In today’s society, one of the most highly debated topics is whether or not abortion should be allowed throughout the country. Various pro-life and pro-choice groups have voiced their opinions on the topic, with pro-life asserting a fetus in the womb is alive and pro-choice saying there should be an option available to abort it. It seems there are more people choosing the latter option, chanting slogans such as “Pro-Choice or no choice” and “My body, my choice.” Although some argue it should be a woman’s choice to decide what to do with her body, the act of abortion is morally corrupt and ends an innocent, defenseless child’s life, making the termination of a pregnancy unethical and cruel. This argument does not take into consideration the potential physical and psychological effects that could be detrimental to a woman’s life, and it provides a way for women to avoid responsibilities. For these reasons, abortion should be abolished and deemed illegal.
An imperative point often discussed when debating pro-choice versus pro-life is whether or not a fetus in the womb is considered to be a living human being. This point plays a major role in the dispute over abortion rights because pro-choice adherents argue that a fetus is not human, thus providing a justification for abortion. They believe that if the fetus is not human, then there is no harm done since no life is being taken away. This contention would be very convincing if it were accurate, but the problem is that not a single aspect of it is.
For a woman to become pregnant, the process of fertilization must occur. As soon as a sperm makes its way into the fallopian tubes and comes into contact with a human egg, said process has been carried out. Pro-choice supporters claim that this is not the beginning of human life, but rather the start of a non-human fetus. According to Dr. Irving of Princeton University, “the fusion of the sperm (with 23 chromosomes) and the oocyte (with 23 chromosomes) at fertilization results in a human being, a single-cell human zygote, with 46 chromosomes, the number of chromosomes characteristic of an individual member of the human species” (Irving). Additionally, the chromosomes in the zygote formed during conception determine many of the baby’s traits, such as hair color, eye color, and even its gender, making it clear that fertilization is the start of life. Saying a fetus in the womb is not human, despite the scientific evidence and factual information that exist regarding the topic, is unreasonable. How do those in favor of abortion support an argument based on provenly false claims?
Once one accepts the fact that a fetus is a human being, it can be said with reason that abortion is blatant murder. Various doctors and clinic workers have admitted that abortion procedures kill the baby that is inside the womb, seen when they make statements such as: “I know it’s murder…” and “I’m in the business of death” (Terzo). In an interview conducted by pro-choice author Magda Denes, a doctor mentioned how abortion “goes against all things that are natural” and terminates a life, no matter how it is looked at (Terzo). If even doctors are acknowledging the fact that human life is being taken away with abortion procedures, those in favor of abortion should do the same rather than support their argument by saying the fetus is not considered to be living.
In addition, those who are pro-choice argue that because abortion is a procedure that occurs in a woman’s body, it should be her choice as to whether or not she will have it done. This type of thinking is nonsensical when looking at what abortion really does. It is not solely the body of a woman that is being affected; it is the body of another human being growing inside of the womb. Women should not have the power to take away someone else’s right to life.
Society portrays abortion as a liberty that gives a woman the power to decide what to do with her life. A large majority of the nation sees abortion as a right, illustrated through the 69 percent of Americans who do not want Roe v. Wade, the court ruling that legalized abortion, completely overturned (“Pro-choice Nation”). Those who do not wish to see the decision made in Roe v. Wade annulled are viewed as “defenders of a woman’s right to choose.” This makes abortion a major component of the feminist movement, which has become extremely popular; its popularity is exemplified through the 63 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 34 who identify themselves as a feminist (Cai and Clement). This becomes problematic because current feminists are not sticking to the ideals of the original ones, thus increasing the number of people who are in favor of taking away human life.
