Abortion Essay Essay, Research Paper

Religion Ethics Essay

Today abortion is one of the options available to woman who have become pregnant, but to not wish to keep it. So the activists say. Today abortion is a very serious social and moral issue, but it doesn’t just relate to woman who don’t wish to proceed with pregnancy, it relates to young teenage mothers incapable of giving birth. It relates to problems that may arise within the pregnancy, and it relates to a serious matter of whether the mother or child will survive labour or not. What many activists don’t understand is that abortion is in many ways a very justifiable option for woman to use in terms of medical situations.

Today there are many debates on whether abortion should be legal or not and both sides have very convincing arguments in relation to their view of this procedure. Firstly, the reasons to be against abortion are of both moral and lawful reasons. Many believe that abortion is wrong because it is blatant murder of a life. This is true, but many people then debate on when the fetus is considered human. The church and a large majority of scientists say that fetus is considered human the very instance that it is conceived.

In a legal case Roe vs Wade, the word ‘person’ is meaning everyone that is alive outside of the mother’s womb, so therefore the fetus is not human until it is able to exist outside the womb. And in many criminal cases the word ‘person’ is used to label one that was born alive. So there is much debate of this meaning. I feel that every individual has there own meaning of human or person and they should act in relation to their definition and this may mean that many feel that the fetus is not human and therefore abortion is an option.

However, this law has taken a dramatic twist and there is now a statute in relation to unfair abortion of a fetus in the United States. This means that the fetus is now as equal or more important than the mother is. However, the court must grant personhood to the fetus for abortion to be considered murder.

The church is strongly against abortion, but if you read Genesis 2:7 it states, “The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became living soul.” This taken literally means that a fetus is not a person, it is a soul until it can take its own first breath. Also, the Bible never actually mentions the term abortion. So, how can we initially follow the church’s teachings when it isn’t defined or presented within the teachings?

Another reason for being an activist towards abortion is of the complications that may arise after. It has been proven that many women have suffered bleeding and severe pain after and abortion. Although most follow the check up procedures some develop a problem, which may leave them unable to conceive again or they may have trouble with future births. This is a very sad result from this procedure and many women suffer ‘post abortion syndrome.’ This means that the woman will go into deep depression and suffer guilt, disappointment, and regret.

There are myths that abortion can lead to breast cancer due to the medications and instruments used. This has been proven to scare some woman out of having an abortion. And another myth is that most woman getting abortions are doing it as a means of birth control, which is considered by me pathetic and a sad display of conscience by people.

An interesting argument however, is that the fetus can feel pain during the abortion. Dr Bernard Nathanson’s video The Silent Scream has received masses of attention, but many of his colleagues and other medical staff claim that this is impossible. This brings us back to when an individual considers the fetus human. If a person considers the fetus human from the beginning, then doesn’t that mean that it has all the feelings, emotions and attributes of a human? Therefore leading to an abortion causing pain and hence considered murder.

There is also the high risk of safety when an abortion is carried out. Many believe that all abortions are unsafe. This is wrong because there are two ways to have an abortion. They are illegally and legally. Illegal abortion is one that involves a non-qualified person to operate or give drugs to a patient that are incorrect or that the patient may be allergic to. There may be a problem with the method used, which may lead to a tear in the cervix, infections, blood clots, a tear in the uterus wall and so on.

A legal abortion is one that is conducted in a hospital with all the correct equipment and correct methods used for the patient. The patient can either have a surgical procedure dependant as to how far into the pregnancy she is or may just need to take two medications that will kill off the fetus. These are significantly safer and there is a lower risk of complications occurring.

There are also the reasons for abortion and many of the above that are used shouldn’t be because they are not able to give a justifiable reason. When a person is raped and a child is conceived, why shouldn’t the woman be able to have a legal and safe abortion? The arguments that it is a child are fair, but shouldn’t a child be made out of love from both partners and not just because of some disgusting and meaningless venture that unfortunately occurred. That woman should have every right because that child is not going to loved, it will be banish and hated, which is not how a child should come into the world.

Also, if rape by a family member was to occur and the child was going to be deformed, there should be every opportunity for that woman to have an abortion. The risk of the genetic make-up in the fetus being too alike can lead to complications for the child throughout its entire life. This may lead to the child living a life of reticle and may possibly lead to the child being depressed and perhaps result in a suicide to the extreme.

