Should abortion be legalized?

It is concerning that abortion has emerged as one of the most significant national health issues (Berer, pg 1). Moreover, it has raised the question of its admissibility and has become one of the most critical social issues in the United States. This may have been triggered by the current situation where abortion rates have been increasing. Unintended pregnancies are responsible for half of all pregnancies among women in America, and therefore, abortion is the best option for such women. From the research studies, it is evident that fifty percent of women have had at least one unwanted pregnancy before the age of forty-five years, and out of these, thirty-three percent opted for an abortion. In the last decade, the number of abortions has increased significantly. This rise in prevalence is attributed to several social, medical, and economic factors. Currently, the epidemiological data show that 40% of pregnant women in the United States opt for an abortion. However, it is essential to note that the incidence of abortion differs with socioeconomic status and people with different levels of socioeconomic status because of differences in conception rates (Assis and Erdman, pg.13). In the past twenty years, the rates of unwanted pregnancies have increased by 50% among women with low socioeconomic status (Assis and Erdman, pg.13).

On the other hand, the rates have reduced by 29% among women with high socioeconomic status only. The current epidemiological trends have elicited a lot of debate in society, leading to the ongoing abortion debate. Abortion is a private affair because it has health and social implications on the individual, regardless of the discussion. Women should be allowed to decide on abortion issues irrespective of the many factions that have criticized them. It should be the person's own choice to make such a decision. This argumentative paper seeks to give a brief background of the abortion issue and give a good reason why abortion should be legalized.

Need for abortion legalization.

The supporters of the pro-life movement argue that fetuses should be regarded as children because life begins at conception (Berer, pg 6). Therefore, intentionally ending a pregnancy is considered similar to the act of murder. Mother Theresa wrote a letter to the US Supreme Court stating her opposition to Roe v. Wade because of her commitment to the sanctity of life. She said, "The right to life does not rest and cannot be made to rest on the caprice of any other person." This viewpoint holds that neither the parents nor the government should have the right to decide the life of an unborn child because life is sacred as compared to other things. Religion can support this argument as Christian societies have argued that only God has the prerogative of deciding who should be born (Assis and Erdman, pg.8). The public is warned against selfishly taking on divine prerogatives and defying higher ethical standards. However, the problem with this logic is that moral and religious views may vary significantly from one person to another. This metric is subjective for decision-making because it is not universally accepted that fetuses are equal to children.

Opponents of the pro-life stance often do not consider the fact that women are subjected to a lot of psychological and emotional suffering during their pregnancies (Berer, pg 6). Women who have been pregnant through incest or rape would be compelled to endure the mental and physical pain of having an unwanted pregnancy in the event abortion was prohibited (Assis and Erdman, pg.9). Victims would be compelled to endure a constant and painful reminder of the sexual assault. The study conducted on mscu.edu reveals that the chances of having suicidal thoughts and substance use, including alcohol and narcotics, are 26 times and 13 times, respectively, higher for those who have been raped. This means that banning abortion will deny women who have been raped a chance of getting over the ordeal.

In addition, advocates of the pro-choice movement argue that the legalization of abortion can lead to improved medical procedures and overall health (Berer, pg 6). Unsafe abortions are associated with high maternal mortality because of the various health risks, including infections, injuries, excessive bleeding, and complications from the procedure (Berer, pg 6). These include self-induced abortions and seeking help from untrained personnel, which are all associated with incomplete procedures. The legalization of abortion provides a safer method since it allows qualified personnel to perform the legal procedures in clean environments (Berer, pg 9). At the same time, legal abortion often entails a range of other reproductive health care services like consultation and information on different options (Berer, pg 9). This help can help women make the right choices, for instance, choosing an early intervention to reduce the risks of late abortions. 'Women's health is closely associated with their capacity to make choices about their bodies, including decisions about childbearing,' said Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, a former director general of the World Health Organization. The health of women is enhanced in areas where abortion is legal and safe. Safe abortion, in the long run, assists public health researchers and policymakers in obtaining accurate demographic data, procedures, and results (Berer, pg 9). This information can be used by governments and healthcare professionals to determine where changes are required and to develop programs for the public’s health. Since the existing laws on abortion do not deter the practice but rather force women to seek dangerous treatments, the legalization of abortion may be crucial in saving lives.