The first wave of feminism, which occurred in the 19th century, was made up of women who wanted to protect their own rights. These women are considered to be the original feminists, and they were pro-life. According to an article by Feminists for life, it says: “The early feminists worked to protect women and children from abortion…” (“Feminist History”). Seeking to prevent abortion and preserve life, early feminists recognized that abortion is not a woman’s right, but instead takes away human rights. Nevertheless, modern feminists are typically pro-choice, seen when the Feminist Majority Foundation states: “It [abortion] is a matter of survival” (“Abortion”). Modern feminists believe they are protecting women’s rights and adhering to the ideals of feminism, but they are actually doing the exact opposite. They support abortion because most people who claim to be feminists do this as well, yet none of them realize that the movement they are a part of has evolved into something that contradicts the beliefs on which their entire movement was established upon. Because of this, women who decide to be supporters of abortion simply because they are present day feminists are unwise in their thinking. While there are pro-choice advocates who use feminism as a justification for abortions, there are also those who use physical and mental disabilities to rationalize it.
Some believe that terminating a pregnancy is reasonable if a baby in the womb has a disability, such as Down Syndrome. In June 2016, a lawyer argued on behalf of Planned Parenthood that “it’s fine to abort a fetus solely because it’s disabled…” (Stoltzfoos). Is someone’s life less valuable if they are disabled? Do they not matter? The rationale that a disability is an excuse to abort a baby impedes upon the social equality of all people with disabilities. Modern society has accepted a myriad of beliefs regarding the topic such as prejudice against disabled people is unacceptable, stereotypes about them should be eliminated, and that no one should be discriminated against, especially the disabled (“Disability in the Foetus”). These are only a few of the morals adopted by many nationwide, yet some still use disabilities as an excuse for an abortion. When one justifies an abortion with a disability, they are undermining the life of someone else by holding them up to their own personal standards. Why should anyone have the power to make a judgment on the value of one’s life? Views are subjective, so using a personal opinion to make a decision on whether or not someone should be allowed to live is irrational. Aborting a child simply because it is disabled is not only morally corrupt, but also brings up numerous legal issues.
Legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, Ken Falk, argued when speaking to the Supreme Court that “You cannot discriminate against a fetus” (Stoltzfoos). As Ken Falk mentioned, justifying an abortion because of a disability is pure discrimination.
People with disabilities have suffered too long without protection from federal laws, and to be targeted before even being born creates a whole new level of inequality. Laws have been put in place in an attempt to make all the disabled equal to others in society, seen through the Americans with Disabilities Act (“Employment Laws”). In 1990, the act was passed by the US Department of Labor to prohibit the discrimination against people with disabilities while guaranteeing them equal opportunities in employment, transportation, public accommodations, state and local government services, and telecommunications. In the workplace, those who are disabled are seen more often than previous years, and the advancement they have made is incredible. They are happier than ever. According to an article by BBC News, “most people with disabilities say that they would much rather be alive than have been killed in the womb” (“Disability in the Foetus”). If many disabled people are saying they would rather be alive, then why should disability justify future abortions? Abortion has the potential to be discriminatory while providing an opportunity for responsibility to be avoided.
People are taught from a very young age to take responsibility for their actions and accept any punishment they deserve; this is known as one’s moral responsibility. For example, if a student plagiarizes an essay and gets caught, he or she will receive a zero on the assignment. Because of this, students are encouraged to do their own work and are aware of the consequences that will come their way if they copy their work from someone else. If the student does not stick to basic morals and ethics in the classroom, such as handing in original work written by himself or herself, he or she has gone against the moral responsibility students need to possess. Outside of the classroom, this same idea of moral responsibility is relevant. Abortion procedures violate this idea and give people the opportunity to avoid holding themselves accountable for their actions.
There are many methods of contraception available to a man and a woman to avoid pregnancy. Even when used, there is the known possibility that it may not be effective. Moreover, there is no valid excuse for not using birth control. Various health clinics with free or reduced rates of birth control exist nationwide, such as Planned Parenthood and clinics established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. With this said, if a man and a woman decide to not use one of the many birth control options available to them, or a woman still becomes impregnated with the use of one, they must take responsibility for their actions, whether that be through keeping the baby or putting it up for adoption.
Evidently, people who want abortions do not wish to have a child of their own. Sometimes women fear that their child will live an unstable, unhappy life since they cannot be a good parent to their baby, so they think abortion is best for the unborn child. This could be for a number of reasons such as a lack of money, becoming pregnant at a young age, or simply because one does not want to be a parent. While these are all appropriate reasons to not want to raise a child, this does not mean that the child should be disregarded. Adoption is an option available to anyone and should be considered when one is deciding whether or not to get an abortion. While there are women frustrated over the fact they got pregnant, there are many who are infertile that would do anything to be able to bear their own child.
