Abortion Challenge in the United States - Essay Example

English essay: how would women be affected if Roe V. Wade was over turned. Abortion stands as a major controversial topics in the United States, it is estimated that almost half of American women have terminated a pregnancy in their lifetime (Henshaw, 1989). This issue remains central and people who support or oppose abortion are very passionate about it, so that four decades since the Roe v. Wade ruling, there seems to be no relenting by the two sides. This is because of varying views caused by differences in culture, religion and politics. According to the online dictionary, abortion refers to a premature or miscarriage, that does not result into giving birth. Abortion was legal in most states before 1880, when it was banned in most states except when the life of the woman was in danger, due to medical complications. Abortion was illegal up to 1973, during this time, anti-abortion movements were largely influenced by efforts to make sure women remained in their traditional roles and as a backlash on birth control movement. During the 1880s, abortion was legal in thirty states and illegal in some twenty states (Leslie, 2000). Banning of abortion was implemented under the Comstock laws, which prohibited allocation on birth control information. The banning of abortion at this time was influenced by fears that the population of new immigrants could surpass that of Native Americans. The technology available at that time was backward, including the medical industry. “Back alley” abortions blossomed even when it was illegal. Access to abortion facilities depended on race, economic status and someone’s place of residence. Women, especially the poor were subjected to shame and fear due to criminalization of the act. Some of the poor methods of abortion which were performed mostly on poor women involved administration of strong chemicals and insertion of needles and other equipment into the vagina. Unsafe abortions led to contraction of infections and led to numerous deaths witnessed during that period. No exact figures are available to know the actual number of victims, however many women were treated of complications resulting from such botched abortions (Leslie, 2000). Even before abortion was legalized, some experienced and well trained physicians began offering abortion services, even with the risk of imprisonment and loss of their medical licenses. Women who wanted to undergo abortion obtained the information through word of mouth. Making abortion a crime did not reduce the number of abortions, it is estimated that the number of abortion in a year shot up to one and a half million every year. Between the year 1967 and 1973, some states began to liberalize the practice. As we can see, it is right to agree with Lesley Reagan that abortion has been a part of us since the eighteenth century, despite the moral and philosophical arguments it brings. The supreme case decision in Roe v. Wade, in 1973, paved way for women to perform safer and legal abortions with experienced medical doctors. Prior to this different states allowed abortions under different circumstances, for example, in 1967, the state of Colorado legalized abortion in the cases of incest , rape or if the pregnancy would put the physical health of the mother in danger. This law made away with all this restrictions. The Supreme Court ruled that the Texas law abolishing abortion except when the life of the mother was in danger, to be criminal. This was ruled on the basis that carrying out an abortion falls under the right to privacy. This piece of legislation removed restrictions on the first trimester of pregnancy placed by different states, only allowed restrictions during later stages of the pregnancy. This decision was celebrated, but some especially the Catholic Church and other conservative churches were against the decision. It is at this time that terms such as “pro-life” and “pro-choice” emerged. The terms mean basically imposing restrictions to be imposed to criminalize abortion, and removing restrictions that outlaw abortion respectively. Most pro-choice supporters agree that this ruling was appropriate at the existing conditions during that time. It was a triumphant achievement for women especially Hispanic and Black women, whose deaths were estimated at five thousand a year and organizations such as “Jane”, a group facilitating safe abortions across Chicago. Some prominent pro-choice organizations include Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union. Pro-life organizations include Operation Rescue and the National Right to Life Committee. Roe v. Wade derives its name from the case of a Texan woman who sued the state law, which allowed abortion only in the case that the pregnancy endangered the mother’s life. The woman sued the state under the alias “Jane Roe” and the attorney general at that time, who was also the defendant, was Henry Wade. She won the case after repealing; giving all women and their doctors the right to determine what happens to them and their unborn babies. This case gave American women an absolute right to terminating a pregnancy in the first trimester, and some government regulation in the second trimester. Lastly, states may enact laws that restrict or prohibit abortion in the last trimester. This piece of legislature legalized abortion in the country, and it reflected the changing times in the feminist movement, after decades of behind the curtain work of women rights movements and physicians. It is interesting to note that “Jane Roe” did not carry out the abortion, because the ruling came after she had given birth. Surgical abortion (vacuum curettage), is the most common form of abortion procedure. It is basically the use of suction to remove the fetus from a pregnant woman’s uterus. The second most common method is the use of medication/abortion pill to terminate pregnancy. These pills are taken within the first seven or nine weeks of pregnancy. Statistically, according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, about forty five million abortions have been performed between 1973 and 2005.one out of five pregnancies ends up being terminated. