Abortion Essay, Research Paper

The Moral Issue Of Abortion

Abortion is the ending of pregnancy before birth and is morally wrong. An abortion results in the death of an embryo or a fetus. Abortion destroys the lives of helpless, innocent children and is illegal in many countries. By aborting these unborn infants, women are hurting themselves; they are not allowing themselves to meet these new identities and unique personalities. Abortion is very simply wrong. Everyone is raised knowing the difference between right and wrong. Murder is wrong, so why isn’t abortion? People argue that it is not murder if the child is unborn. Abortion is murder since the fetus being destroyed is living, breathing and moving. Why is it that if an infant is destroyed a month before the birth, there is no problem, but if killed a month after birth, this is inhumane murder?

There are different forms of Abortion the first three forms are for early Abortions, and the last four are for late abortions:

Vacuum Curettage: powerful suction tube inserted through the cervix and into the womb. The unborn child is torn apart by the force of the suction; the fetal body parts and placenta are sucked into a jar. Possible complications include infection, cervical laceration and uterine perforation.

Mifepristone: also known as RU-486, the chemical causes an abortion by interfering with the function of the placenta, starving the unborn child to death. Prostaglandins are then administered to expel the fetus. This method of abortion takes place over the span of several days; the average woman using it bleeds heavily for more than nine days, but some women have bled for over four weeks. Mifepristone is just beginning to be used in the US. Long-term health risks are not yet known.

Methotrexate: though not approved by the FDA for this use, a methotrexate injection kills the unborn child by interfering with the growth process (cell division). Several days later, the woman is treated with prostaglandin (misoprostol) suppositories to expel the fetus; the woman then aborts the child at home: It also requires three visits to a doctor to complete the process.

Methods of Late Abortion:

D&E: the cervix is pried open. Using forceps, the abortionist tears the child out of the womb, limb by limb. The child is then reassembled to assure that no fetal parts are left inside. Possible complications include infection, cervical laceration and uterine perforation.

Dioxin Induction: involves injecting a lethal chemical directly into the baby’s heart followed by labor induction with prostaglandin.

Saline Abortion: a long needle is inserted into the woman’s abdomen, and a salty solution is injected into the amniotic fluid. The salt poisons the child, burning its lungs and skin. A dead baby is then delivered within 24 hours. This method is being used less frequently for abortion due to the serious health risks to the woman.

Hysterectomy: like a c-section, an incision is made in the woman’s abdomen. The baby is removed then allowed to die by neglect. This procedure carries the same health risks as a c-section.

700,000 abortions where the child is older than nine weeks are preformed in the United States each year. What is interesting is that 95 percent of the abortions are done as a means of birth control. Only one percent is performed due to rape and one percent is due to fetal abnormalities. The remaining 3 percent are due to the mother’s health problems .

People on the pro-choice side often argue that the child in the womb is not a child until it is born. That has been proven wrong. The child is a person as soon as it is conceived. The moment the sperm unites with the egg, a miraculous process takes place. The cells begin to divide into the genes that will or would make the child unique that would never be duplicated again. How can you say, “It is the mothers choice to have her kid.” You are right it is her choice, don’t have sex. What is a major factor is that most of the abortions are done by women between 14- 24 who have had conceived the child out of wedlock .

We justify killing the innocent children saying that the Earth is overpopulated. No, we are not. If the Earth is getting overpopulated then, why is the standard of living getting better. When we eliminate a child, we could have eliminated a child that could of solved a way to overcome a population problem. It is sad to see this nation fall to moral decay. This nation was founded on Godly principles and as we slowly slip away from the morals that we were built on, we as a people will experience more problems. Why does this nation believe the killing of innocent, defenseless human babies is all right?

Because they have been blinded from the truth!

From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end as a means, is a “criminal” practice (GS 27 # 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life.

Catechism of the Catholic Church – American Translation

Statistics relating to Catholics and the Abortion Issue

CBS/New York Times 1985

79% of Catholics believe a person could be a “good” Catholics even if they disagree with the Church on abortion.

Peter Hart Research 1986

68% of Catholic voters believe that abortion is a private decision mainly up to a woman and her doctor without government interference.

CBS/New York Times 1987

85% of Catholics agree with the statement: “Women can have an abortion and still be a good Catholic”

Alvare, Helen, Wilson, Marle, Wolf, Naomi. “Abortion: Whose Values? Whose Rights?” Tikkun January-February 1997: pp54-60

Merril, Ted. “Abortion; Extreme Views Ignore Reality” Medical Economics 15 July 1996:

p33

Thomas, Judy. “Pro-life Turns Deadly” Newsweek 26 January 1998: p64

Wallace, Bruce. “When One Fetus Lives and One Dies” MacLean’s 19 August 1996:

pp20-21

Abortion Question and Answers-Cardinal O Connor

http://www.thelambsofchrist.com/cardocqanda.html

Abortion, Roe v. Wade, Catholic Bishops

http://www.peopleforlife.org/nccb.html

Political Responsibility For Catholics

http://www.diocese-sacramento.org/cacathcn/bi4.htm