Pro-Choice And Pro-Life Views On Abortion
Abortion is one of the most widely discussed and controversial topics in America today. Both sides of the argument make great points on why they believe they are right. Advocates argue daily that it is the choice of the soon-to-be mother to make such a hard and personal decision. No women should be forced to carry and deliver a child they do not want or simply cannot support financially and mentally, and no child should be forced into this world as a punishment for their parent’s actions. Abortion can be defined as “The deliberate termination of human pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus.” (Merriam Webster). Pro-choice supporters believe in the right to privacy and the idea that women should have the choice to do what she pleases with her own body. Those who are against abortion say that it is the murder of a helpless baby who has not yet had the chance to live and function as a human person, but others believe that unless the baby takes a breath on its own it is not considered a living person. It is the belief of many that it is a woman's right to choose what happens to her body, and if she decides that she is not capable of bringing a baby into the world, then she shouldn't be forced to just please others.
Also, there are many examples of women being raped during their childhood which results in childhood incest. For this reason alone, women should to be able to choose from wanting to terminate a pregnancy. Pro-lifers will never fully understand the reason for how someone feels being raped and being forced to keep a baby that wasn’t meant to be produced. Another reason a woman who has been raped and became pregnant may seek an abortion is to prevent further embarrassment for what has happened to them. at least one victim gets raped every 2 minutes and 44% of which are under the age of 18. Those who end up pregnant and are forced to bear the consequences that pregnancy brings after being a rape victim. Not just the consequences after an accidental unwanted pregnancy but also the emotional consequence it will bring and the constant reminder of the day they were raped and the conceiving of that rape.
Although there are many misconceptions about those who get abortions, and why, the fact is that the women who have abortions come from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds. If current rates continue, it is estimated that 35% of all women of reproductive age in America today will have had an abortion by the time they reach the age of 45. Guttmacher institute states” 61% of abortions are obtained by women with at least one child and 60% of the majority of abortions are women in their 20’s. A teenage girl is less than one-fifth of all abortions. Everyone deserves a chance to become a parent but that should only be when it’s time for them and until they are ready. Every child deserves a parent who is fully committed to this responsibility. Children should come into this world feeling wanted, loved, and cared for.
It is also important to focus on other key points, misconceptions, and real statistics on unwanted pregnancies. Each year, almost half of all pregnancies among American women are unintended. About half of these unplanned pregnancies, 1.3 million each year, are ended by abortion. Women between the ages of 15 and 19 account for about 19% of all abortions; women 20 to 24 account for another 33%; and about 25% of abortions are obtained by women who are 30 or older. Calculating abortion rates, older teenagers and young adults have the highest abortion rates, while women younger than 15 and older than 35 have the lowest. About 88% of abortions are obtained in the first trimester of pregnancy (Planned Parenthood). Over half of all abortions are obtained within the first 8 weeks. Fewer than 2% occur at 21 weeks or later. Pro-lifers would argue that women seek out abortions as a form of birth control or a type of contraceptive which is false. Abortions are also sought out by women who are at risk during their pregnancies to prevent the birth of a child with birth defects or severe medical problems. Such defects are often unknown until routine second-trimester tests are done.
In conclusion, women must have the right to choose to continue with a pregnancy or not. Unwanted pregnancies can lead to mental and physical abuse for both mother and child. Although most abortions are performed on un-wanting mothers, many are of mothers in high risk or dangerous pregnancies or rape victims who should not be reminded every day of their assault. Instead of having “Pro-life v. Pro-choice” debates, having educational places such as Planned Parenthood could enlighten many people and change their views. If the country as a whole stays uneducated on the topic of abortions, there will be a lot of abused children in coming years.
