Abortion research paper free essay sample

Abortion has been a major topic of debate based on morality and civil rights throughout history. Citizens have opposed each other’s ideas of how to address abortion for decades. Many people believe that human life begins at conception and they view abortion as murder of an unborn child. Others believe that a fetus only gains the rights and privileges of personhood at birth. The morality and constitutionality of abortion remains a topic of fierce debate, but many countries, including the United States, have passed laws legalizing abortion. As a result, women can now receive abortions under the care and supervision of medical professionals in sterile settings. This has only caused the debate to increase in fervor. The two most commonly used methods for aborting a first trimester pregnancy, which is the first three months after conception, are medical and surgical abortions (Trupin). Most women who chose a medical abortion felt slightly more satisfied with their results. Introduction Conceiving a baby through a planned pregnancy can take many years, or it can take one meaningless night of excessive drinking and unprotected sex resulting in an unplanned pregnancy. There are many times when a women doesnt know she is pregnant until she visits the doctor, and since it is an unplanned pregnancy it leaves her with a hard, unwanted decision. She can chose to carry on with the pregnancy or choose to terminate it. Abortion is the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end the pregnancy. Each year, more than 6 million American women become pregnant. More than half of those pregnancies are unintended. And more than 1. 6 million American women terminate their pregnancies through abortion. Relin,1990) Laws for abortion have changed over many of years of arguments and debates, and this has affected its legal status. Abortion has a long history behind it, from starting off illegal in the early 1820s. Since 1973, when abortion became legal nationwide ,it has been one of the most controversial issues in American politics and culture(Gale,2005). Abortion has been a continuing battle since the early 1800s, there have been debates fighting fo r the women and fighting against them. Abortion is a very controversial topic in government and law still to this day, the reason why it is so controversial is due to the different opinions that are being put in and thought of. Abortion procedures have also changed and evolved since the 1800s, all procedures were very risky and it was not sanitary enough to be safe. Looking at the legal status and history of abortion is deceitful to all of the other aspects of abortion, like the effects it has on the women and Pro- life vs. Pro-choice. There is always going to be two strong definitive sides to abortion and they alter between the pro-life side and the pro-choice side. On the pro-choice side after women have abortions the feel liberated, it becomes a positive experience for them, provides inner strength, improves their self-esteem and motivates them to refocus their lives in a meaningful way. On the pro-life side women who did not want an abortion but were caught in a difficult situation develop eating disorders, depression, guilt, suicidal thoughts and alcohol and drug abuse. There is always two sides to every story, and abortion has two definitive, strong opposing, that may never come to harmony and will not come to an agreement together. Pro-Choice defends all people from different ages and backgrounds. † (Gay, 2004). Pro-choice is giving the women control over her body and allowing her to make the decision she will be content with. Pro-choice is for women and teenagers who choose to end their own pregnancy because they feel that they cannot care for the baby, the father may refuse to take responsibility for his childs care. Many young wom en are concerned about their own life circumstances and their ability to raise children, and others who have considered adoption cannot bare to think about carrying and nurturing a baby for nine months then giving it away(Gay, 2004). Pro-choice is for female activists and their beliefs on women taking control of their own body and making their own decisions. The other side of the debate in abortion is pro-life, which is defined as murder, killing an innocent baby which has no say. It has been reported that anti-abortionists relate having an abortion to murdering someone. They believe that a murder is intentional and so is an abortion because you are planning to abort the baby (Currie, 2000,103). Results have shown that people who advocate for Pro-Life primarily are Christian or Catholic members because of the Bible. In the Bible, it does not say directly that abortion is not permitted it makes references to make it clear that God felt very strong about the fact that a fetus or embryo is still considered a human. It suggests that God creates the babys life well its in the womb and it also says that the same penalty should be giving to someone who causes the death of the child in the womb as to someone who commits murder (Frechet, 2009). As you can see there is two very strong definitive sides to the debate of abortion, both having strong arguments. History Abortion has been known since the ancient times. Women in all cultures have used it as a method of birth control, regardless of whether the culture officially permitted it. Over many centuries women wishing to terminate a pregnancy have drunken poisonous liquids, rubbed certain herbs on their stomachs, or even attempted to pierce their wombs with sharp objects(Currie,2000,57). In the United States, abortion laws started to appear in the early 1820s, forbidding abortion after the fourth month of pregnancy (Gale,2006,89). In 1873 a man named