Pro-Life vs Abortion - Research Paper Example

Introduction The legality of abortion has continued to remain contentious owing to the highly charged arguments brought forward by pro-lifers and those in favor of abortion. The pro-lifers’ arguments are based fundamentally on morality of abortion as well as the constitutional right to life, which is the right of every individual irrespective of her or her age, religion, political inclination among other sociopolitical dimensions. On the other hand the pro-choice activists have numerous reasons, which are thought to be sufficient enough to warrant the legalization of abortion (Ginsburg, 2008). This paper will examine arguments brought forward by pro-lifers against those in favor of abortion. Pro-life vs. Abortion Pro-life is a word, which was first coined by US activists, who were opposed to the decriminalization of abortion in the country in early 1970s (Ginsburg, 2008). Subsequently, pro-life has become a global movement, which has members all over the world, who champion for the preservation and protection of human life from violent death. According to pro-lifers, life begins at conception as this is when the male sperm fertilizes the female’s egg leading to the formation of a zygote with full genetic composition of a human being. There is no scientific research, which proves that a human fetus or embryo does not contain life. Indeed, research indicates that within the first 18 weeks after conception, the human heart is already in action while in a period of approximately 43 days, the unborn child can register electrical brainwaves and therefore, harming it through abortion is equivalent to violent termination of life, which must be punishable by law (African Christian Action, 2003). It may be ironic therefore for governments to continue punishing murder offenses and on the other hand continue debating on abortion. Pro-lifers also claim that the bible commands humans to respect the sanctity of life (African Christian Action, 2003). In this context, God is the creator of all human beings in addition to the fact that he created them in his own image. He is therefore the only one who has the powers and authority to terminate life. It is therefore morally wrong for any person or institution, be it a government, mother or a healthcare professional to facilitate abortion. The church has continued to insist on the validity of this doctrine and from its perspective, life occurs naturally and therefore it should be protected, irrespective of the circumstances surrounding a pregnancy, until that time when nothing can be done to salvage it, in which case nature should be left to take its course. Abortion increases the risk of women acquiring breast cancer especially if it is induced in a woman who has never delivered a child (African Christian Action, 2003). The first pregnancy is important as it triggers an increase in estrogen, which subsequently triggers the division of breast cells so as to facilitate the production of milk. Research indicates that during this process, numerous potential carcinogens are produced as a result of the rapid cell division but the condition normalizes after a successful child delivery. However, if the pregnancy is cut short, through abortion, the risk of cancer is not eliminated as most of the cells will not have reached full maturity. Majority of Brazilian women, in a 1993 study, who suffered from breast cancer, confirmed that they had at one time conducted an abortion before their first delivery. Similar assertions were made by 42% of Italian women suffering from breast cancer (African Christian Action, 2003). Breast cancer, as with all forms of cancer, is expensive to treat in addition to the fact that it can cause death. Therefore, it is the role of every person to ensure that she protects herself from risk factors such as abortion. Abortion has numerous negative effects on women’s reproductive health. To begin with, it has the capacity to cause infertility (Hanegraaff, 2006). Some of the procedures involved in carrying out abortion entail the utilization of sharp equipment, which, if not carefully handled, can lead to the perforation of the uterus. If this occurs, doctors may be compelled to conduct hysterectomy thereby reducing the chances of the woman ever getting pregnant. In addition, abortion increases the occurrence rate of ectopic pregnancies, placenta plaevia, miscarriages and pelvic inflammation among other reproductive complications. Cases of excessive bleeding leading to death are also common after an abortion has been conducted. Some women also complain of severe abdominal pains after successful abortions. From a pro-choice perspective, abortion is essential in different ways. To begin with, every person is entitled to the freedom of choice, which is highly important especially in matters related to one’s future (Ginsburg, 2008). A woman has the inalienable right to decide on when she is ready to start a family. No institution, whether government or the church, should take it upon itself to impose laws and doctrines that disregard women’s freedom of choice. A woman should be in full control of her reproductive life and these institutions should only be there to assist them in fulfilling their desires. Young girls are being forced out of school due to unintended pregnancies while those that remain suffer humiliation and stigmatization by their fellow students and the society in general (Hanegraaff, 2006). While the women are in this status, the males responsible for the pregnancies continue leading normal uninterrupted lives, which is highly unfair. These women require protection and one way to achieve this is to provide them with a viable alternative, in this case abortion, so that they can have the opportunity to realize their career objectives. Young single mothers suffer a lot especially if they have no reliable source of income. Due to this, they will tend to become a burden to the society by engaging in criminal activities such as drug trafficking, gang membership, prostitution among others, as a desperate measure to earn money to raise their children. This exposes them to other risks such as imprisonment, more unplanned pregnancies, drug addiction, sexually transmitted diseases and eventually, death. Legalization of abortion will eliminate backstreet abortions, which are risky and unprofessional (Ginsburg, 2008). By decriminalizing abortion, the society will change its negative perceptions towards abortion and those who practice it. Doctors and other qualified physicians will have the goodwill to provide services in reputable and clean environments, which will have to be registered by the government before being licensed to operate. The government should have already learnt its lesson from the 1925 prohibition era, which gave rise to illegal bootlegging and the emergence of illegal crime syndicates. Criminalizing abortion will only continue to increase the demand for unsafe abortions and women will continue suffering in silence as they have no platform to seek legal redress. Conclusion Abortion is a highly contentious issue in the contemporary society. Pro-lifers and pro-choice activists have continued to disagree on its viability as solution to women’s problems. Pro-lifers claim that abortion fails to respect the sanctity of life. They also argue that it increases the chance of women acquiring breast cancer in addition to causing infertility and other reproductive complications. Pro-choice activists on the other hand claim that criminalization of abortion is an infringement on the freedom of choice, which every woman is entitled to. They also argue that allowing abortion will protect young women from having to abandon their education in order to take care of their unplanned children. In addition, it will help to dissuade women from soliciting these services from rogue physicians operating in illegal clinics that cannot be monitored by the authorities. References African Christian Action. (2003). Prolife: 10 Arguments against Abortion. Retrieved March 25, 2012, from http://www.christianaction.org.za/articles/10rguments.htm Ginsburg, F. (2008). Contested Lives: The Abortion Debate in an American Community. University of California Press Hanegraaff, H. (2006). Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice: Annihilating the Abortion Argument. Christian Research Journal, 54, 154-178 Read More