Abortions: The Choice is the Woman’s

Abortion is one of the most controversial topics of this era. What is abortion? Abortion is defined as the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus resulting or causing the death of the fetus or embryo. The people who believe abortion is wrong and should not be allowed are called Pro-Life activist. Those who believe abortion is the woman’s choice because it’s her body are called Pro-Choice activist. Pro-life activists debate that all life at conception is precious and deserves a chance at life. They also believe that God not the mother chooses its time of life and death. Pro-choice followers often argue in favor of science and the United States Constitutional Ninth Amendment, which holds freedom of choice sacred (American Civil Liberties, 1997). They believe the first patient is the mother, and she is the one who allows the pregnancy to happen or not. The fact of the matter is if abortion is chosen to be banned people will find a way to have one done. To save this from happening abortion should be kept legal because its the woman’s right, pregnancies due to rape are not usually wanted, and if health related problems arise and the pregnancy can not continue. Women have fought very long and hard to have their rights. On January 22, 1973 the Supreme Court decided in its landmark decision of the Roe vs. Wade case to make abortion a legal action for all women (American Civil Liberties Union, 1997). Henry Wade was a district attorney from Dallas whom the Roe case was against (Lowenstein, 1996). When abortions were not legal the number of women who wanted or needed and abortions did not decrease. Before legalizing abortion thousands of women died or suffered serious medical illnesses after trying to do their own abortions, or going to non trained physicians who performed cheap abortions in unsanitary conditions (Abortion Law Homepage, 1996). A woman’s has a choice to say whether or not the fetus at hand is wanted. Though is not believed that abortion should be used as a form of birth control. Pro-Life activist believe that the unborn baby living between the 18th and 25th day after conception, this is when the heart starts. They believe the fetus has more rights than the woman because it can not speak for itself. This is often argued because Pro-Choice activist believe the baby is not considered a baby until it reaches the viability stage, which is 24 weeks. Pro-Life activists almost always call women who have abortions are murderers. Pro-Life activists, also call abortion clinics a butcher shop where babies are murdered. This is not true; they provide a place for a woman to have a safe choice. To say that a woman is not allowed to make a choice about her body defeating the purpose of her fight for her right. The AIG reported that there are about 90,000 rape cases reported yearly. Among those rape victims about five percent of them become pregnant, and from that 50% of them get abortions (Johnson, 2006). Why should rape victims be forced to keep a child resulting from rape? This is a question that some Pro-Life activists’ struggles with. A woman that has been raped should be able to have an abortion because keeping the child, would cause the mother the hate the child when the mother had a though about the rapist (Steinmetz, 1998). The child would constantly remind the mother of the pain she went through on that day. Although some Pro-Life activists believe that the woman should give the baby up for adoption if there is rape involved. Adoption is not acceptable because the woman would have to give birth to a child and then give it to a complete stranger. Most women are not able physically and mentally to give a baby up. The mother would have to pray constantly about the baby being placed in the best environment. The child will then have to be tossed from place to place in search for a family that wants them. Putting a baby up for an adoption is not always seen as the answer. Legal abortions not only protect a woman’s life but it also protects their health. There are thousands of women with kidney disease, heart disease, severe hypertension, sickle cell anemia, and severe diabetes, and other illnesses that can be life threatening, the availability of legal abortions has helped lessen serious medical problems that could have came from having a baby (Steinmetz, 1998). There have been several cases that a woman has chosen whether she dies or the baby dies. This is also another case that Pro-Life activist struggle with. They believe that if it God’s will for the unborn child, the mother, or both to die it will be done. Pro-Choice believes that God has blessed people with free will. To decide if a fetus is a human or a clump of cells is the choice of each individual walking throughout this land. Abortion remains a controversial topic among pro-life and pro-choice activists. As long as unwanted pregnancies continue to occur, abortions, more than likely, will also continue. In the end, however, it is the mother who has to live with the decision made. There is no way to say who is right and who is wrong. Abortion should be viewed as an anguished decision in which human beings struggle to do the best they can in trying circumstances.