The Legal, Medical And Bioethical Aspects Of Abortion - Essay Example

The Legal, Medical And Bioethical Aspects Of Abortion A longstanding argument exists between abortion rights and anti-abortion movements. This springs from the liberal and conservative perspectives regarding life and choice that are present in the society. Those that are pro-choice find abortion rights as appealing while those who are pro-life consider abortion as immoral. The key terms here are life and choice where the argument begins. As an advocate of personal choice, I strongly believe in abortion rights given there are conditions for the action. Abortion rights give women and, at times, their partners to decide based on their present situation. Abortion rights advocates do not simply push for the legality of abortion. There are causes for the importance of having abortion rights based on the situation wherein abortion must occur. It does not mean that abortion should be justifiable with any reason. It is important to consider what made the mother choose abortion. Abortion may happen because of many reasons. For many women, abortion is a very disturbing and stressful experience (Faundes & Barzelatto, 2006). Interviews with women who have just terminated their pregnancy expressed their disagreement with abortion until they faced the situation wherein they had to choose abortion (Faundes & Barzelatto, 2006). This means that these women do not readily accept the choice to undergo abortion but they made a choice based on the situation they are in. Most common reasons of abortion are the following: absence of the father, financial constraints, inability to provide good parenting or interference with life prospects, conflict with prevailing social norms, health concerns, and lack of social support (Faundes & Barzelatto, 2006). Looking at the most common reasons, it can be summarized that abortion becomes a choice when there is no or less benefit that the mother and child can find in pursuing the pregnancy. When the pregnancy becomes an emotional, psychological, physical and financial burden, then the pregnancy becomes unwanted. Also, abortion becomes a choice when the mother feels that she cannot provide for the child, especially when it comes to emotional and financial support. There is a realization that they cannot provide the necessary environment for the development of the child. The worldwide rate for abortion in the mid-nineties is at 35 per 1,000 women aged fifteen to forty-four per year (Singh, et. al., 2003). Studies indicate that the pattern of abortion in North America and Western Europe trends with adolescents, and unmarried women and childless women to delay childbearing (Singh, et. al., 2003). In contrast, Eastern Europe and developing countries show a trend of abortion in married women and women with children, often with several children, to space and to end childbearing (Singh, et. al., 2003). These studies prove a number of the above mentioned common reasons for abortion. For most industrialized countries, women are getting more involved in creating a name for themselves through their careers. Thus, childbearing might mean that their professional development will suffer or get delayed. With this, women resort to abortion because they feel that their pregnancy will interfere with their life prospects. I cannot say for sure, though, if these women are willing to go through abortion because they feel the need to save up for the future of their children prior to giving birth to them or they just merely feel that having children at that stage in their life will not be beneficial in their cause for personal development. This clearly suggests that the reason for abortion is merely a personal choice and not because there is something crucial or detrimental for the mother or the child. In this, I agree with the pro-life advocates wherein they believe that every child has the right to be born and to be loved. In developing countries where there is a great population of families consisting of more than three kids, women resort to abortion because they feel that their financial and emotional capacity to support more children will hamper the development of the child they are carrying. This indicates that it is more of a consideration for the welfare of the child. I do not agree with this reason, though, as it suggests that there is an irresponsibility in terms of sexual practices, as everyone knows that there is always a possibility of getting pregnant if one is sexually active. Although, I agree with the part that having more children without the financial and emotional capacity to provide for their needs is detrimental not just to the incoming child’s development but also for the entire family. Still, I believe that this is not enough reason to choose abortion. And with this, I will have to agree with the pro-life advocates that it is not the choice of the baby that he is created and with this, he has the right to be spared his life. Also, with this kind of reason for abortion, I agree with the pro-life advocates that it is important that mothers, and women in general, are taught early in life the pros and cons of unplanned pregnancy. It is important that the public is provided the knowledge and the counseling of the impacts of pregnancy and what motherhood is all about. The most acceptable or justified reason that I am seeing why women will choose abortion is because of the health conditions of the mother or the