Introduction
In the recent past, the US Supreme Court made a ruling that overturned the Roe v. Wade landmark court ruling that was passed in 1973. The decision became as a surprise to the majority of US citizens, especially women. By abolishing the Roe v. Wade law, the nation deprived people of the right of accessing or practicing abortion. However, before the move to ban pregnancy termination, some of the States had already existing policies that were against engaging in abortion. Even though such regions had the regulations, the mandates were less effective and pregnant women had the ability to travel to other states to secure the services.
When the Supreme Court made the judgment, the states which had some form of restriction opted to abolish the practice fully. The move to prohibit pregnancy termination has received a number of protests from the individuals supporting the act and currently, there are several cases filed by the people to have the decision reviewed. The issue of abortion in the US has remained a challenge yet to be resolved effectively by the government.
History of Abortion
In the past centuries, abortion was part of life and women could easily undergo pregnancy termination. Around the mid-1800s, the common laws favored the practice (“Abortion is Central to the History of Reproductive Health Care in America”). During these periods, practitioners relied majorly on herbs as a way of inducing the removal of the fetus. Being that the medical process was not restricted, the service was mainly offered by midwives who had the required knowledge of terminating the unborn babies especially when pregnancy is roughly below four months. The practice was seen as frequent between 1600 and 1900 whereby the black women who were enslaved performed significant roles including indigenous white females who were trusted by the society to deliver abortion services. However, in about 1860, several strict measures were passed to curb the growing culture of child termination that had become common in the country.
Based on the history of abortion, the rules towards banning abortion directly targeted enslaved black women. The facet proves how the issue of white supremacy was significant in influencing the abolition of abortion in the country (Doepke 354). Although abortion was legal throughout the country until after the Civil War, there were different rules for enslaved Black women than for white women, implying that women of color could not undergo abortion (“Planned Parenthood,” n.d). In other words, only white women had the right over their bodies and could easily procure abortion.
Rise of Abortion Ban
During the period of the Civil War several male physicians associated with Catholic Church to influence the need to abolish abortion in the country. The main focus of the group was to take control of the females’ bodies. The movement aimed at pressuring the state government to initiate regulations that will give male doctors an advantage over their female counterparts. After the professionals succeeded in their call to ban abortion, around 1910, the practice was officially banned in the country. Despite the prohibition of abortion, specific individuals especially white women who came from wealthy backgrounds still had the ability to secure the services while other females including black females had to adhere to the rules of the law.
Legalization of Abortion in the US
The need to facilitate equitable access to abortion services in the country prompted the federal government to consider legalizing the medical practice. Even though abortion was banned, most women still managed to obtain the services in an unlawful manner (Ziegler). During the process, the majority risked their lives because the services were performed with less qualified individuals. Therefore, in the 1960s, the urge to prevent possible harm prompted the rise of the pregnancy termination law. In the year 1973, the US Supreme Court passed a legalized the right to procure abortion across the country.
The ruling termed the Roe v. Wade case made the US women regain power and have control over their bodies. The decision was applauded by most females especially the ones in the employment sector. However, despite the move to legalize abortion, some states imposed strict measures to determine the right period to secure the services and further laid conditions that can enable a woman to terminate the pregnancy (Traub et al.). The Roe decision declared the ban on abortion by states in the US unconstitutional. Afterward, the practice of pregnancy removal became safer and a large number of women had the freedom the access the services.
Despite the breakthrough following the Roe decision, the US Supreme Court established other key holdings to guide the abortion process. In other words, the government created new standards that gave the States the power to restrict abortion practices. For instance, in Texas, the S.B. 8 banned terminating pregnancy that is over six weeks old. Generally, during the mentioned period most pregnant women are not aware. In other words, Texas’ regulation rendered the Roe ruling ineffective because whoever realized pregnancy after six weeks had no right of securing abortion.
Current Situation of Abortion Today
Recently, the US Supreme Court made a significant ruling that overturned the Roe v. Wade decision of 1973. The court eliminated the right which implies that women in the country do not have the right granted to them prior to the Roe landmark ruling. When making the decision, the US Supreme Court maintained Mississippi’s approach to banning abortion which is at 15 weeks of pregnancy. The move was highly influence by judges who are against the right to terminate unborn babies. Therefore, the ruling under the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization effectively ended the privileges women had towards abortion.
