Introduction
Historically, abortions have always been a topical issue which produced numerous debates and arguments between people holding opposite views. Gradually this led to the establishment of two general groups of people, namely, the pro-life and the pro-choice (“Can you explain.” 2019). The former believe that life is sacred and it cannot be taken from an innocent person, and therefore, abortion constitutes murder. The latter argue that abortions are an ordinary medical procedure which must be performed by professionals in a safe environment and thus has to be legal. Understanding the positions of these two groups and determining which one is more reasonable and scientific requires researching the topic of abortions more thoroughly.
Position Statement: Pro
People who support the notion that abortions must be legal usually reference three main arguments as the foundation for their conviction. The first one concerns the idea that since the process of pregnancy occurs in a female body, then women should have the right to ask doctors to stop it. Ultimately, every woman must have a choice in her life whether to bear a child or not to do it. Pregnancy is often uncontrollable and can begin even if a person took measures to prevent it. Abortions serve as a radical but the last available method to stop an unwanted pregnancy from developing. Secondly, individuals who support the pro-choice stance contend that a fetus is not conscious and cannot experience pain until the 20th week of gestation (Bellieni, 2019). This means that abortions do not entail any suffering for the fetus, which gets removed from a woman’s body. Finally, people who agree that abortions have to be legal believe that abortions help reduce poverty and allow vulnerable women to advance in society more freely. According to one study, women who did an abortion were less likely than those who kept their child to become pregnant later in their life and receive social assistance (Foster, 2020). Thus, abortions can be viewed not as an inalienable right of women but also as good for society.
Position Statement: Con
The people opposing the idea that abortions have to be legal, on the other hand, rely on a set of different arguments. One of the most common ones implies that life begins not at the point when a fetus becomes conscious of pain but during the stage of fertilization (Gallic, n.d.). An abortion, if viewed from this perspective, becomes an act of murder and can be classified as homicide and, therefore, must entail legal implications for the woman and the doctor. Additionally, pro-life supporters argue that every abortion is a dangerous procedure which can lead to considerable negative effects on the health of a woman. For example, doctors’ mistakes may trigger certain medical conditions such as blood infections which can be potentially lethal. Another popular argument of those against the procedure concerns the idea that abortions come into conflict with their religious beliefs. Essentially, such people may say that performing an abortion is against God’s will and the principles of righteous living.
My Position on the Issue
Personally, I can relate to both of the positions since I have friends and family members who adhere to both pro-choice and pro-life groups. Yet, as an individual who respects women and believes that their rights are essentially human rights, I support the idea that abortions have to be legal. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, scientific research shows that a fetus is unable to experience pain before it is five months old. Therefore, doing an abortion before 20 weeks, in my view, is permissible and has to be an option for women willing to stop their pregnancy.
References
Bellieni, C. V. (2019). New insights into fetal pain. Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 24(4), 1–16.
Can you explain what pro-choice means and pro-life means? (2019). Planned Parenthood.
Foster, D. G. (2020). The turnaway study: Ten years, a thousand women, and the consequences of having—or being denied—an abortion. New York, USA: Scribner.
Gallic, K. (n.d.). Life begins at fertilization. Thanks, science!