Pro Abortion
Pro Abortion is the support of legalized abortion, favoring the legalization of abortion. Over the years people have criticized the moves to legalize abortion; this paper will unveil the dilemma that mothers go through before making the decision whether to abort. The paper will look at both sides of abortion and show why it is time to support legalization of abortion.
Abortion is morally wrong because it is an escape from responsibility; once a woman becomes pregnant she has to accept the responsibility of her new state. A woman who is pregnant should be able to take care of herself during the period of pregnancy. She is responsible for maintain a balanced diet to nourish the growing baby inside her, she is also responsible of taking care of her health, avoiding drugs and alcohol abuse during the period of pregnancy. The unwed woman must be ready to take up the responsibilities that come with being pregnant. She feels that she can be responsible enough to get through the nine months of pregnancy, without running away from her responsibility and bear her child.
Abortion is not morally correct because it bears negative effects on the mental health of the woman. There is an 81 percent higher risk of women who have had abortions having mental health problems than women who haven’t had abortions. This is according to a study conducted by Dr. Priscilla K. Coleman; the study also revealed that a 138 percent higher risk occurs in women who abort compared to those who give birth, and those who abort risk mental health issues. The study indicates that women who go through an abortion expose themselves to mental health issues; this may lead to a bad future for the woman. The unwed woman may have an understanding of the mental health implications that are tagged to having an abortion. ”Women with a history of abortion have higher rates of anxiety, depression, alcohol use/misuse, marijuana use, and suicidal behavior, compared to those who have not had an abortion.” (Dr. Priscilla K. Coleman)
Abortion is challenged morally as it may promote sexual lifestyles that are unhealthy among people, abortion may promote promiscuity. Abortion may also promote the spread of sexually contaminated diseases as people will engage in unprotected sex. Pregnancy is one of the things that control people and prevent them from leading a promiscuous life, because they are afraid of getting pregnant. People also practice protected sex to prevent unwanted pregnancies, having abortion legalized will have people practice unsafe sex and contract sexually transmitted diseases in the process. The unwed woman should not abort because it may give her the care free attitude towards practicing safe sex. However even after giving birth, promiscuity is a personal choice, not all promiscuous people have had an abortion.
Though at times abortion seems to be the worst evil on earth, in some circumstances abortion is safer than child birth. Pregnant women who have some illnesses risk their lives when they give birth and they would rather abort to save their life, some diseases also give complications during child delivery. To save the unborn child from future health complications which may be inherited from her at birth, the unwed mother should abort, rather than bear a child whose life will be full of health problems. “Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) may also contribute significantly in causing mental retardation among children through their infected mothers” (S.K. Mangal 125).
The economic status of the parents is a circumstance that may warrant abortion. The parents-to-be may have no source of income or may be making only enough to sustain them, having a baby for them may be a burden financially. People should not accept responsibility which they cannot take care of, having a baby who you will not manage to feed well, take to school and cloth himher is not right. Why bring a child into this earth for himher to come and suffer, a child should be given a good upbringing. Having a child is financially demanding, parents who cannot manage to raise children and provide for them should be allowed to have abortions. The unwed woman may be financially unstable, rather than have a child who will come and lack the basic needs, she would rather abort. By allowing abortion we can reduce the number of children who end up begging in the streets and the parks due to failure of their parents providing.
Abortion is all about choice, a woman’s choice should be respected, if a woman decides to have an abortion, the burden is hers and she is the one who understands it best, her choice should be respected. “The possibility of abortion has a kind of peculiar effect upon the bond between the woman and the fetus she carries. The “natural” connection between them ceases to be as tight once “choice “enters the picture. Now she can walk away”.(Meilaender 51)
Abortion should be left to be the sole decision of the woman carrying the unborn baby, it is only her who knows what she has gone through to get to the point that she is. Women should not be criminalized for having abortions, circumstances leading to the abortion should be clearly understood, where the mother aborts to save her own life, it is rather to save the life of a living person rather than lose both.
References
Meilaender, Gilbert. Bioethics: a primer for Christians. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub., 1996. Print.
Sharp, Howard, and Douglas Richards. Pelvic pain. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2003. Print.
