Pros and Cons of Abortion

Cons of Abortion

After three decades of legalized abortion in the United States, it is still a controversial topic (Earll, 2003). Many abortion supporters do not understand why the nation is still divided on the topic after all this time. According to Sammon (2002): \"Abortion is one of those issues that will be argued forever with never an answer agreed upon by competing factions. It\'s a debate that manages to combine medicine, technology, morals, politics and religion all in one bitter brew.\" This paper aims to determine what drives this ongoing opposition to abortion.

Abortion Issues

A 2002 Gallup poll found that a majority of Americans consider abortion to be morally wrong (Earll, 2003). According to a Los Angeles Times survey, fifty-seven percent of Americans \"consider abortion to be murder.\" Many Americans who are opposed to abortion base their view on a moral code derived from Judeo-Christian teachings, particularly the Ten Commandments statement, \"You shall not murder.\" Basically, the majority of public opposition to abortion is based on the notion that it is morally wrong to kill a pre-born baby -- the end result of abortion.

The abortion controversy is one of the most divisive and controversial issues of this century, which has become a legal and political power struggle that has yet to find a permanent resolution (Garlikov, 2002). While pro-choice supporters argue that every child born should be wanted, pro-lifers believe that every child conceived should be born. While pro-choice supporters believe that women have a right to choose, pro-lifers believe that every human has a right to live.

In 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled that as long as a baby lived in the womb, he or she would be the property of the mother (Garlikov, 2002). As a result, almost every third baby conceived in America is killed by abortion. These are babies that never even had a chance to live. Thus, while many people believe that abortion is a woman\'s choice, abortion should be prohibited because it is immoral.

According to DePlato (2003): \"Our culture has not only cultivated the abortion debate, but it has made it possible. Fifty-years ago there was a reason why abortion was infrequent. That culture not only saw abortion as immoral, but it also saw it as unbecoming for any woman to conduct herself in such a selfish and irresponsible way. The question of that day was responsibility and consequence for irresponsible actions. Furthermore, that culture did not tolerate such a belief that women were the victims for irresponsible actions; instead they believed women should be held accountable, along with the male, for the act of conception and thus the birth of a child.\"

When abortion began to be seen as the right of \'choice\' for women, regardless of consequence or prior actions, the debate no longer involved concern responsibility or accountability (DePlato, 2003). As a result, the debate about abortion is completely a question of \'choice\'. However, this debate is really not about \'choice\'; it is really about irresponsible behavior and not facing the consequence of this behavior. Women have the right to choose between right and wrong, but they should also take responsibility for their actions.

Cons of Abortion

Pro-choice advocates argue that a fetus is not human if it is in the early stages of development. However, this argument has not been adequately supported. If a fetus is not alive, then what is it? If it is not human, what is it? A human life should not be taken without justification. When it comes to abortion, the victim is blameless, helpless, and defenseless. Abortion is basically murder that is endorsed by society. As with slavery, someday in the future, people will reflect on our society\'s practice of abortion with horror, disdain, and shame.

The humanity of the pre-born child is an indisputable fact (Earll, 2003). Biologically, the pre-born baby in the womb is a human being. This pre-born being is a genetically complete human from the moment it is fertilized, only changing in size, development, and location with gestation and birth. All humans develop in the same cycle: embryo, fetus, newborn, infant, toddler, teenager, and adult. To discriminate against a human at any stage of development is denying the reality of his or her life, regardless of size and location.

Throughout history, the pro-life view on abortion has focused on the pre-born human life that is destroyed (Earll, 2003). While concerns for the pre-born continue to be dominant, additional information in recent years regarding the adverse effects of abortion on women also bolsters the pro-life case.

The United States recognizes the diminished decision-making capacities of minors in many areas. Those under 21 are not allowed to alcohol. Before they turn 18, children cannot vote, join the army, or even call a psychic hotline without their parents\' permission. However, some states allow children to make the decision to have an abortion, to end a life, without allowing their parents to even know what they are doing. This type of flawed policy condones recklessness in our children and undermines the moral authority of parents.

According to Earll (2003): \"Women and their pre-born children deserve better than abortion. It is incumbent upon all Americans -- regardless of their view on abortion -- to offer women the support they need in order to carry their babies to term, rather than face abortion as their only \'choice.\'\"

The following list includes the major cons of abortion:

Abortion robs the child that is in the womb of a chance at life. It is considered morally wrong by many religions.

Because it is legal, many women use abortion as a type of birth control. They have sex without protection and simply use abortion as a way to deal with pregnancy.

Teenagers in many states can have abortions without their parents\' permission or guidance.

Aborted children may have been great leaders, invented the cure for cancer, or established world peace, had they not been robbed of their chance to live.

Having an abortion may have negative health impacts on women, including a reduced chance to have children later in life.

Conclusion

In the most basic of terms, abortion is murder. An embryo is a human being from the moment of conception. According to Shettles (1986), \"Scientists identify the first moment of human life as that instant when a sperm cell unites with an ovum or egg cell.\"

Most pro-choice supporters argue that the fetus is not actually a person until the first or second trimester. Pro-choice people do not think abortion is murder because they view the aborted fetus a mass or cells or tissue.

However, pro-life supporters argue that abortion is the taking of innocent human life, which is wrong under just about any circumstance. An unborn baby is much more than potential life. An unborn baby is a meaningful human life that is invaluable. After conception, no event occurs in the development of the fetus that indicates a change in the fetus from being inhuman to becoming human (Foster, 1985).