Following the overturning of the Roe v. Wade decision, several states have fully banned access to abortion in their territories. For instance, in Oklahoma, the authority has effectively prohibited access to pregnancy termination including the standard of 15 weeks guaranteed by the court (“Roe V. Wade Overturned”). The move to block abortion has been embraced by most states. Even before overruling the Roe decision, there were already 1,336 laws restricting abortion in the country. In other words, the current state implies that there is no ease of accessing the services across the country.
The ban on abortion has prompted reproductive rights to take proactive approaches to enhance access to practice. The majority of the US citizens did not welcome the ruling which overturned the Roe decision since they preferred the process to remain legal (Whitby et al. 344). The support for pregnancy termination is supported by individuals irrespective of their level of education, age, economic or social background. There is rapid response to the action by Supreme Court as most lawyers have filed petitions to challenge the move by the federal government to eliminate the constitutional right to have an abortion. However, since the ruling was made, access to pregnancy termination is prohibited across the country.
Progress on Abortion
Currently, there is no substantial progress has been made on the issue of abortion. There is a continuous disagreement between the pro-choice and anti-abortion people. Since the legalization of the practice in 1973, people still had a diverging opinions which prompted the withdrawal of the rights. In other words, it becomes one step for individuals supporting abortion then followed by a massive short back. The federal is yet to formulate and enforce accommodative abortion law that will ensure both parties’ demands are satisfied.
Roadblocks to Solving Abortion Issue
The issue of abortion in the country has remained a nightmare over the past decades. Several factors have played a significant role in ensuring limited agreement between the pro-choice and anti-abortion people. For instance, determining whether after conception the baby should be considered human or not is a common argument that brings differences (Thomson 40). Based on the pro-life group, believe upon conception, the unborn baby is qualified to be human and has the rights as a person. On the other hand, the individuals supporting the practice perceive the zygote as not human and thus do not have any rights; therefore, it is upon the mother to decide. The conflicting viewpoint has even influenced the law system making it a challenge to formulate an effective stand about the matter.
Similarly, another common roadblock is the politics associated with the practice. The individuals behind the measures including the politicians and judges are sometimes influenced by the politics of the country. In other words, the people do not evaluate abortion as an independent issue but correlate it with ties to favor an election. It is being used as a campaign strategy to influence voters’ choice of leadership in the country. Therefore, it is difficult to develop a common stance on the issue for an effective outcome.
Speculation about Abortion in Future
In the future, the issue of abortion should not be debatable. Both the state and federal laws should be established that align together. In other words, the national government should take charge of the problem and formulate a unified policy. When there is a single regulation in the country, it will be easier to adhere to and follow the stated procedures. Currently, the fact that each state has the capacity to enact its own regulation is making abortion difficult to handle across the country. Therefore, by developing a single rule for the whole country, the government will be able to solve the mystery surrounding pregnancy termination.
Conclusion
In the US, the issue of abortion has been facing controversy. The disagreement from politics, the church, and even society is making it difficult to address the problem. In 1973, the Roe v. Wade decision granted women the right to access safe and equal abortion. However, in 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling plunging the right to disarray. Most states have taken advantage of the current ruling to enact strict measures stopping females from securing abortions. The move has caused a number of people including lawyers to file a petition challenging the Supreme Court’s decision to overrule the Roe decision. The aspect has made the whole country remain in a state of confusion following divergence on the verdict.
Annotated Bibliography
Doepke, Matthias, Michele Tertilt, and Alessandra Voena. “The Economics and Politics of Women’s Rights.” Annual Review of Economics, vol. 4, no. 1, 2012, pp. 339-372. Web.
The article The Economics and Politics of Women’s Rights, addresses core issues related to the abortion. The work covers critical areas including economic and political aspects and how they impact the liberty for women in the country. All the authors are well informed and have relevant knowledge on matters concerning women rights. They have varied understanding on the problem ranging from the government perspective to the society. The piece of work was published in 2012 which makes it relevant considering the fact that during the period the topic of abortion was under debate. Based on the authors’ argument, the advancement in economics has played a significant role in determining the rights of women in the country. Following the context of the piece of work, it is thus relevant for the study.
