Abortion

Out of 175 annual pregnancies, forty five million end in abortion. 80,000 of these forty five million women’s lives end as a result of their unsafe abortions (Brown, 1999). This number does not include the countless women who suffer from other injuries such as infection and permanent infertility as a result of their botched abortions. Since human life has existed, abortions have been used to end pregnancies. Proponents and people in opposition alike have argued staunchly for their sides of the issue. People support and oppose abortion for the widest range of reasons imaginable from advocating women’s control of their own bodies to labeling abortion as infanticide and therefore opposing it. Surveys have shown that while most Americans feel that women should have the right to choose, the two sides of the abortion argument, and those who fall somewhere in between, will never come to a consensus. Educating women about their rights and choices, and the process of abortion can lead women to make more educated choices and opinions about reproductive issues. In this paper I will outline arguments for and against abortion, briefly discuss Roe v. Wade, and detail my own views about the debate.

Roe v. Wade decriminalized abortion in the United States under the premise that a women’s right to privacy should be protected. This case originated in Texas where abortion was only permitted if a doctor deemed the mother’s life would be in danger if the baby was carried to full term. Those on the side of Roe argued that the Texas statutes on abortion were vague and violated not only privacy rights but also physicians’ rights to give medical care. The Supreme Court justices determined that this would infringe on the individuals ninth and fourteenth amendment rights.

Those who oppose abortion may offer biblical, legal, medical, moral, or philosophical support for their views. Still others can take a different twist on these same views in order to support women’s right to choose. This section of my paper will give an overview of oppositional arguments concerning abortion, and the counter arguments given from those who support women’s reproductive freedom. Probably the most universally known argument against abortion is the premise that abortion is a form of legalized murder. This concept implies that a fetus is considered to be alive at conception; therefore, regardless of what trimester of pregnancy, abortion is murder. Pro-choice advocates would argue that there is no consistent method of determining when life truly exists even among those of a religious persuasion. For example, Judaism suggests that life begins at birth, not conception (“Legal Abortion,” n.d.). Still others argue that life does not begin until a fetus is physically viable outside of his mother’s womb.

Another argument defending the abolition of legal abortions is the argument that all life is valuable. Proponents of abortion would counter this claim by questioning whether the life of a woman pregnant with an unwanted child was also as valuable as this fetus. Another common strike against abortion would be the argument that the fetus is not merely a part of its mother, but is a separate entity of its own. Pro-choice supporters would deny this claim and point out the fact that the fetus is literally connected physically to its mother by the umbilical cord, and is totally dependent of her (“Legal Abortion,” n.d.). Still more in disagreement with legalized abortion argue that pregnancy is a natural result of sex and that those who choose to have sex are also choosing to deal with the consequences of their immoral actions. Those in favor of the right to choose often propose that “pro-lifers” deem sex as bad, dirty, or sacred. One source even claimed “forcing a child to be born to punish its mother is the ultimate form of child abuse.” (“Legal Abortion,” n.d.). The final argument made by those in favor of banning legal abortions was the proposition of adoption instead of abortion. Pro-choice supporters agree that adoption is an option to women, but that women should be given all reproductive freedom when making any chooses about pregnancy. Supporters of legal abortion would also point out the financial and emotional strain placed on a couple or mother who attempts to support her pregnancy full term even when it results in adoption.

To me abortion is not so much an issue about life, death, or even simple choice. Abortion is about a women’s ability to control her body and the right to make any reproductive choice that she feels is best for her. The rights of women, in my opinion, have precedence over the rights of an unborn fetus. While I cannot say that I advocate repeated abortions for women who fail to use any forms of birth control, I do advocate women having the choice to make such a decision regardless of their situation. As women, on the receptive end of sex, and therefore pregnancy, we only have a small amount of control over our bodies. We can choose to take oral contraceptives, have an I.U.D. inserted, insist our partners wear a condom, wear a female condom or a diaphragm ourselves, or perhaps some other barrier method to protect ourselves from pregnancy. However, with the exception of a hysterectomy no form of birth control is one hundred percent effective. While a man may have to deal with the financial or emotional strain that an unwanted pregnancy can bring about, it is the physical strain of the woman that I feel is the greatest burden. A man cannot die from pregnancy. If women are the only individuals whose bodies are capable of giving birth, why should men be deciding whether or not women should be able to legally terminate a pregnancy? I do not want some man, or woman for that matter, in Washington deciding what I, as an adult, can do to or with my body. No one else should be able to decide for me what is right for my life or my body and I resent people who attempt to. For these reasons I strongly advocate women’s ability to make their own choices about their body and lives by being a strong proponent of legal and safe abortion.

Reference

Brown, Diana. (1999). A Wiser View of Abortion. Free Inquiry.v20 i1 p11

Clines, Francis X. (1995). Abortion Pros and Cons Gain Emotional Weight. The New York Times. v145

Legal Abortion: Arguments Pro and Con. (Retrieved April 8th 2005.) Westchester Coalition ion for Legal Abortions. wcla.org