Abortion Essay

Should abortion be allowed in the United States? If so, then under what circumstances? Abortion has been one of the most heatedly debated topics in the U.S. for more than a century. This paper explores the history and international use of abortion, as well as the empirical and moral claims made by both sides of the issue. We will also examine the key positions taken on abortion and look at those affected by it. Based on extensive research and analysis, this paper will recommend that the government increase abortion funding and availability.

Abortion has been and still is one of the most controversial topics in American culture. The reason for the controversy is the different viewpoints of this very personal matter. Some believe that abortion is the same as murder. Others believe it’s a personal choice which only they have the right to make. Due to the nature of the procedure and the concerns associated with ending a pregnancy, abortion will continue to top the list of “touchy” subjects in American politics and culture. As a pro-choice advocate, it is important for the right to have an abortion to be established and protected.

The Oxford Dictionary defines abortion as the expulsion of a fetus, naturally or especially by medical induction, from the womb before it is able to survive independently, especially in the first 28 weeks of a human pregnancy. Today many argue whether abortion should be legal in the United States. Some show religious views while others show civic views. The basis of such a debate should be on medical information. It is evident that abortion is harmful to the mother. Although women feel relief after the operation, they do not perceive at least the physical consequences. The outcome of most abortions is graphic and painful.

     The topic of abortion has been a highly debated and highly controversial issue before America was even founded. There are many aspects of the debate and many angles that can be taken. In order to understand, and to form an opinion on the topic of abortion a person must be informed about the History of abortion, the methods of abortion performed today, the potential side affects of abortion, and the two different and equally debatable sides that are taken today. These are all very important issues to be informed about

Women may have an abortion for a variety of reasons, but in general they choose abortion because a pregnancy at that time is in some way wrong for them. “Abortion is the removal of a fetus from the uterus before it is mature enough to live on its own” (Kuechler 1996). When this happens spontaneously we call it a miscarriage. Induced abortion is brought about deliberately by a medical procedure that ends pregnancy. Legal abortion, carried out by trained medical practitioners, is one of the most common and safest surgical procedures. “About 1.5 million American women choose to have induced abortions each year. Less than 1% of all abortion patients experience a major complication associated with the procedure” (Kuechler 1996).

The abortion controversy has been debated for years. The presidential election this year has become very involved with this topic. On one side, John F. Kerry, along with third party candidate Ralph Nader, the pro-choice supporters, sees individual choice as central to the debate: If a woman cannot choose to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, a condition which affects her body and possibly her entire life, then she has lost one of her most basic human rights. However, George Bush feels the complete opposite. He thinks having an abortion is unethical and unjust. I agree with Kerry. The government has no right to interfere with a mother’s decision and trying to deny abortion to any woman is denying that mother’s civil

This study addressed the reasons behind why women choose to have abortions. Specifically, the researcher focused on both qualitative and quantitative perspectives to determine the factors that contribute to the decision to have an abortion. Using structured survey, the researcher included 1,209 abortion patients at 11 large providers. The study did not provide a hypothesis as to what they felt would happen in the outcome. Rather, the focus of the study was understanding the context of women’s reasons for abortions and how those reasons align with public policy regarding abortions. In regards to the outcome, the reasons that were most frequently cited dealt with a child interfering with a woman’s education, career or ability to care for dependents. The researcher felt that understanding these motivators for abortion will help inform public opinion and prevent or correct misperceptions. The researcher also hoped to use this information as a justification for funding more programs that help women with financial constraints. I felt that this research was beneficial as it uncovered the reasons of why some women choose to have an abortion. I appreciate the fact that this study could be used to

How would you feel if someone had the final say in whether or not you could live or die? Imagine not having any say in whether or not you are allowed to have a life. Now you can imagine how a baby feels since they do not have a choice in their mother’s womb. If a woman decides to abort her baby, the baby cannot do anything about their life being forcibly taken away from them. Their whole future is demolished in a single instant before it even begins. This is why I believe abortion is wrong no matter the reasoning behind why you’re doing it.