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that out of all the abortions performed, fifty five percent are performed on women on the range between 20-29 years, and forty percent of all women abort a pregnancy by the time they are forty five years old. One of the Main positive impacts of Roe v. Wade is that it has improved the health of women who can now access safer abortions. Estimates by the National Centre for Health Statistics (1961), show that abortion was so unsafe, that in the year 1965; seventeen percent of the deaths due to pregnancy and childbirth were due to illegal abortions. Currently abortions are the most common clinical procedures, and less than a percent of those who undergo the procedure have complications (Henshaw, 1999). However, it should be noted that the risk of terminating a pregnancy increases with the length of the pregnancy. The post Roe v. Wade saw an increase in the empowerment of women socially and economically. The number of women in employment and education has increased because women have a say in the child bearing process. Some of these opportunities were unthinkable before the landmark ruling. According to Justice Harry Blackmun, who wrote for the seven member majority, in Roe v. Wade, the decision was “a step that had to be taken as we go down the road toward the full emancipation of women.” According to some quarters, since Roe v. Wade, crime has reduced drastically. This is because 4.5 out of 5 abortions performed in the United States, are by women of color, most of them black. These statistics are carried out in comparison to white women. Some estimates claim that legalized abortion accounted for reduced crime, by up to fifty percent between 1973 and 2001. Some claim that African –Americans, compose the majority of crime offenders, and majority of those of abort are black women. Some argue that legalizing abortion is selecting the best breeds of human beings, of a higher class, of which African Americans are part off .Reduction in crime rates due to abortion can be due to the fact that majority of those who abort are poor women. If they are allowed to raise these children, then they will be brought up in crime ridden neighborhoods, thus being exposed to crime and violence from an early age, and they end up being criminals. There is a possibility of reversing Roe V. Wade, just like it has happened in other major case rulings for example the Bower v. Hendrick court decision was overturned seventeen years later and replaced with Lawrence V. Texas ruling. Overturning Roe V. Wade would mean some states recriminalizing abortion, especially conservative states such as North Carolina. In fact as we are speaking the state of Mississippi, has no single abortion clinic. According to Erin Matson, an activist and vice-president of the National Organization for Women, “we have effectively overturned Roe v. Wade”. So a future of overturning this legislature is likely. Let us look at the pros and cons of overturning Roe v. Wade. It should be noted at this point that overturning the ruling means that abortion will be illegal. The argument shall be based on reasons given by either side, why the support or oppose abortion. The pros of legalizing abortion, by not overturning Roe v.Wade include; although a woman has a hard time choosing between keeping a baby or terminating it, she decides what is best for her, at the end of the day. This is a civil right and they can decide what happens to their bodies. Coming to the decision of ending a pregnancy is usually difficult for most women, and the decision is made after a lot of soul searching. They end up knowing the implications of the decision, which is usually long term and irreversible. The mother has to first consider what is best for her before being accountable for another human being. The woman is the one who will go through the agony of going through the pain of child labour, delivery and raising the kid, so the ultimate decision should be left to her. Life can be really tough on a woman and abortion maybe the only easy way out. This also applies to cases where the woman is limited financially and mentally. Having a baby would mean no means of raising them, if the mother is incapable. Rape and incest would give rise to a baby who is discriminated upon by the society or resented by the mother, because of the way of contraception. Why subject a child to such a miserable life if the suffering can be done away with. Abortions enable a woman to terminate a pregnancy that could give rise to a baby with medical complications and life threatening diseases. Diseases such as mental retardation cause the parents and the child. Recent advances in technology can enable a physician to detect complications in an unborn fetus. With early detection, some pregnancies are best terminated to reduce child suffering, if they will end up dying anyway, when they are still young. Besides abortion is a medical procedure just like the others, and chances of something going wrong are reduced, if it is done the right way. The abortion versus parenting is another major reason why Roe v. Wade should be upheld. The cost of abortion depends on the length of pregnancy and the procedure to be used. The cost of an abortion ranges from five hundred to two thousand United States dollars. In comparison, raising a child, costs between one thousand to two thousand dollars, every month. This is minus other expenses, such as school and medical costs. Parenting is therefore more expensive, and women opt for abortion because it is cheaper. Due to advances in technology, aborting is a safe procedure; therefore the health of the mother is not at risk. Statistics show that the number of women who die when giving birth is more than those who die when having an abortion, and besides the procedure happens in such a way that the unborn baby doe not feel pain. Being a mother should not be a punishment for having sex. Sometimes a woman can be pregnant even after taking birth control pills. Forcing such a woman to have a baby will lead to unwanted children. This will lead to population control and reduction in crime. Unwanted children are raised without love and are likely to lead criminal lives in future. Most women agree that adoption should not be an alternative to abortion. Statistics show that very few women would give up their children for adoption. Besides the emotional turmoil that results from an abortion is the same as giving up ones child for adoption. Abortion in most cases is not murder because, most pregnancy terminations occur in the first trimester, at which time the baby is not fully formed. If a woman performs an abortion especially when they are young, in school and establishing their career, they will end up achieving their career goals and hence lead to women empowerment and independence. This would not be case if they went ahead and had the child. If abortions become illegal the ramifications would include, contraception would be outlawed leading to population increase. Rich people would go to other countries to perform