Approximately 1 million married women in the United States aged 15-44 are infertile, accounting for 6.1 percent of the population (“Infertility”). Clearly, all of these women are physically incapable of having their own child. What makes this even worse is that 6.9 million women have used infertility services in an attempt to become pregnant, making up 11.3 percent of the female population. Most are unsuccessful when using these services, so they turn to adoption; even then, they struggle with parenting a child.
In the United States, there are approximately 2 million infertile couples trying to adopt a child (Rinehart). These couples experience great difficulty because the process of adoption is extremely long and does not guarantee that a couple will be successful in their goal of adopting. Adoption agencies can cost as much as $45,000 to an adoptive couple that will go through a 2-3 year process (Rinehart). In an article by The Federalist it states: “For every eligible baby, an invisible queue of 36 couples waits for the chance to take that baby home” (Rinehart). This quote means that every couple who is seeking adoption is competing with 35 others who desire the same thing. If there is such a huge amount of people nationwide trying to adopt, does it not make sense for a woman who wants to abort her child to give her child up for adoption instead since there are so many couples who want to start their own family? By giving up a baby for adoption, the lives of a couple longing for a child of their own could be changed drastically in the best way possible, and the baby would most likely grow up with a loving, happy family. Morals and ethics aside, abortion should be eschewed because it can be very traumatic for women, causing them to experience psychological side effects.
Mental illnesses are not always avoidable, but there are circumstances that can provoke them. Abortion procedures tend to increase the likelihood of a woman having a mental health disorder. In a meta-analysis study published by Britain’s Royal College of Psychiatrists, women who had abortions were 81 percent more susceptible to mental health disorders (“Study Finds Increased Risk”). The meta-analysis also concluded that women who have a history of abortion face higher rates of detrimental side effects: anxiety with 34 percent, depression with 37 percent, heavier alcohol use with 110 percent, suicidal behavior with 155 percent, and marijuana use with 230 percent (“Study Finds Increased Risk”). This study is one of over 20 different ones that have made a correlation between abortion and increased rates of alcohol and drug use (“Abortion Risks”). At times, the psychological effects of abortion procedures are more extreme than the aforementioned ones.
There have been instances where women have had symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following abortion (“Abortion Risks”). It is common to see this referred to as Post-Abortion Syndrome (“After Abortion Grief”). Various abortion clinics do not recognize Post-Abortion Syndrome as a valid condition, but many doctors and psychologists have acknowledged it as a true syndrome that requires medical attention (Burke). In a report by the Elliot Institute for Social Science Research, it was concluded that about 50 percent of women report some symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder after an abortion and 20 percent experience all of the symptoms (Burke). In total, this accounts for 70 percent of women in the United States who have had an abortion. If abortion is a woman’s right, then why is it acceptable to perform procedures to women that cause them so much emotional turmoil? Furthermore, terminating a pregnancy does not only affect women psychologically, but it also negatively impacts them physically.
Aside from taking away the life of an unborn child, abortion procedures affect the life of the woman carrying the child. 10 percent of women undergo immediate complications post-abortion, with one-fifth of them being considered major (“Abortion Risks”). Complications that are not considered to be major are: “minor infections, bleeding, fevers, chronic abdominal pain, gastro-intestinal disturbances, vomiting, and Rh sensitization” (“Abortion Complications”). These complications alone are enough to hinder a woman’s lifestyle, and they are not even the worst ones. The gravest physical complications of abortion include, but are not limited to, “infection, excessive bleeding, embolism, ripping or perforation of the uterus, anesthesia complications, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury, and endotoxic shock” (“Abortion Complications”). Another post-abortion risk is endometritis. Although endometritis is a possibility for all women, teenagers are 2.5 times more likely to acquire it after an abortion (“Abortion Risks”). Through all of the possible immediate complications of abortion procedures, it can be seen how detrimental said procedures are to a woman’s body. These immediate complications have the ability to lead to even bigger consequences, such as infertility.