baby. In fact, by the middle of the twentieth century, efforts to expand the justifiability of abortion in the United States include therapeutic or health-preserving abortion as can be seen in several Supreme Court cases (Shroyer, 2010). It is easier to understand women who choose abortion because their own lives are at stake. This importance can be further explained especially with mothers who have several children. If there is a complication in their pregnancy that may lead to their incapacity or even death, how then would they be able to support the remaining children? Abortions for health reasons are prevalent in impoverished countries (Faundes & Barzelatto, 2006). A mother having more than five pregnancies may have a toll on their physical bodies. Not only because of the strains of pregnancy but also because of taking care of their children. Women in impoverished countries have less access to medical attention, which is very important while one is pregnant. There are cases wherein the mother is not fit anymore to have a child because of an unknown illness or disease but because they are unaware of their current health status, they pursue the pregnancy. And when the mother is about to give birth, she will face the decision of having to choose her life or her baby’s, and in most cases, the mothers choose to give up their lives for their babies. With this, the threat to the mother and the child’s life is eminent. That is why early in the pregnancy stage, if the mother knows about their condition, they resort to abortion especially when they already have children needing them. It is hard to condone the act of abortion for this reason as there are health risks involved as well as the risk of leaving other children motherless. Pro-life advocates fight for the life of the unborn baby. They, too, are human and have the right to live. Religious values condone this practice because of the values of preservation of life given to us. But there are circumstances wherein there is a real justifiable reason why women need to resort to abortion. I believe that in creating a law that will protect women and allow women to have the choice to terminate their pregnancy will lessen more deaths that would account for unsafe abortion. I do not argue for all reasons of abortion but just to legalize it for health reasons. In developing countries, hospitalization for abortion complications ranges from 2.8 to 16.3 for every 1,000 women (Singh, et. al., 2003). Abortion complications may lead to death. This shows that women resorting to unsafe abortion because of unavailable services for them, due to the fact that abortion may not be legal in their country, have a higher chance of getting complications and endangering more their lives. If the woman resorted to abortion because she wanted to preserve her life for the sake of her other children or family and she faces these complications, there is a possibility that her sacrifice of the baby, her emotional distress and the psychological trauma brought by the abortion is in vain. If abortion is made legal for health purposes, then, it might give the woman a better chance of surviving because she will have access to the proper medical services fit for someone who has undergone an abortion because of health complications. It is not just to mitigate the complications that may arise but also to create a way for the woman to treat her present illness or disease, which lead to the childbearing complications. This will allow the mother to have the chance to bear a child again in the future, not unless the treatment makes them incapable of bearing children anymore. Another view of the health complication is with the unborn child. Because of health complications, the baby might be affected, especially his development. With this, is it more justifiable to let the baby live when he will only suffer because they are underdeveloped? Pro-life movements might find this unjustifiable because of their stand to protect the life of each living being. I agree that an unborn child is already a living being as it already breathes, eats and feels even inside the womb. But mu question is: would it be justifiable if we let them suffer physically and emotionally when they are born? As discussed above, there are several reasons why women resort to abortion. For personal reasons such as delaying of childbirth, ending childbirth, financial constraints and abandonment of the father, I feel that it is not enough reason to legalize abortion. With this, I agree with pro-life advocates that there is a need to support the women in terms of educating and counseling them about sex, pregnancy, childbirth and family life. In cases, though, of health complications, whether of the mother or the child, I believe that abortion should be given as an option, not to impose but given as a choice of the mother and/or the father. This is to protect the life of the mother, as well as to consider what is to become of the unborn child when he is born without a mother or with an incapacitated mother. References Faundes, A. and Barzelatto, J. (2006). The Human Drama of Abortion: A Global Search for Consensus. TN: Vanderbilt University Press. Shroyer, S. M.D. (2010). Abortion: The Legal, Medical and Bio-Ethical Perspectives. NJ: Lulu Publisher. Singh, S. et. al. Abortion: A Worldwide Overview. Ed. Basu, A. (2003). The Sociocultural and Political Aspects of Abortion: Global Perspectives. CT: Praeger Publishers. Read More