Controversy of Abortion, Essay Example

Introduction

Abortion is a term that essentially refers to the woman’s right in order to terminate a pregnancy. There are different laws that deal with the legality of the termination in the United Kingdom.  In the USA it is estimated that nearly 50% of all pregnancies are unintended and from this some 22% end in a result of either miscarriage or abortion. In the year 2005, it was estimated that some 1.21 million abortions were performed in the USA. Further, it was estimated that over 45 million abortions were conducted in the USA. (Guttmacher Institute, 2010).  Further, statistical evidence reports that 50% of most women in America will be faced with an unforeseen pregnancy before the age of 45.  In addition, some 18% of U.S. women obtaining abortions are teenagers.

The Arguments

Legal Position:  This will vary between different countries. The law courts have made a number of important rulings regarding abortions.  In the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the Supreme Court ruled that women, in consultation with their physician, have a constitutionally protected right to have an abortion in the early stages of pregnancy—that is, before viability—free from government interference.  (Guttmacher Institute, 2010). The ordinary citizen in the USA still views the legal position on abortion with a degree of scepticism.   In a 2009 Gallup Poll, it was extremely close with 21% of respondents saying abortion should be legal with 18% stating that it should be illegal.

Religious Viewpoint: Christianity from early times has always been supportive of the protection of human life and this dates back the early biblical gospels of Luke. The teachings of the twelve  Apostles stated “You shall not kill the child in the womb or new born infant” (Society for the Protection of Unborn Children).

Medical Viewpoint: In general, terms the Medical opinion tends to be somewhat neutral. The British Medical Association stated:  Doctors should make every effort to inform the patient if they have any ethical views and oppose abortion.  (Smith, R. 2008)   The opinions of the Doctors being pro or anti-abortion differ from different regional areas in the USA.  Perhaps the easiest stance is to examine the position put forward by the American Medical Association who stated – Doctors who do not want to perform abortions still have an obligation to refer patients.  (Pennachio, D.L. 2002)

Sociological Position:  Sociologists tend to take both a balanced and analytical view of the subject matter on abortion. In the final analysis, they tend to agree on the woman’s right to privacy and her ability or right of choice.  The subject of abortion is controversial because it involves one’s definitions of life and values as a human; the subject of abortion is one that legal analysts have reviewed over decades.  In the end, it remains the woman’s choice.

Psychological viewpoint: The Psychological viewpoint is concerned more with the Mothers experience of terminating the pregnancy.  This can invoke a considerable amount of stress and worry. Feelings of remorse encapsulated the concept of guilt, the concept of punishment from God or a morbid fear and preoccupation about the unborn child that they might have had.

The Anti-Abortion Lobby:  Those involved in the prolife movements are mainly from religious backgrounds and particularly the Christian sect. They believe that it is morally wrong to take another life, even if it is that of an unborn child. They believe in the sanctity of life and the preservation of human life. In this regard, they do not believe that the woman has a moral right to terminate the life of a child.  In Islamic terms, they believe that the turning point is after 4 months of pregnancy when the child gains a soul.  Abortion can also result in medical complications for the woman later in life

ForAbortion: The Mother and woman should have the right of personal privacy and choice, free from the hindrance and persecution of others. Today abortion in modern countries is a relatively safe practice with little risk of complication. In cases where a woman has been abused by rape or incest, the birth of the child is likely to have been traumatised and result in psychological disorders. It would be irresponsible to bring a child into the world and raise it from this horrific background of events.  A large number of abortions impact the poorer sector of women in society and being already in poverty they are not able to raise their children adequately.

The Peru Case Study

The protests have reached the Capital Lima and translations widely distributed throughout the Spanish speaking world. The Roman Catholic religion dominates the Spanish speaking countries and they strongly oppose the concept of permitting abortions in approved cases. The Catholic Church sees no mitigating circumstances for the termination of human life. The debate has spread over the internet with bloggers participating in the conversations. The more modern women in the Spanish speaking world are voicing their opinions women should have the freedom to decide whether to have an abortion or not (Laura Arroyo, blog Menoscanas).  These views are diverse and difficult to reconcile as they evolve around life, morals, ethics, human rights and values, science and privacy. The conversation has been thrown open to everyone via the internet and blogging forums. Opinions vary greatly from around the world The basic concepts are clearly set out but it remains both a volatile and emotional subject. The Islamic view is not so different from the Catholic perspective in that the Quran defends the sanctity of life and is clearly against abortion.

Conclusion

It has been demonstrated from the Peru Conversations that this conforms to Appiah’s[1]beliefs that certain subjects are indeed cosmopolitan and cross cultural boundaries. The advances in technology and communications have made it easier for people to report and share important events. Blogging has become universally accepted as a means of expressing opinions and commenting on controversial subject matter.  It has extended the power of the press into the hands of the people and as such, they are empowered across the cultural divide. Even the Catholic Church can no longer claim the rights of a dominant entity and suppress the views, voices and opinions of the individual.

Works Cited

Guttmacher Institute. (2010, 5). Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States . Retrieved 7 1, 2010, from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html

Pennachio, D. L. (2002, 10 11). Abortion: A right or an outrage? Retrieved 7 1, 2010, from http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Physician+Surveys%3A+2002/Abortion-A-right-or-an-outrage/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/116460?contextCategoryId=8424

Smith, R. (2008, 7 10). Doctors’ views on abortion ‘not to be disclosed’. Retrieved 7 1, 2010, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2281573/Doctors-views-on-abortion-not-to-be-disclosed.html

Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. (2010, 1). Religious views on abortion. Retrieved 7 1, 2010, from http://www.spuc.org.uk/students/abortion/religion

[1]Kwame Anthony Appiah used the term “cosmopolitanism” to discuss how people with different backgrounds managed to socialise in a globalized world