Although abortions can be seen in a negative light, with the argument of killing a living organism, a woman should not be forced, pressured, or burdened to keep and raise a child who she does not want or cannot support. Studies have shown that “families and society will benefit from having children that are planned, welcomed, and properly spaced” (Sanger, Alexander 6). Disregarding this option to women imposes injustice to themselves, and also the newborn baby, as every child should be a wanted child. Prohibiting and restricting abortions does not stop women from having them, as it only “forces abortion underground and makes it the privilege of the wealthy, while further disenfranchising poor women, who generally bear the brunt of such policies” (Ginsburg 253). The difference of class statuses can alter how an abortion is processed, as “for poor women, illegal abortions are typically done by unqualified practitioners- the woman herself, backroom abortionists- and the result in increased maternal deaths as well as maternal and fetal physical deformities” (Ginsburg 253). Women of higher status and authority may not enter such drastic measures for abortions, because they may have the resources to implement the abortion in a safer situation. It has been stated that, “Most Americans favor government regulations that officially discourage abortion and that make abortion difficult to access

In a 2004 survey women were asked what reasons they had for obtaining an abortion. The number one reason for having an abortion was: “having a baby would dramatically change my life” stated by 74% of the women surveyed. 73% said “I can’t afford a baby now”. Problems within their relationships and an unwillingness to be a single mother were mentioned as more reasons women had abortions. This reason was cited by 48% of the women. Nearly 40% said that they were finished having children. Almost one-third said they were not ready to have a child. A potential health problem for the child was cited as a reason for 13%, and potential health problems for themselves had influenced 12% of women’s

Abortion, in my opinion, has been one of the largest debataable issues in American Society. There are so many aspects and views to examine before one can even begin to form their own opinion. In order to discuss an important issue such as abortion, we must first understand what it means. Abortion is the ending of a pregnancy before the fetus has developed and grown enough to live outside the mother. When abortion happens naturally before the 20th week it is called a spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage. If it happens naturally after the 20th week it is termed a late fetal death or a still birth. An abortion caused by a medical procedure is called an induced abortion. Most induced abortion are performed in the first trimester or

In the past years leading to Roe v. Wade, abortion was illegal in most states and highly demoralized throughout the United States. Women would be forced to venture out of the states just to acquire a safe abortion. However, for the women who couldn't afford to travel out of the country, they were compelled to have unsafe illegal abortions. During the 1950s and 1960s, an estimated number of 200,000-1.2 million illegal abortions per year was the result of the laws surrounding women's reproductive rights. The numerous amount of deaths in women sparked a national debate that modified the abortion conversation permanently (Guttmacher).

Abortion may be one of the most ongoing disagreements throughout time, some may consider this act as wrong such as specified in this quote by Mother Teresa: “The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between.” Abortion not only murders an unborn child, causes guilt for the mother’s decision to end her pregnancy and may cause problems to the mother’s health; abortion is irreversible that child will not have life. Some women having an abortion can suffer from damage to the uterus, internal bleeding including having pieces of the baby left inside her body causing difficulties. By means of ending the pregnancy, the mother may

Abortion has been a controversial issue in the United States culture and politics. The history of abortion goes back to many years before 1973. It has been performed legally from the time that the new settlers arrived in the United States. It was allowed and broadly advertised till mid 1800s. Thereafter the states began to pass several laws in order to make abortion illegal nationwide. One of their concerns for passing these laws was the general population which would mostly be consisted of the children of the newly arrived immigrants. In 1973 with the passage of Roe v. Wade, U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in the United States under the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution. The passage named after Jane Roe who was a 21 years old

Abortion The topic of Abortion is one of the most controversial of our times. It has caused countless deaths and several violent confrontations between the two separate parties of opinion. The fight between pro-life and pro-choice supporters has been long and brutal. This is because, despite what several people may believe, abortion is neither right nor wrong. It is a matter of personal opinion and it varies from person to person. In this way, each side can say with certainty that the other side is wrong. Therefore, the question remains; should abortion be legal? Though some may disagree on this point, the fact that legalizing abortion is the only option that will protect the lives of American citizens. This is all because of the