As previously stated, a likely complication of abortion is an infection; this can result in sterility. Approximately 3 to 5 percent of women are reported to be sterile “as a result of the operation’s latent morbidity,” and women can be at a greater risk of infertility if they already have a venereal disease at the time an abortion takes place (“Abortion Complications”). Additionally, postabortal infections make women 5 to 8 times more susceptible to life-threatening ectopic pregnancies. A mere infection that results from an abortion procedure can take away a woman’s ability to bear children or cause her to have a fatal pregnancy in the future. Not only are there instantaneous consequences a woman’s body may experience because of an abortion procedure, there are also long term effects and dangers that can result from the termination of a pregnancy.
One of the consequences of abortion is a greater likelihood of a woman being diagnosed with cancer. This is due to the fact that there is a direct link between abortion and breast cancer. During pregnancy, a woman’s body is constantly changing; when an abortion takes place, it gets in the way of the changes that are happening in her body, creating a life-threatening problem (“Abortion-Breast Cancer Link”). A significant change that occurs in a woman’s body is an increase in estrogen and other hormones; this is because the body is preparing itself for breastfeeding. The increase creates clusters of breast tissue, known as lobules, which continuously grow in number. When this occurs, the breast tissue goes from a basic state to a stable, mature one. Although the breast tissue is now mature, it is still vulnerable to the “harmful, and potentially cancer-causing effects of estrogen” (“The Abortion-Breast Cancer Link”).
Abortion interrupts the maturing of the breast tissue, resulting in partially developed breasts and more of the unstable breast tissue present in a woman’s body. The unstable tissue is now even more vulnerable to cancer. Thereafter, the tissue is exposed to estrogen during a woman’s monthly cycle or if a woman is taking a hormonal contraceptive. This is dangerous since it “leaves a woman at considerably heightened risk of breast cancer” (“The Abortion-Breast Cancer Link”). The risk a woman has of getting breast cancer increases even more if she has never had a child at the time of her first abortion because: “When a woman is nulliparous, an induced abortion has a greater carcinogenic effect because it leaves breast cells in a state of interrupted hormonal development in which they are more susceptible” (Carroll). Additionally, when women have a history of abortion, their risk of cervical cancer is 2.3 times higher than women with no history of abortion (“Abortion Risks”). Although a woman will not always be diagnosed with cancer following an abortion, the chances of her life coming to an end are still increased.
The most serious repercussion of abortion is death. A government funded study in Finland concluded that “women who abort are approximately four times more likely to die in the following year than women who carry their pregnancies to term” (“Abortion Risks”). In addition, it found that women who aborted the year before their deaths were 60 percent more likely to die of natural causes, 7 times more likely to die of suicide, and 4 times more likely to die of accident-related injuries (“Abortion Risks”). Another study, conducted in Denmark, showed that the risk of death is increased with each abortion: 45 percent after one, 114 percent after two, and 192 percent after three or more (“Abortion Risks”). These studies are exemplifications of how abortions can take away not only the life of a baby in the womb, but also the life of the woman carrying the child.
The consequences that come with abortion outweigh any possible benefit that comes with taking away the life of an innocent child. Women are at a higher risk of psychological and physical complications that can alter their lifestyles drastically if they go through with an abortion, simply because they do not want to take responsibility for their actions. By having abortion available to everyone, people are encouraged to make unethical decisions since there is no standard of responsibility they have to live up to. Additionally, supporters of abortion advertise that a woman should be able to have a choice as to whether or not her pregnancy is terminated because it is viewed as her right; they advocate this while overlooking the rights of the unborn. Those who are pro-choice believe that a fetus is not considered to be alive and refuse to accept the scientific evidence which proves that the start of life is at fertilization. This creates an inaccurate argument on their part, but alas, they still claim they are correct. Through all this it can be seen that abortion procedures are not only morally corrupt, but they are destructive to a woman’s body. For the aforementioned reasons, abortion must be abolished and deemed illegal.