Introduction
Modern society has already come a long way in its development and continues to evolve. The higher the level of material and spiritual development of society, the more valuable human life is considered in it, and the more humane the society treats each of its members. Today, the problem of abortion is very relevant since this is a question to which international law has not yet found an unequivocal answer. There are two positions:
- those who advocate the freedom of abortion (Pro-choice);
- those who oppose abortion and want a total or partial ban (Pro-life).
Evidence
Women’s Inalienable Right to an Abortion
According to this position, a woman has the right to an abortion as an extension of the right to dispose of her own body. The embryo is neither a person nor a human being. The main ambiguity in this approach is the period after which the embryo should be recognized as a person (Borsani et al., 2019).
Some believe that abortion is morally permissible even if the embryo has the right to life and is human. The most famous version of this argument draws an analogy between forcing a woman to keep an unwanted pregnancy and forcibly using the human body as an incubator. It is also permissible to have an induced abortion of an embryo (which does not have the right to use another person’s body against their will).
Pro-Life Position
Critics of this argument argue that the embryo is the woman’s child and that abortion kills the embryo, not just lets it die. In addition, in the case of pregnancy resulting from voluntary intercourse, the woman thereby gives her automatic consent to the use of her body by the embryo or is obliged to allow the embryo to use her body since it is she who is responsible for the need for the embryo to use her body.
Threat to Mother’s Life
In this case, the arguments in favor of abortion are based on recognizing the secondary importance of the doomed fetus, whose life de facto can no longer be considered fully human. The death of the fetus is formally accelerated in this way, and if the mother’s death is inevitable, then a cesarean section can be tried if there is the hope of saving the child. According to another version, it is necessary to wait for the natural death of the mother and apply respiratory therapy.
Pro-Life Position
This position is sometimes criticized because the preservation of the mother’s life does not give the right to destroy her child, except in cases where there is no other alternative. Moreover, the pro-life position cites a large number of arguments showing the unsafeness of the abortion procedure. At the same time, they do not consider that pregnancy itself can pose no fewer threats to a woman.
Conclusion
We can conclude that, at this point in society’s development, humanity is still not prepared to make a clear decision in favor of one of the two fundamental rights—the right to life and the right to the private side of its manifestation. After considering the complicated and ambiguous issue of abortion, taking into account legal, social, medical, spiritual, moral, organizational, and other aspects, and relating this problem to the realization of the right to life in various countries around the world. Further in-depth research is required for the best possible resolution of this problem.
References
Borsani, E., Della Vedova, A. M., Rezzani, R., Rodella, L. F., & Cristini, C. (2019). Correlation between human nervous system development and acquisition of Fetal Skills: An overview. Brain and Development, 41(3), 225–233. Web.
Chemlal, S., & Russo, G. (2019). Why do they take the risk? A systematic review of the qualitative literature on informal sector abortions in settings where abortion is legal. BMC Women’s Health, 19(1). Web.
Xie, K., & Xie, K. (2021). Premarital abortion, what is the harm? The responsibilisation of women’s pregnancy among China’s ‘privileged’ daughters. Embodying middle-class gender aspirations: Perspectives from China’s privileged young women. Springer Singapore, 124(35), pp. 77-108. Web.