Abortion (Coursework Sample)

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Abortion
Abortion refers to the termination or cutting short of a pregnancy before its term is due by removing or expelling a fetus or embryo from the uterus. Abortion generally occurs through induced means after the procurement of a procedure that can be legal or illegal depending on the location of the individual. Induced abortion can be achieved through the use of surgery, drugs and/or natural means. The latter is also referred to as spontaneous abortion or miscarriage due to many factors that contribute to the ejection or rejection of the fetus in the mother’s womb. There are various ways of terminating a pregnancy, which all depend on the size and/or the term of the pregnancy, and the legal provisions that guide the procurement of abortion services in several countries. On the other hand, miscarriages account for almost 20%-30% of all pregnancies which are dependent upon the health and age of a pregnant woman. Abortion is an issue that raises different legal, ethical and moral concerns in society making it a hotly contested and debated subject all over the world.
The legality of abortion is hotly contested with those who have legalized it basing their argument and justification on a woman’s right to decide on matters affecting her body. Procuring an abortion is necessitated when pregnancy occurs accidentally or when it is unintended, and it is bound to cause inconveniences in a woman’s life. Unintended pregnancies as a result of rape and early teenage pregnancies are some of the instances when pro-abortionists think should be the grounds for legally sanctioned abortions. Pro-abortionists also feel that a woman has right to decide on matters that affect her health and body, thus; abortion should not be an endeavor that only a woman can decide on its appropriateness. According to Ziegler (13), it is a woman’s right to choose abortion as a fundamental right which is recognized by the United States (US) constitution as it was established by the Roe vs. Wade landmark case. Anti-abortionists claim that life begins at conception, which is in reference to the fusion of gametes to form an embryo. Pro-abortionists argue against this postulate by claiming that life begins at birth and that, before then, the fetus possesses no personhood.
The support for abortion as a basic fundamental right is concerned with the health of the woman as it looks at the health and socioeconomic impacts of pregnancy and becoming a mother. A woman is supposed to give birth only when she is ready and willing to become a mother who will provide all the necessary amenities required for a healthy existence of their child. The option for an abortion enables women to avoid being exposed to socioeconomic disadvantages due to their pregnancy or status as mothers. This can be exemplified by instances where women’s careers are threatened or cut short when they become pregnant or due to motherhood. To avoid such situations and circumstances, women should be given the choice of determining when to have children as a way ensuring that they do so at the most opportune moment of their lives (Kaposy 87).
Abortion is illegal in some other parts of the world where it viewed as a crime against humanity, and it is treated with the same concern as murder or homicide. A fetus is regarded as an individual with the same basic human rights such as the right to life, which makes the termination of pregnancy tantamount to a denial of these rights. Illegality of abortion is based on the belief that a fetus is alive, and, therefore, destroying it amounts to killing which is against the law. Countries that do not allow abortion are found to have allowed religious principles and ethics to guide their constitutional framework, unlike those that do not allow as exemplified by the US. A peculiar observation with respect to abortion and it practice in the world is that apart from the US, other countries that legalize it suffer from depressed population sizes. On the other hand, overpopulated countries are at the forefront of combating abortion rights and privileges.
Abortion is an emotive issue irrespective of people’s disparaging views and perspectives with respec...