Those
strongly opposed to abortion call themselves "pro-life," suggesting
that anyone in favor of abortion rights is "anti-life." Many of those
who support the right to have an abortion call themselves
"pro-choice," a term that refers to a woman's right to choose what
she does with her body. While the pro-life side believes that "abortion is
murder," pro-choice supporters say that those opposed to abortion are
against free choice and the rights of women. Between these two extremes is a
range of more moderate views. Many people who hold moderate views believe that
abortion can be justified, even though there may be ethical concerns. Such
concerns involve three basic issues: the status of the fetus, the rights of
both a woman and a fetus, and whether the harm of restricting abortion
outweighs the loss of life caused by abortions (Abortions). People hold sharply
different views on whether or not a fetus should be protected. Many believe
that life begins at conception, the moment when an egg is fertilized by a sperm.
These people, who argue that even this earliest form of life has the same
rights as a person, generally oppose abortion at any stage of pregnancy. Others
claim that an embryo or fetus is not a person until the time of birth. Such a
view, held by some pro-choice advocates, suggests that an embryo or a fetus has
no rights to be protected. An intermediate point of view maintains that fetal
rights begin at viability the point at which a fetus can survive outside the
mother's body with or without artificial support.
Here I am
again on the topic of abortion. I suppose that a formal definition is
appropriate for those of you who may or may not completely understand what
abortion is. An abortion is a medical or surgical procedure that ends a
pregnancy. “Although this procedure has been legal since 1973, it is still a
distinct and controversial topic in today’s world” (Abortions). It involves
medical, ethical, and social issues that cause people to have many opposing
viewpoints in politics and the opinions of everyday people.
On the
medical side of abortion, many people are concerned with the safety of the
procedure. Even with modern medicine, the biggest risks with abortions are
infections, which can be life-threatening in some situations. However, this is
unlikely when abortions are performed by trained professionals. The chance of
getting an infection is much higher when abortions are performed by untrained
people, and it is important that women understand that complications are
possible in any surgical procedure.
The biggest
arguments against abortion are formed from the ethical issues of abortion. The
vital question is; when does a fetus become a human being? The Gale Opposing
Viewpoints article on abortion says “People in society have rights, and if a
fetus is a person, then it, too, has rights, including the right to live.” Many
believe that life starts at conception, whereas others believe that life does
not start until the fetus is born. It is merely a matter of opinion as to when
a fetus becomes a human being with full rights. Another ethical issue is the
rights of the mother compared to the rights of the fetus.
A common thought
among people is that a woman has the right to do what she pleases with her own
body, including the option of terminating a pregnancy.Socially,
people who support abortion claim that all women should have equal access to
basic services including abortion. They argue that abortion laws and
restrictions do not appeal to poor and uneducated women. This idea leads to
claims of inequality, therefore giving an excuse to fight for government
funding for poor women. Of course, “pro-life” supporters are completely against
this, using their ethical argument that focuses on full rights for when the
fetus becomes a human.With all of
these opposing viewpoints that never seem to be resolved, one tends to wonder
if the topic of abortion will ever go away. My bet is that it won’t be fading
away anytime soon, but it never hurts to give it a shot.
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