Introduction
Abortion denotes the considered cessation of the life of a fetus before it is born. Abortion has been a famous practice for mankind since time immemorial and involves either medical or non-medical removal of the developing fetus for various reasons. Abortion was illegal in the past, with religion and morality being key factors that urged people against committing the act. Recently, medically approved abortion has been legalized in various regions of the world, including several US states. These advances have not facilitated an end to the abortion debate, with those against its legalization still maintaining their stand. Human beings must acknowledge the errors they commit through abortion and commit to cease ending human life.
Anti-Abortion Activists
Those against abortion argue that it deprives children of their right to live even before they are old enough to make those choices. The belief is grounded on the affirmation that life begins after conception and not after birth, as some alternate schools of thought assert. The bill of rights also safeguards the lives of unborn children, and it is crucial to ensure this right is adhered to properly (Blazina et al.). Terminating a fetus’s life is a brutal affair involving forceful removal and murder from the mother’s uterus and should therefore be avoided (Bernstein and Manata, p. 247). Abortion also deprives the fetus of the chance to live to its full potential without giving it a choice in the matter. The full development of the fetus into a functional human being is halted and its life is terminated without their consent, robbing the world of some remarkable individuals in the future.
Abortion interferes with the fertility of aborting women, sometimes depriving them of the opportunity to create life when they are ready. In most countries where abortions are illegal, the mothers rely on brute and non-medical means to abort their fetuses (Hendricks, p. 250). These methods damage their uterus, amongst other parts of their reproductive system, interfering with their ability to bring forth life in the future (Douthat). The inability to get children is a major homewrecker in modern society and is caused by some wives who become infertile due to their previous abortions (Lindberg et al. p. 920). Abortion also endangers the life of the pregnant female in the process, causing death in some instances, mostly in underdeveloped countries. This is due to the meager medical advances in these countries, and this provides sufficient cause to outlaw abortion.
Global population growth and the human race, in general, are at immense risk if abortion becomes fully legalized. Abortion leads to the termination of human life and future adults who are poised to make the world a better place. With the economic difficulties affecting the globe and the rising cost of living, people may choose to abort the children they conceive to avoid the burden of raising them (Unal, p. 17). There is a need to ensure abortion is illegal so that this route is not taken and the extinction of the human race accelerated. Abortion denies men the opportunity to become fathers, especially when the decision to abort is made solely by women. Women argue that their bodies are responsible for carrying the fetus and therefore hold the right to remove it at will. This argument is flawed as the male sperm is also responsible for the fertilization process, and fathers must be accorded an equivalent chance to decide in the matter.
Pro-Abortion Activists
The schools of thought arguing for the legalization of abortion submit that life begins at birth and a fetus cannot be considered a person. The termination of life during the fetal stage is therefore not considered murder but the removal of undesired cells from the mother’s womb. Abortion is considered a better option compared to raising an unwanted child by those who support the act. Raising children has been customarily the responsibility of the parents who birth the child. Abortion supporters assert that the removal of the fetus should be a choice for those not ready to become parents (Friberg-Fernros, p. 418). These include adults who are uncomfortable with parenthood and underage children who get pregnant. For underage children, the argument is that they are too young to become parents and that having a child interferes with the rest of their lives. This includes their ability to attend to their educational needs to the latter and secure successful careers in the future.
Abortion supporters also argue that the act supports women’s rights and the drive for an equal society. They assert that fetuses develop in the wombs of women and that women should be allowed to make undeterred decisions on what happens within their being. These actions include being able to abort or keep the child, depending on what they want (Lowe and Page, p. 139). The argument states that men are not obliged to keep a fetus for nine months before conception by both nature and law. For the sake of equality, the aborting parties argue that they must be provided with a similar choice.
Most women who support abortion also assert that they are tied to children for a lifetime as compared to men. The women carry these children to term, nurse them during the first few years, and take care of them for their whole lives (Bain et al.). Men, on the other hand, are only involved in the conception and sometimes make the selfish decision to neglect the child during upbringing. This shows an imbalance in the life of the child and the rights of both parents, with women having greater responsibility (Flanagan). Pro-abortionists argue that the decision to abort is the right step to achieving equality and ensuring that both sexes can make the undeterred decision to either raise a child or abandon it altogether.
