The landmark decision in Roe v Wade (1963) provided women with the freedom to choose to keep a pregnancy or procure an abortion. Abortion is a legally protected right in the United States, even though; it is criminalized in other countries (Alabama Physicians for Life, 2016). However, as the article indicates, feminists have abused that legal provision by packaging it as an empowerment tool (Alabama Physicians for Life, 2016). Regardless of the moral concerns surrounding the issue, the law has provided women with the freedom to choose.
The medical and healthcare field should ensure the safety of those who decide to keep their pregnancies and those who want to terminate them (Ertelt, 2003). Unfortunately, healthcare systems have prioritized pregnant mothers’ health and welfare and neglected those who choose abortion. While there is advanced prenatal care, complete with properly trained physicians and nurses, there is a shortage of abortion health facilities and practitioners (Ertelt, 2003). As a result, the safety of those who choose to terminate their pregnancies is at risk, even though they are protected by law.
The first step towards changing the situation is training enough personnel to provide abortion healthcare. Medical schools should provide mandatory abortion training to those who choose to pursue reproductive health courses (Ertelt, 2003). It will ensure enough healthcare workers to provide health services to women who choose to abort. Besides, it will reduce the likelihood of women seeking abortion services from backstreet quacks, which poses a significant health risk to them. Secondly, there should be more abortion facilities at the county level. Most services are found in metropolitan areas, and there is a significant shortage in rural areas, meaning that women have to travel long distances to get services (Ertelt, 2003). State governments should invest in enough facilities to improve access to abortion health services, especially in rural areas.
References
Alabama Physicians for Life (2016). Through Laura’s eyes: Abortion’s false promise of empowerment. Web.
Ertelt, S.(2003). Abortion advocates want mandatory abortion training in med. schools. Web.