woman carry and birth a child that they are not prepared to take care of.
Abortions are viewed as murder in the Christian church, and murder of course
violates the fifth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill”. However there are many
Christians who say that abortion is not murder, and it is an acceptable way to
avoid having a child. The separation of church
and state has always been a problem and the separation of personal right and
religious right is an issue within the church. Religious values influence the
abortion views of many, and religious defenders often petition against
pro-choice movements, claiming that it is ungodly to allow such procedures to
be carried out. Christian Universities have been faced with the difficulty of
promoting a religious environment as well as providing substantial healthcare
to their professors. There have been great disputes and outbursts, but “not
three weeks had passed since Pope Francis said the church had grown “obsessed” with abortion, declaring,
“We have to find a new balance.”’(Ian Lovett) This quote from none other than
the Pope himself proves that perhaps abortion isn’t the biggest issue people
should be worried over.
Not only should the
government be addressing the legality of abortions, but the illegalities in
performing unsanitary and unregulated procedures as well. The F.D.A. has
approved certain medications for non-invasive abortions, where the pregnancy is
terminated via a poison of sorts that expels the embryo from the uterus.
However, “ninety-six percent of medication abortions in the United States are
now provided according to a regimen different from the one described in mifepristone’s
F.D.A.-approved label.”(Adam Liptak) The laws that have been set are not being
upheld, so many think that making abortions illegal altogether would only cause
more problems.
Abortions are a way to regulate
overpopulation, end unwanted pregnancies, and protect the safety of children
that may be born with a fatal disease or into a harmful environment. They are
for the most part safe, but should not be taken for granted or used as a form
of contraceptive, as there are inherent risks and problems that can come from
getting an abortion. Abortions take away life from a mother; they prevent a
child from ever coming into the world. The topic of abortion will always be
debated, because as people we have differing views, and some believe it is a
right that all women should have, and a choice that should be made personally,
while others still think that it is wrong and immoral. The legality of abortion
practices has not been set in stone, nor shall it be, based on recent
governmental discussions. Rather, it is something that must find a compromise,
because “The
availability of modern contraception can reduce but never eliminate the need
for abortion. Direct costs of treating abortion complications burden
impoverished health care systems, and indirect costs also drain struggling
economies”. (David A. Grimes) Abortions have their positive points and their
negative ones, and nobody can give a full argument either way, because the
moral and civil rights are subjective to the person in question.
