Giving Women the Right to Choose: Examining the Debate Over Abortion

Introduction

Women should be given the right to decide whether they are willing to take responsibility for their children for the rest of their lives. Abortion is now illegal in some countries around the world, even to the point of endangering the life of the mother to avoid the abortion of the fetus. Most arguments against legalizing abortion are based on the concept of the fetal right to life, but there are also disagreements that women are the best judges on whether they can take responsibility for their children. Therefore, we should allow the legalization of abortion because of a woman`s right to choose.

There are some studies that just ask respondents if abortion is morally right or wrong. However, assessing the problem of abortion is not so easy. People are aware of various scenarios that can lead to the decision to have an abortion. There are unplanned pregnancies that result from consensual relationships. There are many unwanted pregnancies among teens. According to the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the birth rate for women aged 15-19 years was 34.3 per 1,000 in 2010, an increase of 9.1% from 2009. There are also cases of pregnancy due to crimes such as rape and sexual molestation. The decision to have an abortion is much influenced and personal choices often have little to do with it external factors that contributed to the debate must be considered when deciding on women's rights or government. This paper is aimed is to show that abortion is the right of women through examining several different arguments in today’s society, such as religion, science, whether abortion is murder, whether the fetus is alive, the ethical dilemma of birth defects, age factors and whether pregnancy poses a risk to the mother.

Religion and the Fetus

Religious and societal perspectives in addition to clinical conditions, all have a major effect on whether or not a woman decides to have her pregnancy terminated. Religious ideals of her family, in particular her parents, too have a deep impact on that person`s choice. Unplanned pregnancies have the highest chance of being aborted. According to the survey, over 33.33% of all pregnancies were not planned. There is the query of at what factor in time an abortion may be acceptable. Most of the time, the hesitancy lies in one question: when does the life of a fetus absolutely begin? In different words, when can a fetus be considered to be `alive`? The important objection that someone may have whilst thinking about an abortion is whether or not it is going to bring about the taking of a life.

Most global religions appear to be geared towards protecting the fetus` right to life. The particular second that life is stated to have started for a fetus is not contained in all religions. Religions like Buddhism and Catholicism mark the start of life as when an egg is fertilized with a sperm. The Catholic Church prohibits abortion and offers the unborn infant the rights of a born baby. According to Islamic teachings, the soul enters a fetus after one hundred twenty days of conception. Having an abortion after this factor in time is taken into consideration to be a larger sin than having it within the first trimester of being pregnant. Earlier Roman Catholics taught that the `ensoulment` of a fetus is when the mother starts to experience its movement in her womb, which typically takes place across the sixteenth week. However, this became modified within the year 1869 and the church now says that the fetus has a soul from the very start of fertilization.

Science and the fetus

On the other hand, according to science, the majority of fertilized eggs do not attach to the woman`s womb. About 25% of eggs that get implanted result in natural miscarriage, and women are often unaware that they were pregnant. In the United Kingdom, the Warnock Commission has set the 'ensoulment' time to be 14 days after conception. It was later ratified by the Human Fertilization and Embryotic Act of 1990. Others think that when a fetus can be considered 'alive,' it refers to the onset of brain function. In addition, there is a view that once the fetus begins to develop sensory perception, or 'Sentience,' the fetus can be considered alive. Most religions do not have such formal ceremonies to commemorate the death of the fetus. The situation in which abortion is required is also discussed in the moral and religious context. Some religions allow abortion when the continuation of pregnancy seriously threatens the life and health of the mother. However, the views are very different and have been the subject of long-standing debate. The Roman Catholic Church strictly prohibits intentional abortions but allows treatments designed to save the lives of mothers, even if they endanger the lives of the fetus. Religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Orthodox Judaism, and Russian Churches allow abortion when it can save the life of the mother.

Is Abortion Murder?

Judaism teaches that abortion is immoral, but babies' rights are only granted when major parts have moved out from their mother's bodies. Therefore, fetal abortion is not considered murder. Although murder is condemned in most religions, it is believed that it is permissible to kill for a specific purpose, such as war, the death penalty, or trying to save oneself. Most monotheistic religions, such as Islam, which follow one scripture have not changed their teachings on abortion. However, other religions with multiple scriptures, such as Buddhism, are controversial and may have different views based on individual perceptions. Similarly, the Roman Catholic Church changes its teachings on the subject over time.