abortions. Poor women would be left to go to back alleys to perform the abortion. This would lead to increases in women deaths and resulting complications. Women would become angry and go to the streets. In case the situation goes out of hand then this would lead to civil unrests. Women would then vote accordingly, and vote for people who are sensitive to their needs. Most states, especially the conservative ones would ban abortion in the first six months of overturning Roe v. Wade. Abortion clinics would definitely close days after. Abortion will continue to elicit reactions from both sides. In case of overturning the ruling, most conservatives would vie for presidency promising not to bring back the legislation. On the other hand progressive leaders would vow to presidency so that they can re-enact it. For generations this would remain among the main defining issues in American politics, instead of focusing on other important issues. In the argument against abortions, selective abortions would lead to discriminatory births. This is due to the concept of eugenics. Just because someone is physically challenged doesn’t make them less human. Some scholars argue that legalized abortion targets wiping away the African- American race, because they account for a bulk of the abortions performed. Some people like this to the fact that since way back the African race is viewed as inferior to other races. Terminating a pregnancy is likeable to murder, and if we go with statistics, by now fifty million people have been killed. This is a direct violation of the seventh commandment “thou shall not kill”. No civilized society should allow a majority of its unborn population to end up dead, because the mother does not want to keep the baby. This is essentially sinning against God. Some may argue that there is no such thing as an unwanted child, because there are over one and a half million families who are open to adoption, who have to go to foreign countries to do so. Others spend years on the adoption lists, while those who are to be adopted end up dead. Most of the women who undergo abortions are usually young and in tight situations, which make them come to such a drastic solution. If forced by circumstances to have the baby, it becomes less traumatic to the mother at the time of delivery. If we legalize abortion, some can view it as a form of contraception, where, women do not use contraception knowing that they are going to abort in case they become pregnant. Roe v. Wade should be overturned because of this reason. A lot of tax payers’ money goes to funding clinics that serve poor women to access abortion services. Many Americans are opposed to their tax payer’s money going to such an immoral course. This money can be used to provide better healthcare to Americans. The industry makes millions of dollars from abortions yearly. The question here is whether the efforts by the industry players are to increase profits or empower women. There is no concrete evidence whether abortion has really lowered crime. Reduction in crime can be attributed to economic improvement and a better law enforcement agency. Claims by Steven Levitt supporting this have been refuted by economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Abortion exposes people to different physical and mental health risks. Physical getting pregnant in future may lead to miscarriages in future, or inability to get kids when the woman is ready to get a child. There is a risk of ectopic pregnancies or pelvic inflammation. After terminating a pregnancy, most women go through psychological stress, which sometimes lasts a lifetime. This can cause depression and feelings of guilt. These emotional forms of distress also apply to some men, whose partners have undergone an abortion. Besides some organizations such as the Breast Cancer Institute, have evidence to show that abortion increases the likelihood that a woman may develop breast cancer. Some men force their partners who are pregnant to have an abortion. This in essence means that legalizing abortion does not give women absolute freedom over their bodies. In conclusion, the issue of abortion is a thorny one, and there is no relenting . This is because over four decades, the Roe v. Wade debate is not going away. In order to get a majority of pro-life and pro-choice supporters in one position, some measures can be put in place. According to a study by Guttmacher study, over seventy percent of women who undergo abortions do so, because it is cheaper than giving birth. To solve the problem we need to look at the root causes. Strategies such as streamlining the adoption system and improving universal healthcare would give the women more options than they presently have. Streamlining the adoption system in the United States would reduce the number of would- be parents going abroad to adopt. Other methods include promotion of safe sex, abstinence and advancing sex education. The latter would reduce the incidence of unplanned pregnancies. Pro-choice or pro-life, we will always meet in the middle, that is what is good for both the mother and child respectively. Whether legal or not, abortions have been there since ancient Greek days (Fielding W, 1971). We all can agree that abortions have saved millions of women’s lives, which would otherwise have been lost, if performed in back alleys. However heated the debate is, the decision to carry a child to birth or terminate the pregnancy is largely falls on the woman carrying the fetus. It is therefore safe to say, women should be at the centre of the abortion debate, and not the way of a few individuals, who speak from a biased point of view. This is a debate of morals and should in essence be guided by ethics, therefore should be decided on the basis of majority. References Boonstra, Heather D. et al. Abortion in Women’s lives .New York: Guttmacher Institute.2006. Print. NCHS-National Centre for Health Statistics. Vital Statistics of the United States. Washington D.C: Government Printing Office (G.P.O).1967. Milunsky, Aubrey. Choices not chances: An Essential Guide to your Heredity and Health. Boston: Brown and Company.1989.print. Tietze, Christopher and Stanley, K. Henshaw. Induced Abortion: A World Review. New York: The Allan Guttmacher Institute. Paul, Maurine, et al. A clinicians Guide To Medical and Surgical Abortion. New York: Churchill Livingstone. Joffe, Carole. Doctors of Conscience: The Struggle to Provide Abortion Before and After Roe v. Wade. Boston: Beacon Press. Leslie J.Reagan.When Abortion was a Crime:Women, Medicine and Law in the United States, 1867-1973.University of Carlifornia. Read More