The Abortion Dilemma - Essay Example

Debate on pro-life versus pro-choice Pro-life arguments for prohibition of abortion Introduction The debate on whether or not abortion is constitutional and legal has existed for many years among American public (Boonin, 2003). Proponents of abortion argue that abortion is constitutional and legal according to the US bill of rights and previous case precedents. The US Supreme Court affirmed the legality of abortion by a decision of 7-2 in the case of Roe v. Wade (1973) and went further to outline that abortion procedure forms a fundamental right thus women’s rights should not be limited by religious or other interest groups (Boonin, 2003). The court observed that it was critical to guarantee women the right to privacy and this encompasses the decision whether or not to terminate any unintended pregnancy. The proponents of abortion go further to argue that reproductive choice empowers women and grants them more control of their bodies thus enabling them to exercise more independence in determining their future (Pohlman, 2005). The argument stems from Supreme Court decision in the case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) whereby Justice Sandra Day O’Connor pointed out that ability of women to participate effectively in economic and social life is linked with the ability to control their reproductive lives (Jordan, 2005). The pro-choice point out that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the case of Gonzales v. Carhart (2007) where she outlined that undue restriction on abortion is an infringement to women autonomy to determine and control their life course (Carroll, 2012). However, I believe that abortion is not constitutional or legal since the case of Roe v. Wade (1973) did not grant women the right to abortion, but issued guidelines on state’s right to protect life of the mother or prohibit abortion in the interest of the potential life of the fetus during the third trimester (Warnke, 1999). The US constitution is the supreme law of the land and the founding fathers provided for equality and right of all men in the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution clearly states that all men were created equal and with unalienable rights that include the right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness thus abortion amounts to infringement of the right to life that is guaranteed by the US constitution (Pohlman, 2005). Abortion is an infringement of the constitution and illegality. The federal laws have not legalized abortion and only states can permit abortion in cases of protecting the maternal health of the mother. I agree with the case of Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) that outlined that doctors should provide detailed medical examinations before abortion, and all U.S states should be compelled to enact legislation that prohibit abortion unless when the life of the mother is in danger (Pohlman, 2005). I believe that life begins at conception and thus unborn babies have the right to life and abortion will constitute murder. Human development starts after fertilization of the ovum since human embryo can be detected after 21 or 22 days using ultrasound and blood circulation is evident. Furthermore, the first rudiments of the central nervous system such as the spinal cord, the forebrain and upper limb buds such as lungs and pancreas are evident before the end of 30 days after fertilization (Grabber, 1996). After 57 days or the sixth week, the fetal period begins and fetus grows at a fast pace thus leading to further tissue differentiation and thus it is capable of experiencing stimuli such as sound and pain thus interfering with it will be tantamount to murdering an innocent life (Haney, 2009). The pro-choice will argue that the fetuses have no rights, but embryonic studies have demonstrated that life begins at conception. Although the pro-choice point out that the fetus is not detached from the mother until birth, it is essential to acknowledge that the fetus undergoes tissue differentiation and thus is capable of experiencing pain. I believe that enjoyment of human rights requires one to be a live and thus fetus is a living organism that is capable of having the right to life (Ginsburg, 1989). In this case, it will be cruel and inhumane to deny the fetus the right to life. Abortion may lead to adverse future heath complications to the mother such as miscarriages or risks of developing breast cancer (Wetstein, 1996). It is estimated that 15 percent of the miscarriages are attributed to complications developed during prior abortions and medical studies have confirmed association between breast cancer and past abortions. Abortions cause unwanted psychological trauma since young girls experience increased risk of deep depression and anxiety after undergoing abortion (McBride, 2007). Studies have confirmed that 34.7 per 100,000 women who obtain abortion are likely to commit abortion while 51.6 percent of the men whose partners had obtained an abortion report to experience sadness and regret. However, the pro-choice outline rebut this argument by arguing that abortion procedures are safe, and not related health complications such as infertility, cancer and mental health complications (Hitchcock, 2007). The proponents of legalization assert that there are high standard medical procedures that are followed during clinical abortions thus the possibility of health-related complications is very minimal (Merrick, 2003). The mortality rate associated with birth is more