Abortion is when a fetus dies, it is when a women’s pregnancy ends before the term of pregnancy has finished. Usually abortion is commonly known as a surgical procedure, but this can also occur naturally without being induced (miscarriage). New Zealand has considered abortion a crime for a long time, whereas other countries such as the United Kingdom have made it completely legal since 1967. Abortion was legal in Australia within two states, Victoria and New South Wales, so women in New Zealand with reason for abortion would travel to Australia for the procedure due to the law change that occured in 1971. The Auckland Medical Aid Centre provided abortions for women in 1974 before being shut down temporary until the legal conflicts surrounding abortion were sorted. A year later, abortion became authorized but still mildly restricted in public hospitals throughout the nation. Although abortion has been considered a crime up until now, it has been legal under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Bill. After numerous discussions and amendments, the National bill regarding abortion was passed in 1977. Since then, many people, especially women, have challenged this bill. Recently in New Zealand, the government has released and proposed details of the new abortion laws which have come with a bill. Its purpose to eliminate the way abortion is criminalized, so that women may now have abortions up to 20 weeks into their pregnancy without having to see two doctors and thoroughly explain their reasoning. Now, women will be able to talk to their doctor in consultation and decide herself if she wants an abortion or not. The doctor will then decide if the abortion is appropriate in concern with the pregnant women’s health. This includes mental health, physical health and general wellbeing. This new reform is very major and significant in New Zealand, as it is the first time the abortion laws of New Zealand have changed in over forty years. Andrew Little, who is a New Zealand politician said, “Abortion is the only medical procedure that is still a crime in New Zealand. It’s time for this to change”, he also said, “Safe abortion should be treated and regulated as a health issue; a woman has the right to choose what happens to her body. The bill would also no longer be a crime if women induced their own miscarriages” Worldwide there are various convictions, perspectives and viewpoints on premature birth. This is influenced by laws, culture and religion. In certain states and nations, premature birth is unlawful. A few nations just permit it relying upon the circumstance eg, assault, issues with the baby, destitution, hazard to a ladies’ wellbeing or inbreeding. There is an enormous discussion over the good, moral, and legitimate issues of premature birth. This makes it an immense issue as such a large number of have various feelings on it. A few people couldn’t care less and imagine that premature birth is a decision a woman should have to have the option to make, and others accept that fetus removal isn’t right and each child deserves the opportunity to live.
There are different types of abortion within New Zealand. A common procedure for women who are in their first trimester of pregnancy and sometimes their second trimester is a surgical abortion. This option includes dilating the cervix, followed by suction and then the use of a curette which clears the lining of the uterus to make sure everything is removed. The other option which some women choose to use is a medical abortion. This option uses pills rather than surgery, which some women prefer. Women in their second trimester of pregnancy most commonly use this option. Instead of removing the baby with surgical tools, the use of these pills essentially induces labor. A miscarriage is also called a “spontaneous abortion” but this is different to an abortion procedure which is purposely induced. Medical abortion is provided in the following units, ((Te Mahoe Unit in Wellington, Masterton Hospital in the Wairarapa, Gisborne Hospital, Lyndhurst Clinic in Christchurch, Dunedin Hospital in the Otago District Health Board, the Auckland Medical Aid Centre (AMAC), the Epsom Day Unit and Surgery on Shakespeare in Auckland).