The 1971 article by Thomson is considered one of the earliest and most influential discussions for giving women the right to choose between giving birth or aborting their pregnancy. Thomson specifically identified unplanned pregnancies, especially those caused by crimes such as rape, as one of the most important cases in which the right to life of the fetus tends to be more compromised than the mother's right to live a normal life. Thomson shows this situation as the same as letting one person support the life of another person for a period of time against his or her will. Under these circumstances, it is argued here that those who profess the right to life of the fetus are unlikely to consider it a crime for the abductee to choose not to support the life of the dependent human being. In fact, it is not considered ethically or morally incorrect

Similarly, abortion critics tend to take a more generous view of cases where pregnancy is due to rape. However, Thomson argues that the fact that a fetus becomes conceived by a crime does not compromise its right to life. Therefore, it does not make sense to consider abortion of the fetus more 'acceptable' in such situations. It should be noted that this more forgiving attitude towards women in rape cases stems from sympathy. Women suffering from the atrocities of such acts should not be further punished by being forced into unwanted pregnancies. However, the situation for teenage mothers is not that different. Sexual intercourse that leads to pregnancy may be consensual, but this does not mean that pregnancy is intentional. The impact of unwanted pregnancies on a woman's life is about the same, whether it is the result of rape or simply an unplanned result. Next, we will examine whether the fetus is scientifically proven to be alive.

Is a Fetus Alive upon Conception?

One thing to be considered is: Is choosing whether or not a fetus is alive the idea of self-awareness. While technology and religions use time frames based at the development of the brain of the fetus, it can be argued that without a doubt having sensory awareness is not enough. For something to be considered a living person, they ought to be self-aware. This would require them to have rationality and a distinct moral nature. They should be capable of recognizing their very own rights, responsibilities, and obligations in the direction of others. Relying on these types of sensibilities, the person should be able to make impartial decisions. This is whilst the character may be stated to be able to exercise free will and might therefore be held liable for their actions. This idea has confronted intense critique for it means that not only fetuses but additionally new born babies cannot be taken into consideration as human entities. In fact, it has dire implications for people who are both born with intense abnormalities or emerge as critically disabled later in life.

Abortion and Birth defects

The ethical and moral dilemma here arises from the concept of 'choice.' Those who advocate abortion of the fetus and the 'benevolent killing' of newborns with severe abnormalities believe this is acceptable because the child lives close to animals and cannot perform even the most basic daily tasks and a retarding results on the quality of life of their caregivers. At this point, it should be noted that unwanted children are more likely to lead an unloved and uncared life. This is especially true for teenage pregnancies where the mother lacks the maturity to care for her child. In these cases, where the mother is also dependent, having to take care of the child can have a negative impact on her quality of life. It is also where the ethics of autonomy work, as women have the right to choose whether to bear the burden of unwanted children or to remain independent. The fetus is part of her body and therefore she has the right to autonomy it.

Abortion and the Age Factor

The average age of legal marriage in the United States is 18. However, some states allow people up to the age of 14 years to marry if they are pregnant. The legal drinking age is 21 years in most states. A person who is considered immature to choose a life partner, or who is not even considered responsible for consuming alcohol, brings life to this world by law and be responsible for its wellbeing of it. Being a teenage mother not only has a great financial and emotional impact but can also put a great deal of physical pressure on the young mother and cause lifelong damage to the mother. However, the need to legalize abortion is not limited to teenage and post-rape pregnancies.

Mothers at Risk

There are countries in the world where abortion is illegal, even if the life of the mother is at stake. In December 2012, an Indian woman died when an Irish doctor refused to abort her fetus. The fetus was not expected to survive anyway. Today, the country has legalized abortion if the mother's life could be medically threatened or if the mother could commit suicide. Again, the question is a matter of choice. In cases with life-threatening illnesses, there is no choice, the mother's life must be saved. But when a woman threatens suicide, it seems ridiculous to pressure her to think of death before aborting an unwanted pregnancy. In most cases, a woman does not want to take responsibility for her child, but may not want to go to the point of killing herself. In most of these cases, the mother is unable to love her child, resulting in serious emotional and psychological trauma in both.