Thomson, Judith Jarvis. “A Defense of Abortion.” Biomedical Ethics and the Law. Springer, Boston, MA, 1976. 39-54. Web.
The work by Thomson covers the aspect of opposition surrounding abortion practice in the country. According to the author’s article, the most opposition hindering the practice is the belief that a fetus is a human being. In other words, once conception occurs, the unborn baby becomes a human being with rights. The writer has vast knowledge in the area and has published a number of articles. The qualification makes the work relevant and appropriate for studies. The contribution was made in 1976 when the issue of abortion was facing significant controversies across the country. Therefore, the source is credible, reliable, and has a significant objective. In addition, there is a coherent flow of ideas making it easier to comprehend the arguments presented.
Traub, Ariana M., et al. “The implications of overturning Roe v. Wade on medical education and future physicians.” The Lancet Regional Health–Americas, vol. 14, 2022. Web.
The article by Traub et al. examines the implications associated with the action of the US Supreme Court to overturn the Roe decision of 1973. Based on the authors’ argument, the move to eliminate the right significantly affects both the physiological and psychological well-being of pregnant women in the country including their relatives. In addition, the writers iterate that the move will significantly reshape the education landscape in care provision. The authors incorporated statistical framework and analysis to justify their reasoning. The authors have an adequate educational background and high professional profile making them well-informed about the topic. Furthermore, the article was published in 2022, when the country is going through the Supreme Court ruling. Therefore, the piece of work is reliable, objective, and credible for studies.
Abortion is Central to the History of Reproductive Health Care in America. Planned Parenthood, 2022. Web.
The site is an educational platform containing relevant information about the issue of abortion. It has various links on the left side that direct users to specific key subtopics making it suitable for gathering information. Based on the piece of work, abortion is directly connected to American history. It connects the Civil War to the restriction of pregnancy termination in the country. The links provide chronological changes and advancements in abortion from the 1800s to date. Being that it covers all the stages, the article thus becomes credible. Furthermore, it entails some aspects of abortion laws implying that it offers relevant insight into the issue. Therefore, based on the features of the link, it is credible, objective, and reliable for studies.
Roe V. Wade Overturned: Supreme Court Gave States the Right to Outlaw Abortion. Planned Parenthood, 2022. Web.
The site contains research information relevant to the issue of abortion in the US. It covers in detail the aspect of Roe v. Wade’s elimination by the Supreme Court. The site has further links that direct readers to sections having more information. Since the article was published in 2022, it depicts relevant and current issues surrounding the banning of abortion in the country. This facet makes it credible and reliable for academic purposes. In addition, the site explores what follows after the move by the Supreme Court to ban the ease of accessing abortion services. Based on the insight and proper details of the issue on the site including the links on the left side, the platform is effective in providing people with objective information. Therefore, the layout of the site and the details contained make it credible, reliable, and accurate for studies.
Ziegler, Mary. After Roe: The Lost History of the Abortion Debate. Harvard University Press, 2015. Web.
The work by Mary Ziegler examines what happened after the Roe decision. The author effectively examines key aspects including the increased contraceptive pill usage among the women. Furthermore, the writer depicted crucial areas including the pro-life movement, judicial activism and their impact on the social perspective of human rights. The author has incredible education background that makes her well conversant with issues relating to the abortion. The book was published in the time when the controversy about pregnancy termination was in full force. The aspects made the work reliable, credible and accurate for further studies.
Whitby, Orin G., Kealy Korte, and Sharon F. Terry. “Impacts of Overturning Roe v. Wade on Reproductive Health Care.” Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers, vol. 26, no. 7-8, 2022, pp.349-350.
The article by Whitby et al. discusses the impacts associated with the Supreme Court’s action to overturn the landmark ruling of Roe v. Wade of 1973. The authors assessed how the move affected the reproductive health care in the country. All the writers have relevant academic qualifications making their work reliable for studies. They have used several statistical figures to support their arguments. The piece of work was published in 2022 when the case of eliminating Roe decision was undertaken. The aspect makes the article relevant and objective for studies. Therefore, the given piece of work is credible for academic purposes and other research related matters.