Abortion is a contemporary ethical issue in New Zealand because there people all over New Zealand being affected by this issue and there are various opinions on the topic as well as many heated debates. An example of how this issue is being debated is the pro-life vs pro-choice movement. The pro-choice movement consists of those who have the belief that women should have the right to choose what they do with their pregnancy, whether that choice is to have an abortion or to carry through with the pregnancy. Their decision should be based around their own religious and/or moral beliefs, not the beliefs of someone else. People who are pro-choice may not have an abortion if their pregnancy is unplanned, but they support that women should have that basic human right. People who are pro-life are opposed to abortion. These people believe that women who want an abortion should not be able to have one, under any circumstances, even under circumstances such as rape or danger to the womans life. Some people who are a part of the pro-life movement also believe that women should not be allowed to use birth control. An example of the debate and how people are affected by it is that advocacy groups for the pro-choice movement express that they have heard from many New Zealand women that they hear of stories all the time about women seeking help or advice who get pressured into abortion. One example of this is how a woman left her general practice in tears after a doctor told her she was “immoral and risking hellfire” for seeking an abortion. Discreetly, the female receptionist rushed after the woman and slipped her a card for a doctor who could help her. Another woman who decided she wanted an abortion was shown the door and not offered one and three seperate doctors clinic. The advocacy group for abortions say this is why they desperately want to see a law change so that everyone can have healthcare and feel safe. Women feel crimilized in New Zealand due to the harsh judgement they get from others surrounding abortion. Abortion is seen as wrong by many people, even if they are not religious. This is an issue in New Zealand as women who want or need abortions feel unsafe and unable to have one due to what society says. Women should have the right to choose what they do with their bodies, their pregnancy and their lives. They have the right to do what they want and should not feel pressured into a decision they don’t want to make because of society’s judgement.
Abortion is seen as wrong and unjust in the perspective of the Catholic Church. They believe that all life is equal and all life deserves a chance and that abortion is murder (killing a baby). The baby that is being aborted from the woman is unable to defend itself or speak up, which is why the church says that there are wide ethical implications for having an abortion. When an abortion occurs, the dignity of the human person being aborted is not being respected, and therefore ethical principles are not being properly followed. Every person is made in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:27) and therefore every life is sacred. The Catholic Church expresses that we should especially be taking care of the poor, weak and vulnerable people in society, and an unborn baby is weak and vulnerable and therefore should be protected and looked after, not aborted. The beginning of life starts at conception. The fetus’s right to live is just as equal as the mother’s right to live in the Catholic eye. Each individual has a reason and is a piece of God’s arrangement. At the base of our respect is this privilege to life, and this privilege to life grows from conception to death. This implies the church truly thinks about how individuals are getting along at some random time. Nobody is superfluous, all are deserving of adoration, worship and security, yet most importantly, the weakest among us. Our pride sobs for freedom. This can be applied to the moral issue of premature birth as it demonstrates how life should be regarded and each individual is a blessing from God. “From the time that the ovum is fertilised, a life is begun which is neither that of the father nor the mother. It is rather the life of a new human being with its own growth. It would never be made human if it were not human already.” – (Declaration on procured abortion of the Roman Catholic Church 1974). Every human being is made in the likeness of God. Lives of human beings are valued and worthy and we need to respect ourselves and others as we are all a part of God’s creation, therefore carrying out an abortion is essentially killing God’s creation according to the Catholic Church. Another ethical principle that relates to abortion is love and justice. Loving someone means protecting them and respecting their human dignity and rights so that they may develop, grow and flourish.They have the potential to be human and the unborn child deserves justice and love (Psalm 139:13). Throughout all stages in life, human life is precious. A humans rights must be defended at all costs. We all need to live out our lives in a good way that relates to true and just values, every life is sacred and every individual person is special, even from the very moment of conception. Every life is a priority. “Every human is a unique masterpiece, yet each is a likeness of God individually and separately hand-drawn by the Creator and destined, through union with Christ to live forever” (New Zealand Catholic Bishops – What’s wrong with Abortion NZCBC 1989). This quote basically tells us that every fetus has the potential to be someone or something, they have a purpose to fufill as soon as they are concieved, and by having an abortion, this potential is being lost.
One thing that the Church / Catholic are doing in response to this issue is not participating in medical abortion or abortion related things such as the morning after pill. Some medical personnel, including many Catholics, have strong moral or religious objections to abortions and do not wish to perform or assist in abortions. The Catholic Church has argued that the “freedom of conscience” rights of such personnel should be legally protected. For example, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops supports such “freedom of conscience” legislation arguing that all healthcare providers should be free to provide care to patients without violating their “most deeply held moral and religious convictions.” The Virginia Catholic Conference expressed support for pharmacists who consider that they
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