Introduction
Giving birth to a child is like creating a long-term project in which deadlines are fixed, expenses are calculated, and all tasks are divided between participants. However, it does not always work this way as the required resources might not correlate with one’s circumstances. In this case, the upcoming project turns into a backbreaking burden for its principal participant, the mother. Such a situation results in her desire to seek an abortion, which becomes a real challenge. Society’s views on the matter differ, and the lack of unity becomes a barrier to women who cannot afford to have a baby for various reasons. Hence, the position of pro-life activists insisting on restrictions seems to be reasonable but the approach of pro-choice supporters is more beneficial in terms of eliminating risks considering accompanying abortion.
Legal Side of Abortion
The efforts of pro-life activists to restrict abortions over the past decade were successful. They resulted in the adoption of laws relating to abortion and allowed the government to control the choices of women. The initiative of pro-life activists helped to ensure their informed consent with the consequences of such actions (Swank, 2020). The existing legislation in various states represents different restrictions related to abortion but all such laws are intended to help women to avoid unnecessary risks for health. The unified practical implementation of these restrictions remains to be agreed upon in the future but the initiative seems to be positive in terms of the support of pregnant women.
Restrictive legislation as a measure to prevent uninformed choices regarding abortion is accompanied by the assistance of the government. Biggs, Gould, and Foster (2013) claim that the most common reasons for American women to seek abortions are financial and housing limitations. Therefore, this type of assistance is one of the extremely beneficial measures of assistance to expectant mothers, especially if they are single. Such a policy of the government allows women to change the decision to seek abortions in the case when financial circumstances are the only reason for it (Biggs et al., 2013). These provisions complement restrictive legislation, and they can make a difference in the long run.
The Effect of Legislative Restrictions
The measures aimed at providing positive results seem to be efficient but they bring several serious issues relating to the safety of women. They are connected to differences in legislation in various states (Swank, 2020). Thus, gestational restrictions have led to the emergence of such an issue as refusal to make an abortion due to a fetal anomaly, which is mostly diagnosed in the second trimester (Gawron & Watson, 2017). pre-viability bans have made women travel to other states in cases when abortion is reasonable by the conclusion of a doctor. Hence, the biggest problem is not the accompanying inconveniences but the possibility of violating women’s right to access safe, legal abortion when required (Beckman, 2017). Therefore, this situation implies a search for compromise while ensuring rights.
Women sometimes cannot give birth to a healthy child due to the emergence of a fetal anomaly resulting in infant death or disability. Hence, abortion is the only option allowing them and their children to avoid suffering. If bearing a child implies similar health risks and a possible threat to a mother, abortion is justified by the necessity to maintain the good health of the population. Gawron and Watson (2017) claim that the existing legislation related to women’s rights to abortion becomes an obstacle when it is needed. It adds to the necessity to assess each situation individually to make a correct decision that prevents a negative outcome for children.
Religious Concerns of Pro-Life Activists
Religious convictions play a significant role in the emergence of pro-life sentiments, and they have a tremendous impact on the attitude of people towards abortion. Religion is one of the principal factors that define the position of a person and their belonging either to pro-life or pro-choice activists (Swank, 2020). The interrelation of religion and political trends, in turn, is defined by their seemingly common objective. The belief in the necessity to obey God’s law and its installation in society with the help of the government is the main scope of action of religious people (Swank, 2020). They are guided by the idea of a better afterlife, which is possible only in case one is living by the Commandments of God.
Compliance with God’s law is a positive phenomenon for the life of society and it can be used to regulate such issues as abortion. The restrictions on these actions are, therefore, based on the Christian notions of good and evil. As religion is one of the key underlying philosophies of life in the present-day world and its laws are respected by the majority of citizens (Swank, 2020). Hence, it can be a mechanism regulating societal issues with the help of the government. It tends to support current political trends relating to abortion and provides more evidence that the idea of restrictions is right.
Failure of Religion to Promote Love
One of the consequences of applying religious convictions to abortion is the failure to promote love, which is an essential part of religion. Thus, the vulnerability of women to rape should be viewed as a serious ground for the lack of intention to keep a child (Basile et al., 2018). Otherwise, the refusal to justify abortion in the case of pregnancy from nonconsensual sexual intercourse will not contribute to a mother’s affection. Moreover, a forced continuation of the pregnancy will lead to bad maternal and child outcomes, low birth weight, and fetal, infant, or maternal death (Basile et al., 2018). Under such circumstances, it is critical to provide support and healthcare services for women, and abortion is one of the reasonable measures.
The consequences of neglect of these issues are severe, and abortion is a more humane method to avoid them. Such a traumatizing experience as rape resulting in pregnancy also implies psychological issues for both mothers and children. A child born from non-consensual sexual intercourse might become a constant reminder of this episode for their mother. Every time she will look at the child, she will see a face that is like the face of her abuser. This situation will lead to the mother’s inability to express love for him or her. Needless to say, the process of the upbringing of such a child would be accompanied by regrets of the impossibility of abortion in the past due to specific restrictions.
Attempts to Keep Traditional Values
The majority of pro-life activists are the ones who want to keep traditional gender roles through abortion opposition. Their views are characterized by conservative gender expectations, and they indicate the role of a woman who is supposed to become a mother (Swank, 2020). This role is one of her primary tasks from the perspective of people supporting traditional values. Indeed, the well-being of society is directly connected to the appearance of its new members. This fact contributes to the emergence of pro-life ideas among the supporters of traditional families as the basis for the country’s prosperity. Similar intentions are complemented by the concerns of pro-lifers about premarital sex or the divorce rate, which are becoming global problems of society. The considerations given above are supposed to be sufficient to deny the right to abortion.
Impossibility to Keep Traditional Values
Financial circumstances have an impact on a woman’s decision to seek abortion and make the traditional values inapplicable. They are directly connected to such indicators as the employment rate and level of education that replaced the necessity to be married. Such circumstances can also become serious obstacles to child-bearing for modern women. This allows concluding on the interdependence of the external environment worsened by the absence of a spouse and the choices related to child-bearing. Thus, economic crises can be the reason why women choose to seek abortions (Biggs et al., 2013). Their actions in these situations are quite reasonable as the task is not only to give birth to a child but also to raise him or her.
Conclusion
The decision to seek abortions and its legitimacy is a controversial issue influenced by pro-life and pro-choice activists. Both groups have substantial grounds for their beliefs but pro-choice arguments seem to eliminate the risks for pregnant women more efficiently. At present, the restrictions do not guarantee safety, and religious and traditional values do not solve arising problems. Hence, to ensure a positive outcome, they should be reconsidered. Until then, pro-choice initiatives seem more promising.
References
Basile, K. C., Smith, S. G., Liu, Y., Kresnow, M. J., Fasula, A. M., Gilbert, L., & Chen, J. (2018). Rape-related pregnancy and association with reproductive coercion in the US. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 55(6), 770-776.
Beckman, L. J. (2017). Abortion in the United States: The continuing controversy. Feminism & Psychology, 27(1), 101-113.
Biggs, M. A., Gould, H., & Foster, D. G. (2013). Understanding why women seek abortions in the US. BMC Women’s Health, 13(1), 29.
Gawron, L. M., & Watson, K. (2017). Documenting moral agency: A qualitative analysis of abortion decision making for fetal indications. Contraception, 95(2), 175-180.
Swank, E. (2020). Gender, religion, and pro-life activism. Politics and Religion, 13(2), 361-384.