Anthony Comstock introduced the Comstock act which banned all methods contraceptives which included abortion. This act prevented any person from obtaining knowledge about methods of birth control as well as abortions. In 1890 abortion was made legal, but only after the pregnant women has met with several doctors to confirm that she will be put in danger without having it done(Garrow,1999). In the 1900s all abortions were banned again by the government. A portion of physicians betrayed the law and secretly performed black market abortions without consultations. This event shows that people are starting to rethink their opinions on abortion and how it affects them and their families. During the 1960s abortion was legal but only if the women was mentally or physically handicapped, if she was raped, the baby was a product of incest, and if she was not healthy enough to carry the baby or it would put her in harm during delivery. In 1971 the Comstock act was repealed, all states except four, abortion was legal but only under certain conditions and in the other four states it was legal and guaranteed women the right to terminate their pregnancy. (Gale,2006,92) The case that set the standard for the current debate over abortion was one of the most controversial decisions the U. S. Supreme Court ever handed down. In its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the Court declared that a womans constitutional right to privacy prevented a state from banning abortions during the first three months of her pregnancy, or at any time if her health is at risk. The effect of Roe was to make abortion legal throughout America. (Relin,1990)The Hyde Amendment was passed by the congress in 1976 which meant that abortion was excluded from comprehensive health services. Abortion was not covered therefore it would be payed for out of their own pockets, but it was still legal. In 1981 in the case of Bellotti vs. Baird the supreme court ruled that pregnant minors can fight to have an abortion without parental consent. In 1983 the court dismisses the idea of having doctors give their abortion patients more options so that patients will change their mind. Also during this year it requires all abortions further then the first trimester to be done in hospitals, minors require parental consent and also requires the aborted fetus to be disposed in a humanly way. On December 25th, 1984 three abortion clinics were bombed, this was a result of the Roe vs. Wade case in 1973 which legalized abortions, since then it has been very controversial and oppositions have turned physical and violent. In 1992 the court reaffirms Roe vs. Wade case and restates that nothing nor no one can interfere with the womans decision for an abortion and abortion will not be banned. The court does uphold 24 hour waiting periods and mandatory parental consents. 1993 was the year of violent protesters, two abortion doctors were shot outside abortion clinics. Dr. David Gunn which ended fatal and Dr. George Tiller was shot in the arm while leaving a clinic. 1995, a follow up from the Roe vs. Wade case, Norma McCorvey a. k. a Jane Roe who did not have an abortion because the court ruling was too late, also turned pro-life and regrets her decision her role in the landmark case. The abortion debate shifts again in 1996 and bans partial-birth abortion using the dilation and evacuation method. While Americas abortion debate is at a standstill Canada joins the movement in 1969. In 1969 Canada starts their fight in abortion, it is legal but only under certain circumstances which includes the health of the women, the health of the fetus, and if she has been raped or a product of incest. During the years of 1973-1974 a man named Henry Morgentaler opened up an abortion clinic in Montreal, with many arguments and court hearings they allowed him to keep his clinic. Then in 1982 Morgentaler opened up a free clinic in Toronto and attempted to open one in Winnipeg but the health board of Manitoba denied his request. In 1988 â€Å"The Supreme Court of Canada in a split decision strikes down Section 251 of the Criminal Code; declaring it unconstitutional. Provinces respond by setting up their own regulations on the performance of abortion. In Manitoba where the Morgentaler case was in abeyance pending the Supreme Court decision, the government now permits abortions outside of hospitals but refuses to pay for abortions from public funds. Morgentaler announces a five year plan to open clinics in all provinces. † (Kava, 2008). 1990-1994 Henry Morgentaler opens up clinics in Newfoundland, Edmonton, Calgary, and New Brunswick. Pro-Life (Unborn rights) â€Å"Abortion is murder, plain and simple. Babies are being butchered. Its a child not a choice. † (Gay 2004). Pro-Life is protecting those who are not yet born. People that belong to the pro-life movement feel very strongly that at conception, the embryo is a living human being. They are opposed to abortion no matter the health or circumstance the women is in, she could be at high risk during labour or she could of been raped or a product of incest. 