If there is a high risk that the child is going to have genetic diseases that result in the child only living for up to 10-15 years why is it shunned upon that the mother should have the option to terminate? The birth of a deformed or Down Syndrome child or any mentally disabled child may be the same as a normal labour, but what right to we have to give birth to a child that is going to have a death sentence. That is not fair on the child and on the parents. However those parents that do bring Down Syndrome children and other genetically diseased children into the world are admired by myself as they have great strength to cope with the situation. I personally know that I would be unable to cope and giving a child up for adoption is more devastating to me than abortion.

Another important reason is that if the mother has problems of her own that may cause the death of the child, or of the mother, or of both is another reason why abortion should be legalised. Why should we risk the lives of two, when we know that one can be saved? That is unfair and unjust of people to expect a mother to live every moment of a pregnancy knowing that she could kill her child or vice-versa. The stress that would be built up inside the mother could complicate the labour or the carrying of the child. Unwanted stress should not be impacted on the child or the mother and cause more heartache.

A very controversial argument for the legalisation of abortion is if a young teen becomes pregnant. She can keep the child, but just because her body is ready for child bearing doesn’t necessarily mean that her mind is. Bringing a child into the world is a huge responsibility and there may be thousands of teen mothers out there that are pleased that they have had their child, but when we think teen we think 14, 15 and 16 year olds. However, many girls reach puberty as early as nine, which means they can get pregnant. But how can a nine-year-old possibly look after a child, let alone a fifteen-year-old, when they are considered children themselves.

This may be extreme, but it does happen and something needs to be done about this. This brings me to that some mothers may not be able to support their child and do not wish to put the child up for adoption. The reason may be the emotional changes a child will go through when they discover that the people who have been bringing them up aren’t there real parents. This can cause much distress for the adoptive parents but more so for the child. To bring up a child you have to be able to support them and if that isn’t possible then why can’t abortion be an option if the female is strongly against adoption?

A main reason as to why abortion should be an option is that the mother may have HIV/AIDS and pass it on to their child. What right do we have to bring another child into the world that is going to have a death sentence? It is proven that a HIV/AIDS child will die within ten years of its life and this is the same as bringing a Down Syndrome child into the world. They aren’t going to be able to appreciate life when it is so short. So why put parents through that pain of watching their child die right before them? Once again those parents that chose to continue with the birth and raising of the children I admire. However, there are some people that just know they can’t handle the situation. Why shouldn’t they have the option?

I believe that abortion should be legalised but only for those serious issues that I stated above as reasons for abortion. Just because I am a catholic doesn’t mean I believe every view that the church has. The church encourages us to follow our conscious and I believe that is what I am doing. Abortion is a serious issue in today’s society and if activists were able to understand these reasons for abortion then they may change their minds. They believe in not murdering, but many of the above situations can result in the murder of the child or the mother or both by continuing with birth. I also, believe however, that if someone is using abortion as a means of birth control then they should think about why they are having sex. If someone is responsible enough and old enough to understand sex and indulge in the act then they should be responsible enough and old enough to bring up a child.

In arriving at my decision as to whether or not I would have an abortion I would weigh up the positives and negatives of continuing with the pregnancy or not continuing. As a Catholic I would discuss with a priest as to my position and ask for his blessing on my decision. At the moment there is no question as to whether I would continue with pregnancy. As a student in my final year I have to concentrate on graduating and continuing on to University. Even if I wanted to keep the child my mother wouldn’t allow it as she would not appreciate me settling down. Not completing school and not going for my dreams. Although it sounds selfish right now my education and my future are more important. This is however to allow me to be financially set up for when I do wish to have a child. I couldn’t risk having a child and not being able to support them as I have been brought up to fight for myself which includes financially supporting myself.

When arriving at this decision I realise the callous nature within it as not allowing a life to be free. However I cannot allow life if it isn’t going to be born into a stable and respected environment. Adoption is no option for me as I find that industry disgusting. Adoption encourages the depression of teens and young children as they grow up searching for identity, but to find out that the identity they think they found isn’t theirs it is distressing. I couldn’t live with myself knowing that I am causing a child to struggle with their being. That isn’t fair and just. As my conscious is already set in this belief I feel that I am just in doing what is right by me and by my family beliefs, which have been encouraged by the Church’s teaching of following our conscious. Although there would be people that disagree with this decision I know that they cannot change my mind. I admire those that have the strength to stop their life to bring up another, especially one with a genetic disease or disability.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

WEBLINKS.

(1) Abortion Myths

HTTP://www.top.net/vitalsigns/vsmn.yths.html

(2) Abortion Myths

HTTP://www.apocalypse.berkshire.net/ ifas/fw/9407/myths.html

(3) Medical Abortion

HTTP://www.prochoice.net