Abortion

Abortion is defined to be an operation or other intervention to end a pregnancy by removing an embryo or fetus from the womb. Activists on this topic are known to either be considered as pro-choice followers or pro-life followers. They both have are over this topic since the 1970’s and it remains to be a major political issue. As of right now abortion is considered legal by that federal government but has been challenged many times by anti-abortion activists. Abortion should remain legal in the United States due to the fact that it is a primarily safe medical procedure, is protected by the constitution and it decreases the number of orphaned children.

The Roe vs. Wade court case of 1973 is where the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that a woman has a constitutional right to an abortion during the first six months of pregnancy (Roe v. Wade). Prior to 1973 the legalization of abortions was determined at state levels. The state of Texas recognized abortions as illegal if not necessary to save the life of the pregnant mother. A woman by the name of Norma McCorvey, using the alias of Jane Roe, sued Henry Wade, a Dallas district attorney, to be allowed to obtain an abortion. The case was brought to a federal district court where the court ruled in her favor saying that the 9th Amendment and the 14th Amendment of the Constitution protects a woman’s choice to have an abortion because it guarantees the privacy rights of individuals. Ironically, the court also refused to entertain any further cases regarding abortions. Not satisfied with this decision, Norma McCorvey appealed the decision to the United States Supreme Court. In 1973, after three years of arguing her case, the Supreme Court made abortions legal nationwide. You can discern from this case that the constitution justifies a woman in having an abortion. The 9th and 14 the amendment alike state that no person should be robbed of liberty and that they are also guaranteed privacy rights. These rights give an individual the right to do what they wish (have an abortion) with their body if that is what they feel is necessary

Pro-choice followers believe in a women’s right to choose what to do with her body. They also believe in and strongly promote sexual education to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Many people mistakenly think that pro-choice followers are only in promotion of abortions. The truth is that they believe in the sole idea of a woman having a choice, whether it is to terminate or to keep the unborn child. They also promote and stress the prevention of unwanted pregnancies in the effort to avoid the need for abortions. Pro-choice groups such as Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League strive to educate women on a variety of issues such as birth control for women, contraceptives, STD prevention, abstinence, parenting, and abortion. Pro-Choice gives women the opportunity to do what they feel is right for them, whether it is to have an abortion or to keep the baby. Women who support the Pro-Choice way believe that a woman should have the right to do what she sees as right for her body. Pro-Choice plays a role in the lives of many women who feel that they are not ready to take on the responsibility of motherhood or that they cannot support the child. 2005 statistics show that 21.3% of women cannot afford to have a baby and 10.5% feel that a baby would interfere with their education (Abortion Statistics - U.S.). As the importance of education increases in society today women who are sexually active and may become pregnant find abortions to be beneficial to them and that it gives them a chance to finish their schooling and go on to become successful in life. Without the options of an abortion many women would not be able to finish school and ultimately be forced drop out or put their education on hold in order to take care of a child.

The Pro-Choice believe that by giving an American citizen the right to liberty which can also be defined as freedom, they are giving women the freedom to do what they wish with their bodies which may be abortion. Many Pro-Choice women believe that they have the right to an abortion under the 14th amendment. The 14th amendment states that, “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” (U.S. Constitution). Oddly enough the Pro-Life believe also believe that their position of abortion is justified due to the fact the 14th amendment clearly states that no state should deprive a person of life.

In contrast, Pro-Life is the alliance women have formed over the years to give a child a chance at life instead of abortion. Women who believe in Pro-Life believe that the unborn child is still a human being. Pro-Life believers also believe that as soon as the embryo starts to form, it should be considered a human being. Women and men alike who choose to be Pro-Life have taken action such as developing a program such as “Petition For Life” to raise the awareness about abortion (Americans United Against Abortion). Women who choose Pro-Life also ironically use the 14th amendment to represent their side of the argument on abortion. Since the 14th amendment says that no state can deprive any person of life, Pro-Life believers believe that the law is contradicting itself by allowing abortion. They believe that by giving women the choice to have an abortion and to rob a child at a chance at life is doing exactly what the law is opposed to.

A majority of the time women who make the choice to have an abortion or not to have one make the right choice. Pro-choice believers do not promote abortions they promote the woman’s right to do what they feel is beneficial to their bodies In one case a single young mother comes to find out they she is pregnant. To make matters worse the young mother can hardly support her child. During the first few weeks of her pregnancies the young woman learns that there was something wrong with her baby and that the doctors did not think the baby would make it. This prevented the woman from working already making matters get out of control. In past winters the mother and her child starved some nights because the mother could not support her child. The mother decided that an abortion was necessary at this point in her life because she knew she could not support herself, her child, and her unborn baby. This turned out to be he best choice for her because there was no sense in putting the babies life in danger by starving her and not giving her the proper attention she needed.

Although considered a surgical procedure, abortions are relatively safe