Abortion and Ethics: A Review of Contemporary Issues (Essay Sample)

Abortion and Ethics: A Review of Contemporary Issues
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Abortion and Ethics: A Review of Contemporary Issues
Introduction
Abortion is one of the most contentious issues of this century that raises significant divisive ethical questions. Statistics show 61% of Americans support abortion and feel it should be legal in all cases. In comparison, 38% oppose abortion, stating it should be illegal at all costs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). The debate on abortion is centered on the competing moral claims of a pregnant person's right to autonomy regarding what happens to their body and the fetus's right to life. This report explores the ethics of abortion, including the ethical theories that are central in the abortion debate and analysis of the arguments for and against abortion, as well as the controversial issues surrounding abortion.
Abortion Ethics
Various ethical theories inform the debate on abortion. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that centers on the consequences of an action when analyzing its moral value (McKinnon, 2018). It is a moral theory that focuses on maximizing the well-being and happiness of a greater number of people. In the context of abortion, utilitarianism weighs on the suffering or happiness of the pregnant mother, the well-being of the fetus and the effect of abortion on society. Utilitarians may support abortion if it results in the well-being and happiness of those involved.
One utilitarian argument for abortion is that it helps alleviate the of the pregnant person. especially when the pregnancy may pose a health risk to the pregnant person and when the pregnancy is unwanted. Abortion, in this case, is advocated as it prevents the birth of a child who may be forced to live a life of neglect, poverty, abuse or a life that could lead to