Pro Abortion Right

1 Pro Abortion Rights Introduction Approximately “one quarter of all pregnancies globally end in abortion, making it one of the most common gynecological practices worldwide” (Moore et al., 2021). Throughout history in the United States, abortion rights have continually existed as a prominent issue among female citizens. Not only is abortion heavily debated in the United States, but also globally there is a highly charged political nature of the topic. Therefore, it is necessary that scientists continue to conduct research based on the many unique effects and outcomes of abortion practices. There are many reasons why this issue is heavily debated including: economic, legal, health, safety, mental health, physical issues, and psychological concerns. The argument “based on the right of women to control their bodies assumes the existence of an individual prior to society, as a natural and isolated unit, with inalienable rights over life and person” (Menon, 1993). Essentially, there are advantages and disadvantages to any abortion procedure, but each situation must be examined cautiously. In the long run, abortion proponents believe that a life begins at conception and any form of abortion is considered murder; however, advocates of legal abortion believe that a woman should have the right to abort at any time during their pregnancy (The Abortion Divide, 1995). Ultimately, abortion should remain legal in the United States to protect a woman’s constitutional rights, as well as her safety and overall well-being. Economic/Legal Concerns “Pregnant people in higher-income economies generally have greater access to safe abortions, while pregnant people in lower-income countries experience greater health risks in getting abortions due to greater resource-based obstacles to care, i.e., less equipped healthcare 2 infrastructure as well as abortion laws that restrict access to safe abortions” (Moore et al., 2021). Therefore, keeping abortion legal in all the fifty states would prevent these barriers from differentiating between the higher-income economies and the lower-income economies. Legalization of abortion in every state makes it much easier for lower-income families to safely obtain their abortions because they would not be forced to spend an arm and a leg to travel to another state or country to see another doctor who may not be covered by their insurance. Furthermore, policymakers and antagonists of abortion have little access to any substantial systematic evidence on the economic burdens of abortion (Moore et al., 2021). In other words, lawmakers have no genuine proof that abortion procedures have generated any major economic strains for the United States as a whole. Additionally, if abortion were banned throughout the United States, more doctors would be willing to perform abortions illegally, which would ultimately lead to thousands of lawsuits across the country. Moreover, making abortion illegal in America is an infringement upon a citizen’s rights. There is no reason that a government system should be entitled to an opinion about another individual’s private health concerns. Essentially, this violates the laws of HIPPAA. Health/Safety Concerns According to Sydney Schanberg, one of the most prominent health concerns that causes women to need an abortion is the substantial risk that “the mother’s physical and mental health would be impaired by continued pregnancy, or that the infant would be born with a physical or mental deficit” (Schenberg, 1967). Furthermore, if abortion were to become illegal throughout the entire United States of America, a substantial amount of women would become infertile from obtaining unsafe abortions. In other words, women would go to great lengths to find a private 3 doctor or travel to other countries to obtain abortions illegally, which are much more dangerous and pose a major risk to a woman and har child’s health. Furthermore, the World Health Organization, a company whose mission is to promote health and keep the world safe, approved the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol pills to induce abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy in 2005. (Moore et al., 2021). This milestone indicates that abortion should remain legal in the United States because even the world’s largest health organization confirmed that there is certainly at least one method to accomplish abortion in a safe and healthy manner. Furthermore, “whatever regulations are placed on an abortion procedure, the life and health of the mother must come first” (The Abortion Divide, 1995). Specifically, in some situations, abortion is the only possibility that will save the mother’s life. If abortion is illegal, this could devastate the safety of the mother. It is important to note that each situation is unique, and every factor must be considered. Essentially, abortion should not be made illegal based on the factors of one specific circumstance. All situations must be taken into account before making a major decision like this. Mental Health Concerns According to Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice, the legalization of abortion is dangerous to a woman’s mental health because “when abortion on demand is available, a lot of women and young girls are pressured into having abortions without being presented with any options” (Gorman, 2005). However, advocates for abortion would argue that women with unwanted pregnancies have several opportunities for counseling programs that educate young women about their options. For example, Pennsylvania has a state-funded program to counsel women with their unwanted or accidental abortions (Gorman, 2005). Everyone’s background differs. Therefore, there are always going to be individuals in certain 4 situations who may feel pressured to feel a certain way, but there are certainly many resources that can provide these women with proper counseling in order to deal with the mental effects of a safe, legal abortion, if they wanted to go down that path. Conclusion As stated previously, abortion rights have been heavily debated for years now. “A Gallup Poll last year found that while 24 percent of Americans say abortion should be legal under all circumstances and 19 percent say it should never be legal, a majority--56 percent--say it should be legal in some circumstances” (Gorman, 2005). This statement proves just how important it is for Americans to be able to make their own health decisions. Furthermore, the economic, legal, safety, health, physical, and psychological evidence prove that the legalization of abortion throughout the United States is essential and overall, a much safer route for women. Just because abortion may become illegal does not mean that women will not still obtain abortions. Moreover, with the right amount of abortion counseling from licensed social workers and psychologists, women can confidently make a decision that is best for them, whether this be abortion, adoption or keeping the baby. Not only can therapists assist with resources for the women’s decision, but they can also provide counseling for the individual after they have made their decision, if they are feeling any guilt or regret about their abortion. Ultimately, the legalization of abortion is necessary to keep our United States citizens safe and protected. Abortion provides our U.S. female citizens with a sense of legal rights and safety. It is necessary to keep abortion legal in the United States so that women feel that they have a choice about what they can do with their bodies, especially in circumstances of dire need. No man or woman from any government standing should be permitted to make a law refraining from the United States from making decisions about their own private health concerns. In conclusion, it is important for 5 society to understand the significance of abortion laws and why it is necessary to keep abortion legal in the United States. References (APA 7th Edition) Gorman, S. (2005). Abortion Wars: State-By-State Combat. National Journal, 37(1/2), 18–20. Menon, N. (1993). Abortion and the Law: Questions for Feminism. Canadian Journal of Women & the Law, 6(1), 103–118. 6 Weitzel Moore, B., van der Meulen Rodgers, Y., Coast, E., Lattof, S. R., & Poss, C. (2021). History and scientific background on the economics of abortion. PLoS ONE, 16(9), 1–9. https://doiorg.ezproxy.stockton.edu/10.1371/journal.pone.0257360 Schenberg, S. H. (1967, February 12). The Abortion Issue - Some Pros and Cons. Retrieved from The New York Times: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1967/02/12/82581809.html? pageNumber=175 The Abortion Divide. (1995, November 27). Christian Science Monitor, 88(1), 20.