62% of the Pro-Life movement belongs to Christian or Catholic religions(Ertelt, 2011), so they follow the bible and believe god is their guide in life. The bible talks about abortion but not in direct relation. It makes suggestions, like god creates us while we are in the womb and that fetus or embryo is killed on purpose there should be the same penalty as to someone who commits murder(Gay,2004) This shows how strongly they felt about abortion and how they live by their religion and the bible. The Catholic Church is committed to the value and dignity of all human life and seeks to end abortion because the fetus is a living human being. Abortion is a human rights issue as well as a social and moral issue and therefore should not be viewed as a private decision. The pro-life movement supports women so that they will respect themselves and the life of their unborn child(Gale,2005,76). Pro-Lifers repeatedly argue that human life begins at conception and should be legal protected, they considered the baby and giving them the right to life before the womans health. It has been reported that Pro-Lifers believe abortion is a disgrace and it far from liberates women and safeguarding civil rights. â€Å"Abortions leads directly to a disregard for human life and to establishment of a culture of violence and irresponsibility. † (Gay, 2004). The Pro-life movement feels very strongly about conception and that at that time the embryo is considered a human life, they also feel very strongly about the fact that abortion has never and will never solve any womans problems. This is only one point of view not all pro-lifers feel this way it is just a general overview of their feeling and beliefs. Pro-Life activists have had conversations with Pro-Choice activists and the Pro-Choice activists have said if abortion does become illegal again, so many illegal clinics will open and they will be unsanitary and not only will one life be lost so will another. Pro-Life fought back against this with the argument that if abortion is legal then so should murder it is the same thing, killing an innocent person without their consent. Pro-Choice activists were very upheld by this they do not believe that a embryo or a fetus is an actual human being until they can live on their own outside the womb which occurs around seven months into the pregnancy. Pro-Lifers have been trying to fight the legislation, the government and the laws since the early 1800s. Both sides have valid arguments and they each have their own beliefs and groups that help them shape their opinions about abortion and choose which side they are for. Pro-Choice (Rights of the Women) â€Å"For a woman to be forced to give birth to a child, against her will, is an overwhelming violation of her freedom. † (Currie, 2000,35). Pro-Choice is advocating for and letting women make their own decisions, she is human she has a brain she can think for herself. Laws should not get in the way of her having a decisions made only by her to save her or to make her happy. Pro-Choice advocates for women, not against them, they ensure she has the rights to her own body. â€Å"Morally, legally, and practically , a fetus is not a person. † (Currie, 2000). This argument goes both ways and everybody has their opinions about what they consider to be a human. The Pro-Choice movement does not consist of children haters, it consists of women who feel they need to make their own decisions. They also are protecting those who have been raped or have been a product of incest, pro-choice wants children just under the right circumstances and not because they have to or because there was not another way out. The fundamental question that the Pro-Choice movement asks is: â€Å"Who decides? Women or Politicians? † (Gay, 2004). Scientific evidence makes it apparent that abortion is not murder. The fetus at its best is a potential human being and not yet an actual human being. The differences between a fetus and a newborn baby are many and profound . Take the sensation of pain. A newborn feels pain; this is apparent by a simple observation. Until the very end of pregnancy however, essentially no evidence exists that a fetus can feel pain (Currie, 2000,42) Pro-choice feminism views the right to an abortion. Without abortion, women would unjustly be forced into motherhood. From a feminist standpoint, denying the right for women to choose to have an abortion forces them into submissive roles in society. Pregnancy works to condemn women to second class citizenship, since in our society, mothers are second class citizens. Once a woman becomes a mother, her resources to education, employment, and health care become severely limited. Gaining the access to safe and legal abortions finally allowed a woman to have the basic right of controlling her own body. Prior to legal abortion, women had two options: to undergo an unsafe, illegal abortion that put their bodies at risk or to continue their pregnancy, even in situations that were disadvantageous to both the woman and the unborn fetus. Society has no right to control what happens to a persons body, and does not try to manage mens bodies in such a manner, so the right to abortion has equalized women by giving them the right to manage their own bodies. Without legal abortions, underground unsafe abortions will still occur at the expense of a womans health. Pomeroy, 2008) Pro-Choice feels very strongly about letting women make their decisions without any borders. Pro-Choice wants what will be best for the female to live with and what will be best for her body. Even though Pro-Choice and Pro-Life are on opposite ends of the spectrum, they still are fighting for the same thing, abortion. Conclusion Conceiving a baby may be on purpose or just one crazy night out, but both will result in a to ugh decision. Should we keep it or should we end the pregnancy, the most difficult part of deciding is having the responsibility to make a new life or to end one, for the better. Abortion is very controversial because some may think the definition of human life is at conception while others believe that human life is defined as, fetus being able to live on its own outside the womb. A debate that has been going on for over 200 hundred years is the legal status of abortion, and which side your on. Pro-Life is one of the sides and people who are primarily pro-life are Christian or Catholic faith, they live by the bible, and the bible does not condone abortion in any such way.