Abortion is also seen as an avenue for advancing the lives of unwilling mothers as it enables them to focus on personal development. When getting pregnant is not a pre-thought decision for most women, raising the child becomes difficult (Pabayo et al.). The duty to breastfeed and nurse the child eclipses the other desires these women may have, such as education. Abortion, therefore, enables them to prioritize personal development before they can plan to have children in the future.
Personal Opinion
I believe abortion is an abuse of human rights and a morally corrupt decision by those who opt to terminate human life. Abortion causes the demise of the unborn baby, and this is a part of the debate that most supporters of abortion choose to ignore. Abortion contravenes the fabric of society which urges humans to regard human life above all life (Douthat). The abortion process is also brutal and does not avail the child with a fair chance to defend itself from the harsh mother. The baby is deprived of a chance to live and experience the wonders of the world for the selfish interests of a mother focused on personal development, amongst other agendas. The dangers of abortion to both the productive health of the mother and life generally are not worth this heinous and unthoughtful crime. To protect our women and children, the outlawing of abortion is crucial.
Abortion is not a method of advocating for equal human rights as argued by abortion supporters. Just because men can make the selfish decision to abandon children does not mean mothers ought to kill them in retaliation. There are better solutions that can be advanced to ensure that men are forced to take responsibility for their children. Additionally, the social welfare services provided by the various governments present an alternative to children’s services. Mothers can deliver the unwanted children and offer them up for adoption services where parents wishing to adopt children can take care of them (Flanagan). These mothers can thereafter decide to pursue personal advancement and growth if those are the reasons for wanting to abort in the first place.
There is scientific evidence that life begins at conception with the fusion of the sperm and ova starting life. These two cells are the genesis of many more cells that eventually form organs and the entire human body in the process. Neglecting our roots and claiming they are baseless is unfair and inconsiderate to the welfare of the live, unborn fetus (Blazina et al.). Abortion should be illegal to conserve the human race and preserve our dominance in the world. Abortion is a path we cannot afford to explore fully, given its dire consequences. Abortion entails giving the aborting parents the leeway to remove underdeveloped children at will, therefore tampering with global population statistics. Underpopulation will slow down the process of global development and innovation, hence stagnating growth. Evolutionary instincts prime humans to reproduce in numbers that ensure the survival of the species and abortion is a contradiction to this state.
Conclusion
In conclusion, abortion is a serious topic that requires the input of all people, as everybody is involved regardless of their views on the topic. Those supporting abortion argue that it enhances gender equality and guarantees women an opportunity to seek self-fulfillment elsewhere. Abortion is also viewed as a lesser crime than putting unwanted children through the agony of living low-quality lives without sufficient care. Those supporting abortion also argue that life begins at birth and not a moment before them. Anti-abortionists hold my personal view on the topic and argue that this action amounts to the termination of human life. It contravenes the sacred nature of human life and the high esteem it is held at. Anti-abortionists also provide solutions to the claims presented by women on their rights to advance other facets of their being, including occupations. They encourage these women to adopt the children instead of aborting them. Abortion must be illegalized for the sake of the world in general and the preservation of the human race since legalization threatens human fate.
Works Cited
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Blazina, Carrie, et al. “Key facts about the abortion debate in America.” Pew Research Center, 2021.
Douthat, Ross. “Opinion | the case against abortion.” The New York Times, 2021. Web.
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Friberg-Fernros, Henrik. “Defending the two tragedies argument: A response to Simkulet.” Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 45, no. 6, 2019, pp. 417–418.
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Pabayo, Roman, et al. “Laws restricting access to abortion services and infant mortality risk in the United States.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 11, 2020.
Unal, Didem. “The abortion debate and profeminist coalition politics in contemporary Turkey.” Politics & Gender, 2018, pp. 1–25.