unsafe abortion practices and social and economic inequalities (Essay Sample)

Abortion Rights and Access argumentative Essay. Introduction The abortion controversy has been among the most controversial ethical, legal, and medical matters in the world. Whereas other countries understand abortion as a form of reproductive care, there are those countries that limit or criminalize it due to religious, political, or cultural ideologies. Nevertheless, the restrictive abortion laws affect disadvantaged groups in disproportionate ways due to their tendency to deny people access to necessary medical services. This essay attempts to demonstrate that abortion must remain legal and available since its criminalization constitutes a criminalization of bodily autonomy, augmenting unsafe abortion practices and social and economic inequalities. Abortion restrictions do not stop abortion but push people to unsafe abortion options that put lives at risk and contribute to systemic inequalities. Human Rights and Bodily Autonomy. One of the main arguments supporting the right to abortion is the idea of bodily autonomy- the right of a person to decide what to do with their bodies. The criminalization of abortion contravenes this basic human right by putting the state in charge of making personal medical choices. The U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case of Roe v. Wade (1973) acknowledged abortion as a right to privacy, which is codified in the Constitution and stressed personal choice of reproductive health (Gross, 2021). This decision was reversed, but it continues to play a central role in the debate on reproductive rights. Medical ethics uphold bodily autonomy as well using informed consent and patient self-determination. Although the opponents state that fetuses have legal and moral rights, most of the legal systems differentiate between potential life and rights of a fully developed individual. The idea of extending fetal rights as a substitute to the autonomy over the body poses complicated ethical issues and creates a danger to curtail the medical freedoms at large. Dangers of Making Abortion a Crime. It has been proven time and again that the prohibition of abortion fails to make it less prevalent, it just makes it illegal. Bearak et al. (2020) discovered that restrictive abortion laws in countries resulted in a higher rate of unsafe abortions and maternal deaths. In the absence of legal access, people can turn to self-induced or unregulated access, which poses a considerable risk to health. Stevenson (2021) estimated in the United States that 21 deaths related to pregnancy might rise due to abortion bans. Unsafe abortions may result in serious infections, infertility, bleeding and even death. Although it is argued that adoption is an option, this overlooks the physical, emotional, and financial dangers of pregnancy particularly to people who are in vulnerable conditions. Lack of Proportionality amongst Sidelined Populations. Restrictions on abortion are overwhelmingly impactful to low-income earners and the disadvantaged groups. The poor are usually unable to go to places where abortion is still legal, literally compelling them to give birth to unwanted pregnancies. Kaufman and Kasdan (2021) emphasize that this facilitates poverty and inequality cycles especially among women who already have reduced access to healthcare. This is further aggravated by racial differences in maternal health. Systemic inequalities already pose a significant threat to Black and Indigenous women since they are already at a higher risk of dying during pregnancy. Restrictions on abortion exacerbate these risks, further exacerbating existing health inequities. Conclusion To safeguard bodily autonomy, curb unsafe medical practices, and structural inequality, abortion access is crucial. By criminalizing aborti...