than 10 times higher than that associated with abortion and scientists have refuted any claims of possible cancer or infertility complications during abortion (Farrell, 2008). Pro-choice proponents argue that women should have the choice to abort since unintended pregnancies have adverse consequences on individual women, families and the general society (Strickler & Danigelis, 2002, p 193). According to available research statistics for 2008, 51 percent of all pregnancies that occurred in the US in 2008 were unintended and teen pregnancies contributed about 80 percent of the unintended pregnancies. The data pointed out that more than 50 percent of all US women may incur unintended pregnancy before the age of 45 years and economically disadvantaged women were more affected. According to statistics from Guttmacher Institute, more than 1.21 abortions occurred in the US in 2005 and more than 45 abortions have taken place since 1973 (Roberts, 2010). About 22 percent of all pregnancies end up in abortions while 47 percent of the women aged 15-44 have had at least one abortion. More than 50 percent of women that obtain abortion are aged less than 25 years and Black women are approximately 5 times likely to have an abortion. In the same year, 55 percent of all pregnancies (10,000) in Rhode Island were unintended and 39 percent of the unintended pregnancies resulted in abortions. The teen pregnancy in Rhode Island stood at 44 per 1,000 women aged 15-19 years in 2008 (Roberts, 2010). The statistics indicate that women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds or those with limited access to contraceptive are more likely to have unintended pregnancies and obtain abortion (Roberts, 2010). However, a 2013 Gallup public opinion poll found out than 48 percent of Americans are pro-life while only 44 percent are pro-choice while more than 50 percent of the respondents indicated that abortion should be allowed only under certain circumstances when the life of the mother is in danger. The poll further indicated that more people would be happy to see the courts overturn Roe v. Wade decision while more than 70 percent the regular attendees of religious services were unhappy with abortion and said it was morally wrong. The poll indicates that a majority of the American citizens consider it unjustifiable to take away the inherent right to life and infringe the founding principles of US constitution that states that all men are created equal (Roberts, 2010). The pro-choice argue that abortion shields women from economic disadvantages since most women who obtain abortions live below the federal poverty level (Strickler & Danigelis, 2002). In this case, having a baby interferes with education and career progress thus women can have abortion and continue with their employment without interruptions. However, the pro-life counter this argument by asserting that abortion is an expensive affair that drains the limited financial resources and thus women should try alternative birth control methods (Wilmoth, 1992, p 8). The government is forced to invest heavily in abortion clinics. It is worth noting that it limits the potential societal of future human beings thus leading to loss of overall welfare in the society (Dyer, 2013). Conclusion The legality of abortion has remained a subject of intense debate among the pro-life and pro-choice groups in the US for decades. Social movements shape the changes in perceptions, opinions and viewpoints on abortion and pro-life movement has been more instrumental in outlining the dangers of legalizing abortion. Abortion is tantamount to killing an innocent life and it should be prohibited at all costs in order to safeguard the inherent right to life. All men are created equal and with unalienable rights, thus abortion is an infringement of the right to life and the US declaration of independence that forms part of US constitution. Life starts at conception and the fetus experiences intense pain and suffering during abortion. Women who obtain abortions may experience subsequent birth complications or depression thus leading to negative psychological damage on their lives. Abortion should not be an alternative to birth control since there are various birth control methods that are effective in controlling the unintended pregnancies. Reference List: Boonin, D. (2003). A defense of abortion. 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Reproductive issues in America: a reference handbook. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO Press. Pohlman, H.L. (2005). Constitutional debate in action: civil rights & liberties. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Roberts, M.A. (2010). Abortion and the moral significance of merely possible persons: finding middle ground in hard cases. New York: Springer. Strickler, J & Danigelis, N.L. (2002). ‘Changing frameworks in attitudes toward abortion’, Sociological forum, Vol 17, No 2, June 2002, pp 188-200. Warnke, G. (1999). Legitimate differences: interpretation in the abortion controversy and other public debates. Berkeley: University of California Press. Wetstein, M.E. (1996). Abortion rates in the United States: the influence of opinion and policy. Albany: State University of New York Press. Wilmoth, G.H. (1992). ‘Abortion, public health policy, and informed consent legislation’, Journal of Social Studies, vol 48, No 3, 1992, pp 1-17. Gonzales v. Carhart, 550 U.S (2007) Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S 178, 192 (1973). Stenberg v. Carhart, 530 U.S. 914 (2000). Read More