Arguments for and Against Abortion, Essay Example

The issue of abortion and of a woman’s right make reproductive health choices is one of the most debated questions in America today. Public attitudes and opinions about abortion are constantly changing due to the influence of politics, religious groups and non-profit social organizations. One problem with the national debate on abortion is that in many ways it has become over-simplified, mostly to gain a political end.   Hinman  states that simply applying the labels of “pro life” and “pro choice” to divide the two groups of supporters would be inaccurate, because abortion is, first and last, an extremely complicated issue and people can hold a variety of viewpoints on it that don’t necessarily fit neatly into either category (Hinman 2).  While the debate is not likely to be decided as a result of reviewing the opposing sides in this paper, it is still helpful to outline and analyze the arguments that are commonly used when the discussing the issue. When a woman seeks the services of a doctor to conduct abortion, it is the responsibility of the doctor to inform the client about the psychological illnesses associated with post abortion (Lloyd, 67).

Arguments for and against abortion

There are many facets to the debate around abortion, but the main focus is based on the question of whether women’s rights or the fetus’ rights should be considered. In a nutshell, those who favor abortion rights tend to focus in on reasons why women choose to get an abortion, while Catholic and religious groups argue that innocent fetus has the same rights as a grown adult.

The Argument for Abortion.  One of the most compelling arguments for abortion is the argument outlined by the Center for Reproductive Rights: they start their argument from the standpoint of the right to life – that is, the woman’s right to life.  The Center notes that “in countries where abortion is restricted by law, women seek abortion clandestinely, often under conditions that are medically unsafe and therefore life-threatening” (Center for Reproductive Rights 1).  They refer to estimates from the World Health Organization that contend that in 2008 alone, some 47,000 women died as the result of unsafe abortions, and that therefore their own right to life was clearly violated.

Another argument for abortion is outlined by Hord in her essay, “Making Safe Abortion Accessible: a Practical Guide for Advocates”, in which she states that women do not only have a right to abortion based on their right to life and health but on their right to control their own bodies and express their own sexuality. Without this, the author states, they cannot lead fully actualized lives. Hord contends that numerous bodies of international law have affirmed that “Every individual has the right to decide when and with whom to have sexual relations, as well as whether to have children and if so, how many” (Hord 6). This would be impossible without access to reproductive and abortion services.

The Arguments against Abortion. Hinman, in “Essay on Abortion and Its Ethical Issues” outlines the substantive core of the beliefs of many who are against abortion: the argument of personhood.  This argument runs that because a fetus has its own heartbeat, it is alive and a separate person even when it is in the mother’s womb.  Because it is a person, it has a right to life and a right to protection, even before it is born.  And, the author concludes, since it is morally wrong to cause the death of an innocent person, the “pro-life” view of abortion is morally and ethically superior.

Wright’s essay, “Reducing Abortion in America” is a brilliant argument that is not so much against abortion but instead favors ways to help reduce abortions in America through a number of practical ways.  According to the author, even the overturning of Roe v. Wade would only reduce the current abortion rate by about 10%.  Instead of trying overturn this landmark case, Wright argues that what would have a greater effect on the number of abortions annually would be to support and strengthen low-income families and pregnant women.  He supports his argument with the evidence that in the 1990’s, when the U.S. economy was strong, the abortion rates fell dramatically. He also notes that in poor countries like Chile, Brazil, and Peru, where abortions are illegal, the abortion rate is actually twice what it is the United States (Wright 5). He notes that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops support efforts of minimizing the rate of abortions with measures such as the mother taking lifestyle measure like nutritional, prenatal, childbirth as well as post-natal care; the child nutritional as well as pediatric care; adoption as well as foster care services; spiritual assistance together with counseling; giving continued education opportunities to teenage parents after and during pregnancy and giving the necessary support to rape victims and any other forms of sexual abuse” (Wright 12).

Argument analysis

The following section will seek to analyze the arguments just outlined in the paper above, both for and against abortion.

Analysis of Arguments for Abortion: The arguments for abortion outlined in the essays by Hord and the Center for Reproductive Rights both rest on the unspoken premise that the rights of the mother are tantamount and trump any rights that the fetus may theoretically have.  This would include the woman’s right to life and health as well as her right to sexual and reproductive autonomy.  They seem to skirt the issue, however, of the idea of personhood and whether or not the fetus actually is a person and if so, what rights it should legally and morally have.

Analysis of Arguments against Abortion:  There is less agreement here in the arguments against abortion than on the essays written advocating it. Hinman’s argument rests on the question whether or not the fetus is a human being.  Hinman clearly believes that it is, in fact, a person, and therefore entitled to the same rights as other human beings.  Wright, on the other hand, while not directly arguing about the moral issues surrounding abortion, clearly believes that a holistic and preventative approach to abortion would have a better effect than a ban or in overturning Roe v. Wade. Clearly, his argument rests on the premise that if the economic pressures to have an abortion were removed, then the number of abortions would drop.

The process of abortion involves the use of crude objects such as spoons, vacuum etc, to remove the fetus. This may lead to the damage of uterus as well as the cervix and therefore future pregnancies may be affected (Ertelt, 132).

Conclusion

Abortion is a highly emotional issue for those on both sides of the debate, and that is not likely to change any time soon.  However, it is still worthwhile to understand and outline the arguments for and against this sensitive topic in order to better understand where both sides are coming from.  For those on the pro-abortion side of the debate, the rights of the woman to life, health, and sexual and reproductive freedom are the things which should be considered first.  For those who are against abortion, the focus is almost entirely up the rights of the fetus to be considered a person and to have the same right to life as any other individual; for people who are against abortion, it is the rights of the fetus that are tantamount. However, if one scratches beneath the surface, this issue may not be as divisive as it first looks, and there are some things that both sides may be able to come together on.  For instance, both sides could well agree on   prevention, education and policies to support women making the right decisions in the first place, and such policies should be promoted instead of creating debates that cannot be agreed on. The socio-economic aspect of abortion is an area that needs to be studied in more depth, because – as both groups agree – abortion is not good for anyone.

Works Cited

Center for Reproductive Rights “Safe and Legal Abortion is a Woman’s Human Right” 2011. Web.

Ertelt, Steven. “Mayo Clinic Doctor Admits Abortions Hurt Women, Cause Premature Births.” LifeNews.com. N.p. 20 Aug. 2009. Web. 8 Oct. 2012.

Fried, M.  “10 Reasons to Rethink Reproductive ‘Choice’” 2008. Web.

Hinman, L. “Abortion: An Overview of the Ethical Issues” 2013. Web.

Hord, C.  “Making Safe Abortion Accessible: A Practical Guide for Advocates” Ipas publication. 2001. Web.

Lloyd, Delia. “Abortion Safer Than Childbirth, British Doctors’ Group Wants Women to Know.” Politics Daily. AOL Inc, 2011. Web. 14 Oct 2012.

Wright, J. “Reducing Abortion in America: Beyond Roe v. Wade” 2008. Web.