The Concept of Medical Abortion - Essay Example

Abortion Medical abortion exists as the most controversial issue in modern society. Abortion is a surgical or medical procedure that puts an end to a pregnancy. Abortion, to say the least, is a controversial topic in today's society and has been for the last two decades. Two opposing sides emerge from this problem: Those opposed to abortion, "Pro-life", have concerns about protecting human life. On the other hand, those in favor of abortion, "Pro-choice", feel it is the right of the individual to make the decision for themselves. No issue brings out so much passion and hatred of the other side. Any court decisions related to abortion regularly bring protestors from both sides. Those who think abortion should be generally illegal typically use terms such as "unborn baby." According to Webster's College Dictionary, the word "baby" can apply before birth, but this usage is medically inaccurate and tends to evoke a warm sentiment. Hence, it will not be used. Those who think abortion should be generally legal typically use the word "fetus." This is a medical term, and depending upon the number of weeks since conception, it may be accurate. However, the word sounds clinical and inanimate, and those who use it in the political arena have a double standard when it comes to using medical terms. Rarely do activists or the mainstream media use medical terms when referring to a pregnant woman (gravida) or a newborn child (neonate)(1). The heart of the fight is about when life begins and where government jurisdiction ends. According to pro-choice supporters the fetus is not an independent existence, since it is connected to the biological process of women. It is a developing mass of tissues, which goes through several stages of transformation before it can become a fully developed baby. It is not a separate social entity, separate from the mother. As a result the entire control of the fetus should be given to women, since the fetus is developing because it is related to women. If a woman does not want any of her part to develop, she should be given the right not to have so. (Roleff, 1997) According to the pro-choice supporters, many cultures, including that of the great Roman culture did not consider abortion as murder. At the same time, many mainstream American religions do not consider abortion as murder. Many liberal denominations in Christianity have now come to consider that abortion is not murder(2). The pro-choice supporters are of the view that a woman has the right to her body and she should be allowed the right for abortion if she desires. It is true that women have right over her body. But pro-life supporters are of the view that even if a woman has right over her body, she has no right to destroy another body, which is inside her womb which is not her own body. Abortion poses a moral, social and medical dilemma that faces many individuals to create a emotional and violent atmosphere. There are many points of view toward abortion but the only two fine distinctions are pro-choice and pro-life. A pro-choicer would feel that the decision to abort a pregnancy is that of the mothers and the state has no right to interfere. A pro-lifer would hold that from the moment of conception, the embryo or fetus is alive. This life imposes on us a moral obligation to preserve it and that abortion is tantamount to murder (Kolner 5). Although abortion is regarded as a women's right, it should be banned with exceptions because it's considered murder, has many psychological side effects and there is an alternative. Abortion is a women's own right and choice. In 1973 the Roe v. Wade decision proved this by recognizing abortion as a fundamental constitution right and made it legal in all states(3). The law now permits abortion at the request of the women without any restrictions in the first trimester and some restrictions in the second trimester to protect the women's health. The National Abortion Right Act League argues that without legal abortion women would be denied their constitutional right of privacy and liberty. The women's right to her own body subordinates those of the fetus and the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade argued that the women's right to privacy overruled the fetus's right to life. If abortion was illegal it would force poor women to bear and raise children they can't afford to bring up. There would be a number of unsafe abortions in back allies. It would also force women to give up their dreams and stay home to bring up babies. Abortion is considered murder by half of all Americans. Pro-lifers believe that human life begins at the moment of conception. Scientific research has successfully shown that abortion causes many psychological side effects. It leaves the woman with many strong feelings about their decision. They feel sadness, wishing things could have been different and grief for a lost life. Guilt arises because they know a fetus represents an independent life. Anger builds up towards other people having to do with their decision. Most of all mother feels ashamed and embarrassed about her action. People close to the mother may be angry at her for ending her pregnancy and make it difficult for her to deal with. Even years after the abortion, women tent to remember the regretful experience. They usually wonder what the baby would have looked like and its birthday. Abortion can be justified by a women's right to choose, but it should be banned because it's immoral and life begins at conception. Women have been given the right to have an abortion under the United States Constitution, but this right is still being protested by the people that fight for the unborn's rights. Pro-life activists claim that it's immoral because it is simply defined as murder. Life begins at conception is another strong point brought up by pro-life activists. Before a child is born it is given all it's necessities to survive(4). Notice the operative word is before. Before birth the child's heart beats, the gastric juices flow in the stomach, and all its necessary organs have been made present. This is a child that thinks, dreams, and feels pain. Yes, some women may look at having an abortion to solve her personal problems, but in all, women are abandoning the abortion because it weakens their great strengths: creation, compassion and the ability to learn the surface of appearance of things. In today's world there are many different viewpoints on abortion. Most people do not feel that abortion is necessarily 'good,' they do believe it is a 'right.' Others have similar opinions. They embrace contradictory opinions and consider abortion a form of murder and yet still feel it should be legal for the truly desperate. However, most Americans think abortions are morally troubling. World grows with the new times we must look at these such important issues that will dramatically effect us soon enough in the future. Sixty million abortions are done yearly, and that number only increases as more and more countries legalize this brutal destroying of innocent children who could be successful world leaders(5). In any case, the upshot is that the morality of abortion is not a simple topic. It is less simple than many people with opinions on it will acknowledge, not only in public, but, it seems, to themselves. One of the most exciting features of this topic, intellectually, is that it has something to violate the intuitions of everyone. Neither pro-life nor pro-choice can generate a logically consistent position on abortion without abandoning other beliefs which are strongly and widely held. Perhaps less self-righteousness from both sides is in order, then. References: 1. McMillan, Jeff. "Focusing On a Woman's Right To Self Defense" The Chronicle of Higher Education. 6 December 1996: p12 2. Merril, Ted. "Abortion; Extreme Views Ignore Reality" Medical Economics 15 July 1996: p33 3. "The History of Abortion." What is abortion. Abortion Info. 23 Feb. 2005 WCLA,. Legal Abortion: Arguments Pro & Con. Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion, Inc.. 23 Feb. 2005 4. Condit, C. M.. 1990. Decoding abortion rhetoric: Communicating social change. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 5. Clark S, Ellertson C, Winikoff B. Is medical abortion acceptable to all American women: the Impact of sociodemographic characteristics on the acceptability of mifepristone-misoprostol abortion. JAMWA 2000; 55 (3):177-182. Read More