Abortion is a practical and effective way of solving the problem of unplanned pregnancies (Assis and Erdman, pg.11). While it has been found that taking birth control pills, including the morning-after pill, can assist, it is not always reliable. Among women who sought abortion, 51 percent had used a contraceptive method in the month of conception, with condoms (27 percent) and hormonal (17 percent) being the most popular (Assis and Erdman pg.12). At times, women and teenage girls may experience stress when it comes to expressing their ideas or thoughts, or they may not even know they are pregnant. The moment people become aware of their status, contraceptives have already ceased to be effective. Abortion is the last resort through which people can end their pregnancy safely and legally (Assis and Erdman, pg.10). Abortion rights mean that women must be given equal rights as men when it comes to the law (Human Rights Watch). Females have complete control over their bodies, giving them the authority to decide and act as they wish. If abortion were to be criminalized, women would be stripped of this fundamental right. In the words of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, "Women's control over their reproductive lives has enabled them to engage in the economic and social life of the Nation in a balanced manner." It is recognized that abortion is an inherent right protected by the laws. The Constitution "protects certain regions or domains of privacy." "This right of privacy… is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision to abort her pregnancy." Implementing laws that seek to ban abortions leads to the infringement of women's rights.

Arguments against the Legalization of Abortion

There are many reasons why abortion should not be allowed, but the main one is that it paints the mother and doctors as murderers who are killing what is regarded as a human being in the womb. This is a primary medical-political debate. Ronald Reagan once said, "I have noticed that those who are in favor of abortion have already been born." This statement highlights the moral paradox of the pro-abortion agenda. This is a massive medical-political discussion. The law of any country categorically frowns on murder, and thus, the killing of a fetus is considered murder and should, therefore, be illegal. However, this argument lacks sufficient evidence because there is no clear understanding of when a fertilized egg becomes a person legally and when the rights of an unborn child begin. Furthermore, each woman has the right to decide on further actions concerning her body and pregnancy, including the right to abortion as a part of her bodily rights (Berer, pg 9).

Moreover, life is precious, and only God has the right to take it. Thus, actively bringing about the end of life is seen as a sin against God. Mother Teresa's words echo this sentiment strongly: This is a statement that the anti-abortionists have used, and it goes, 'Abortion kills twice.' Abortion leads to the death of the fetus and hurts the moral sense of the woman. Hence, any country that legalizes it would, in effect, be telling the world that it does not believe in a superior being and that people should be allowed to decide when they want to die (Human Rights Watch). However, specific communities practice paganism and do not have a belief in God. Hence, it would be illogical to ban abortion on these grounds because they do not believe in God. It is absurd to let both the mother and the child die naturally when the mother is sick, not to mention that abortion could have saved the mother's life (Human Rights Watch). Moreover, abortion may result in psychological problems for the mother who undergoes the process.

Another argument against abortion is that its authorization makes citizens pay for what is considered immoral through taxes. This is the money that the government sets aside to fund the setting up of the abortion clinics and the payments made to the doctors. Some people think this money could have been spent on different development projects and improving people's quality of life, especially in third-world countries. However, the money used is significantly less compared to the economic loss experienced by the government when working moms die from unsafe abortions by quacks, especially where abortion is illegal.

Rebuttal and Counterargument

The constitutionality of abortion protects women who find themselves pregnant unexpectedly, helps rape victims come to terms with their ordeal, and upholds the rights of women (Human Rights Watch). The laws that are passed to criminalize abortion do not deter women from seeking ways to terminate their pregnancies and do not result in a reduction in deaths due to abortion. On the other hand, the act of making abortion illegal is a way of endangering the lives of women and a way of denying them the right to their bodies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the arguments of the legal abortion debate are based on the problem of defining the rights of a woman and the rights of an unborn child. From the moment of conception, the pro-life argument focuses on the value of human life and concern for the decline of human standards. Anti-abortion activists claim that women should be allowed to make their own choices and that it is essential to stand up for women. Apart from the political and religious differences, legalizing abortion is a more effective way to empower individuals in their reproductive decisions and results in a better, healthier society.