Abortion Debate: Pro Life Versus Pro Choice

Over the years abortion has become a major controversy in the United States. The pro-life individuals strongly believe that abortion should be made illegal because every life should be given a chance. This topic has risen up to the presidential debate as well, and it has come to the attention that a man is able to choose what women should do when it comes to pregnancies. There are some circumstances when a woman may not choose to keep the baby.

When it comes to abortion, it is a very polarizing issue that has been the cause of division among people. The definition of abortion is the decision made by a woman to end her pregnancy. Abortion is a very sensitive topic as it has sparked many debates as the conservatives take the more moral and religious side of the argument in which they state that abortion is wrong as it is against the religious concept of fate and an interception in the path of fate is against the God’s plan, they also argue that abortion is equivalent to taking a life which is clearly wrong. While the liberals take the more practical argument where they state that women should have the right to choose whether they should keep a child or not. In 1973 a decision by the Supreme Court banned a state law that denied women the right to abortion, it was decided by the court that this law is unconstitutional and should be removed from the state legislature.

I believe that the Roe vs Wade decision should not be overturned, and this decision was a step in the right decision for women’s rights as this given them the right to choose. Abortion should stay legal to the women who choose to proceed with it, is her body in which she has a choice of her own to make. Politicians and other men have nothing to do with her body and should not decide what is best for her. They do not know the circumstances she is dealing with at home or with her body. A pro-choice individual may believe that abortion in the first trimester is justifiable because it is still a fetus and not a human, but during the second and third trimester, it is already human. In the Opposing Viewpoints series: Abortion by Nol Merino, she describes a woman’s choice to abort, “Her life and what is right for her circumstances and her health should automatically trump the rights of the non-autonomous entity inside of her. Always” (28). This stands true for the sake of her life and in some cases the baby’s life as well. She may not be financially stable to keep the baby. If the baby lives, will he or she be in a loving family or will they have a rough childhood because they weren’t loved? One may ask how abortion can save lives and the answer to that is the mother may be at risk of getting sick or getting the child very ill and endangering the life of the child. In this situation, the mother should have a decision in which she could abort because abnormalities with the baby can occur. If this law gets overturned by the Supreme Court, then the U.S. may face many more consequences with death. Before Roe v. Wade, abortions were illegal, and many women had to turn to unprofessional doctors located in back alleys. If this decision gets overturned, there will be many women who will seek out illegal abortions similar to the year 1965 and many of them will lead to two deaths instead of one, including the mother. Illegal abortions may also be unsanitary because they are not being given professional health care. In cases like this, the mother may also come into contact with other dangers that can have long-term effects on her life. The same argument can also be made against using birth control pills, if birth control prevents you from having children then women should have a right to decide whether or not she wants to have the baby. If pro-life individuals are deeply concerned with abortion, then why are the states with the strictest laws not taking action to protect the women during or after birth? Pro-life individuals only care to know that babies are not being murdered. They don’t consider the child’s life after birth, this makes it unfair for the child because he or she may live a tough childhood with parents who weren’t ready to have a child. One may indicate that adoption could be the best option, but it is not fair to the mother to precede with a forced pregnancy. Many anti-abortion arguments fail to look at the actual responsibility that partners will initiate in order to prevent having a baby. If contraception fails to do its part in preventing pregnancy, then does that make the two partners irresponsible? Adults realize the consequences that come with contraceptive methods, but if they had attempted to use it correctly, then it wasn’t their mistake as a result of pregnancy. Using contraceptive methods just proves that the adult indeed is responsible and should not be liable in proceeding with an unintended pregnancy. As for the unprepared women to care for an unwanted child, they should have the decision to abort the fetus, the decision to keep the baby should not be left to someone else who does not understand the woman’s situation.

With all discussed, a woman’s choice should be made based on the circumstances she faces in life, and whether she can financially care for the child. In regards to the pro-life supporters, no one should decide for a woman, and government interference with a woman’s choice is unconstitutional against her right to privacy. Abortion should stay legal and the Roe v. Wade decision should not be overturned, as many problems will occur, and back-alley abortions may repeat if abortions are made illegal. A woman’s decision should be discussed with herself and the doctor. Women are being treated unconstitutionally based on their right to privacy and their privacy is their body.