The Ethics of Abortion: A Philosophical and Legal Analysis

Abortion has been an issue for many years. Some states in America have even placed restrictions on abortions, making them illegal. This issue has started movements around the nation such as the “Pro-Choice', and “Pro-life.” Both sides have protested and stated their opinions and concerns about abortion. Here are three points that concern us as people. First, many people are concerned about how abortions could affect a woman’s physical and mental health. Second, others are concerned about opinions coming from both males and females regarding a women's body and her choices. Third, people are questioning whether the father is held as accountable for the pregnancy as the mother. At the end of the day, who really has the right to make a choice for a woman over her own body and life?

Health is a very serious topic when it comes to abortion. The main reason it is very serious is the procedure. In any medical procedure, there are obviously medically trained doctors. Before this specific procedure, you receive pain medicine and possible antibiotics. During the procedure, a suction tube gently removes any tissue from the uterus. This usually only takes about five to ten minutes. Although this procedure might seem quick and simple, it must be done cautiously. If abortion were legal nationwide, women (who choose to) can safely get an abortion at a trained clinic, instead of risking an infection or something more severe from trying to perform the task at an unqualified location, also known as a back-alley abortion. Besides physical health, mental health can also have its part. Unfortunately, rape is very common. Statistics show that one out of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. The results of this action could lead to trauma and rape-related pregnancies (RRP). In moments like these, the victim could suffer from depression, anxiety, or even Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The last thing the victim needs is to stress over a pregnancy that was against her will. Some people might not have a strong affection for a child that was conceived from rape since he or she couple possibly brings back memories of such an unpleasant event.

On the other hand, some people question the opinions that come from both males and females over her own body. It is difficult for males to understand what it is to be a woman and how complex the ovaries are. Anatomy will show you a diagram, but nothing compares to having the actual ovaries. Last May, there was a large protest outside the Montgomery Capital Building after Alabama banned abortion. During the protest, there was a female lawmaker stated, “We do not police men's bodies the way we police women's.” The lawmaker was referring to how these laws are being passed with Alabama’s population being 51% female, but out of the 35 seats in the Alabama Senate only four of those are held by females. A protester by the name of Travis Jackson was one of the few males that joined the protest. He stated that “Women are the only experts when it comes to their bodies…. Believe women, trust women. If they're telling you they feel a certain way or that this is their experience, you as a man don't get to say no.” He continued to say that when it comes to the abortion debate, males should just say it is a woman’s right to choose.

Lastly, how accountable are both parents? Some people will say it is wrong to abort because parents must take accountability for their actions and raise their children. On the other hand, both parents are held up to this same expectation. Biologically speaking, it takes a male to inseminate a female in her ovaries to begin a pregnancy. If it takes two to conceive, shouldn’t it take two to raise? In the absence of a parent, there can be many issues. One of the main issues is financial. The average cost of a baby in her or him first year is about $12,000. For many, that money can be a bit difficult to obtain for a single parent who must work and still be attentive to her or his child, but other parents might not be in a position to handle all those costs. This may lead to high-stress levels and even conflicts. If a child is going to be brought into this world, he or she should be raised with love and affection. These things might be hard to obtain if there is instability in the way.

Abortion will definitely continue to be a problem around the nation for many years to come. We will continue to hear opinions from both the pro-life, and pro-choice movements as they continue to shift, grow, protest, and voice their beliefs, or even watch how the government intervenes. Whether we as people are concerned about how abortion can affect a woman’s physical or mental health, opinions coming from both males and females or even about the parental accountability of both the mother and father, we see that abortion can be a way out of many of these problems. At the end of the day, females have the biggest say in what they wish to do with their bodies. It’s just a matter of time before all people will see it.

Works Cited

1. Harris, Diane. “The Cost of Raising a Baby.” The Cost of Raising a Baby, Parenting, https://www.parenting.com/pregnancy/planning/the-cost-of-raising-a-baby/.
2. Parenthood, Planned. “What Happens During an In-Clinic Abortion?” Planned Parenthood, https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/abortion/in-clinic-abortion-procedures/what-happens-during-an-in-clinic-abortion.
3. Prasad, Ritu. “Alabama Abortion Ban: Should Men Have a Say in the Debate?” BBC News, BBC, 18 May 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48262238.
4. “Scope of the Problem: Statistics.” RAINN, https://www.rainn.org/statistics/scope-problem.
5. “Understanding Pregnancy Resulting from Rape in the United States |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/datasources/nisvs/understanding-RRP-inUS.html.