Introduction
Abortion is the removal of a fetus or embryo for whatever reason before it is the right time for it to survive outside the womb. Abortion can happen through miscarriage, deliberate termination, or accidental ending. During the ancient period, people used various methods to carry out miscarriages. In the 20th century, safe and legal forms of medication were used to induce abortion.
Abortion was legalized in the US by the Supreme Court, whereby the case of Roe v. Wade was marked as a landmark that promoted the autonomy of women carrying out an abortion. Recently, some states have legalized abortion by establishing laws that limit the gestational age within which abortion can be carried out. However, some states are not willing to decriminalize abortion, making the case critical.
The controversial decision has been debated over a long period, whereby the pro-life groups argue that guaranteeing abortion is an abuse of human life. The pro-choice group supports the idea of the Supreme Court by arguing that women should be allowed to make decisions regarding their bodies as a sign of promoting their health and well-being. The main reason for reviewing the issue of abortion is that it is a critical issue with ethical and social implications in society. The key features of abortion include the responsible person who can make decisions regarding women’s reproductive health and the critical question of when human life begins. Abortion is a critical issue that needs to be addressed to ensure human life is secured ethically and acceptably.
Abortion Perspectives
Different perspectives have explained the rationale behind people’s choices related to abortion ethical dilemmas. The pro-life perspective argues that life begins after conception, and the fetus has the right to life. A person can use the rationale that abortion violates human rights and that human life is sacred; therefore, it should be protected (Simball & Abad, 2023). The significance of the pro-life perspective to the nursing profession is that nurses have the role of protecting human life.
The pro-choice stance asserts that women ought to have the freedom to decide matters concerning their reproductive organs. The rationale that a person can use to support this perspective is that women should make decisions that promote their health and well-being. These decisions should not be interfered with and should be supported with resources and policies promoting autonomy (Suri & Singh, 2022). This perspective is significant to the nursing profession because it is the nurses’ duty to guide patients in making informed decisions related to their health.
The medical perspective argues that there are circumstances that force abortion to occur. The rationale that a person may use to support the abortion dilemma is that abortion can be carried out in critical conditions that are medically guaranteed. The significance of the medical perspective to the nursing profession is that it is the role of nurses to offer safe abortion medical procedures (Munro et al., 2020).
The moral perspective views abortion as a moral issue, and human life is more essential than taking medical risks, like when the life of the mother is in danger, abortion should be carried out. The rationale that a person should use to support the ethical dilemma related to abortion includes the moral role of people to protect human life (Baba et al., 2020). The significance of the perspective to the nursing profession is that nurses should take the moral responsibility to protect human life.
Differences Between Views
The various views consist of differences that need to be presented. The pro-life and pro-choice views differentiate the fetus’s status. The pro-life view is that the fetus is human since life begins right after conception. After four weeks of fertilization, the preborn baby develops limbs and eyes (Riper, 2020). Aborting a preborn is viewed as killing already existing life (Riper, 2020).
The pro-choice view argues that women have the right to make decisions regarding their reproductive organs. Research shows that 61% of Americans are pro-choice, whereby 58% of men and 63% of women support abortion (Hartig, 2022). The differences between the two views have created different opinions related to whether it is legal to carry out an abortion or not.
The medical and moral views present different perspectives related to abortion. The medical view suggests that abortion is a result of certain medical conditions that force abortion to take place. 4% of abortions carried out are the result of health issues that mothers undergo (Piper, 2020).
The moral view considers abortion as a moral issue and suggests that human life is more critical than medical choice. 24% of Americans view abortion as a moral perspective that should be accepted (Mohammed et al., 2022). Views related to abortion promote different perspectives that have resulted in controversial debates related to abortion in the US.
Nursing Position
I believe the position I could choose as a nurse is pro-choice. I am sure that women have the right to make decisions regarding their health. This includes having the autonomy to carry out legal and safe abortions. Women should be supported in having safe abortions by creating supportive programs that minimize pain and mental health challenges (Hartig, 2022). Abortions cause unsafe and life-threatening processes that endanger women’s lives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ethical issue related to abortion has been debated due to the rule made in the Roe v. Wade case that guaranteed women the right to carry out an abortion. Different perspectives have been used to explain abortion’s ethical issues. The pro-life perspective argues that abortion is an abuse of human life since life is considered to start after conception. The pro-choice view maintains that women have the right to make their own choices about their reproductive health.
References
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Hartig, H. (2022). About six-in-ten Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Pew Research Center. Web.
Mohamed, B., Hartig, H., Schiller, A., & Beveridge, K. (2022). America’s abortion quandary. Pew Research Center. Web.
Munro, S., Guilbert, E., Wagner, M. S., Wilcox, E. S., Devane, C., Dunn, S., & Norman, W. V. (2020). Perspectives among Canadian physicians on factors influencing implementation of mifepristone medical abortion: a national qualitative study. The Annals of Family Medicine, 18(5), 413–421. Web.
Piper, K. (2022). Pro-life and pro-choice: What does it mean? Focus On the Family. Web.
Simball, L. J. L., & Abad, T. C. T. (2023). The right to life of the unborn child from a human rights perspective. Centro Sur, 7(2). Web.
Suri, M., & Singh, S. A. (2022). Analysis of Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice Debates: Abortion and LGBTQIA Rights. Issue 3 Int’l JL Mgmt. & Human., 5, 1409. Web.
Watson, K. (2019). Abortion as a moral good. The Lancet, 393(10177), 1196–1197.