Ethical Principle

Ethical principles are evident in the abortion debate in terms of Pro-life and Pro-choice. The most important ethical principle for both supporters and opponents of women's right to abortion is the principle of justice. A woman has autonomy over her body but the fetus as a living person has the right to be protected from mutilation and poison. In both cases, this leads to a dead end. Justice is given to only one party. It is interesting to note that most of the ethical and moral debates about abortion revolve around women's choices. The issue of male liability to his child is not fully emphasized. As a result, the ethics of justice are only partially dealt with. If a woman is forced to give birth to an unwanted child, its father should also be legally forced to bear the burden as well. However, the consequences of not giving the mother the right to have an abortion only affect the lives of the woman and her unwanted children. This is unjust and unfair. In 1987, Callahan`s provided a comprehensive understanding of the ethics of choice in relation to women's right to abortion. Through a series of interviews with women, they can identify an important concept that divides the group almost equally between those who prefer fetal life and those who believe that women have the right to lie to abortion.

Proposed Resolution

According to the BBC Ethics: Arguments in Favour of Abortion, (2013). This argument reminds us that even in the abortion debate, we should see women as humans, not just as fetal containers. Therefore, we need to consider their rights and needs, as well as the rights and needs of the fetus. The solution, in that case, is to help people, especially those rooted in religion, understand that women do not commit murder. Women simply want to be seen as humans and do not want to be seen as inanimate objects. If a man does not know what a woman will experience during pregnancy, how can a male political or religious figure be a determinant of women's rights? According to Sarah Weddington in Roe v. Wade, “A pregnancy to a woman is perhaps one of the most determinative aspects of her life. It disrupts her body. It disrupts her education. It disrupts her employment. And it often disrupts her entire family life (Ripples of Hope).” We have to help others understand, especially men that it is the constitutional right of people to decide decisions of their own bodies. Therefore, it is a woman's right to determine if an abortion is necessary.

Personal Position and Conclusion

Women often succumb to family, social and religious pressures and choose not to have an abortion. However, the decision of having an unwanted child has as serious consequences as the decision to have an abortion. First of all, unwanted children do not get the same level of affection, care, and affection as planned children. This is especially true for rape pregnancies where the child reminds the mother of the crime. Therefore, children born of unwanted pregnancies are at increased risk of being abused by other families such as parents and grandparents.

The birth of an unwanted child and putting them up for adoption is one of the options women consider, but it also has serious implications for children and mothers. The child can be placed in overcrowded care facilities and mothers live with the guilt of letting go of their children. If a woman decides to raise her child alone, it is a great emotional and moral responsibility. Parenting can be very expensive, especially if parents are teenagers and have no source of income. This can adversely affect the quality of life for both children and parents. After all, mothers have to live with the consequences of giving birth to unwanted children. Therefore, she should also be allowed to make her choices without fear of her lifelong retaliation or witch-hunting.

Although the rights of mothers today from a legal point of view are increasing, the right to life of the fetus is protected not only by law but also by most major world religions. Women may choose to give birth under social, family, and religious pressure, but unwanted children are generally treated worse than planned children. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the rights of the child both prenatally and postnatal. As such, the rights of a child need to be protected before as well as after birth for their moral status to hold any sincerity. Giving mothers the right to determine if they can be good mothers, to give their children the right level of love and affection, and to support them at all levels as responsible parents will empower young women to lead more stable lives as well as ensure that the children born into this world have functional, and not dysfunctional, families to take care of the child.

References

1. Alan Guttmacher Institute. (2012, January). Facts on Induced Abortion. Retrieved September 30, 2012,BBC. Ethics: Abortion Arguments in Favour of Abortion. (2013). Retrieved from http:www.bbc.co.ukethicsabortionmotherfor_1.shtmlCallahan, S.,