Abortion, a Controversial Word in the US Essay Example for Free

Abortion, a Controversial Word in the US Essay Abortion is one of longest debated subjects in the United States. Everyone has an opinion on it. Abortion is the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus to end a pregnancy. Some are pro-choice and some are pro-life. Everyone has seen the protestors on sidewalks and in front of clinics with their signs for the pro-life side. We live in the United States, where we have the right to choose; therefore Abortion is legal. Some may still consider Abortion as murder, but still woman have a right to choose what they do with their own bodies. Pro-life group feel that the women should continue the pregnancy, have the child, and either deal with it when it is born or put it up for adoption. Pro-choice group feel that women have a choice to have an abortion if the feel like that is the right option for them. This paper will discuss the argument of Pro-Choice and why it is the best option for the United States. A lot of people may disagree with the Pro-choice status, but there are many reasons why a woman should have a say in what she does with her own body. Pro-choice is best option because it keeps abortion legal in the United States. See more: The stages of consumer buying decision process essay Obviously, there are some restrictions set in place. 32 states require a parental consent for minor undergoing an abortion. The highest percentages of women who receive abortions are Caucasians, unmarried and within the age range 0f 20 – 25. The period of most received abortions is within the first 8 weeks of gestations. Most women have abortions because a pregnancy would drastically change their lifestyle and/or they are not in a financially stable place in their life. Most abortion clinics will not perform a procedure after 8 weeks. There is now a drug called mifepristone that can be taken orally that is an alternative to a surgical procedure and most women have opted for this. This drug must be taken before 7 weeks. There is a confidentiality agreement between patients and clinics that must be signed. Mandatory counseling before and after procedures are performed. Post abortion birth control methods are discussed and put in place so abortions and unplanned pregnancies can be prevented. There are different types of birth control or a contraceptive that can suit the woman it all depends on what is best for her. The different types of options available are male/female condoms, daily pills, injections, patches, implants, vaginal rings, or abstinence. All of these things come into play when women are making the choice. (Richard, J. R. , 1994) Women choose abortion for many reasons. These reasons could make their decision painful for them, but to them they feel like this was best. Abortion could be the best option for many reasons such as, rape, incest, or health issues. If a woman has been raped she should not have to carry out such a painful reminder of what has happened to her everyday. Incest could be viewed in the same way, not only that there could be something wrong with the child. As well as health issues, such as an ectopic pregnancy, this could be a life threatening pregnancy to the woman and/or the baby so the pregnancy should be terminated. All of these are reasons that a woman should have opted for abortion, but what if she just simply is not ready for a child. Does this make her a bad person because she opts to have an abortion because she is not financially stable or whatever other reason hinders her from carrying out this pregnancy? Women can be at various stages in their life just like men can be, and they may not be ready for their whole life to be changed by pregnancy and raising a child so they opt for abortion. There are many reasons women make the decision, but no one should judge them but themselves. Many people feel as though abortion is murdering a child. They feel as though the woman who has chosen to have the abortion has taken the fetuses right to a life. Most people who are pro-life feel very adamant about the abortion subject and feel like it should be illegal in the United States. A lot of pro-life people have religious beliefs that come into play when the make their decision to become pro-life. Religious groups and Pro-life groups will lead protests outside of abortion clinics that can make some woman uncomfortable because the force their opinions on them. (Douglas, D. M. 2002) These protests are a little extreme; a woman should be able to make up their own mind in a calm environment. No matter what the side everyone is entitled to their own view and opinion, but what it all comes down to is the woman’s decision and what she decides to with her own body. Pro-life groups and religious groups are using the Laci Peterson case as a pawn in the abortion debate recently. This was brought up in the debate because of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004. This means that a person who kills a woman carrying a fetus well into pregnancy, that fetus is treated as a human in criminal proceedings. This person would be convicted of two separate crimes, one of the woman carrying the fetus and then the fetus itself. This has been brought up in the abortion debate because why is this consider murder, but abortion is not. The answer is simple, abortions cannot happen after a certain point in pregnancy. The woman choosing an abortion is dealing with her own body, making her own decision. On the other hand in a violent criminal situation as the Laci Peterson case, there was no choice here, but a man killing an innocent woman who happened to be very pregnant and she did not make that choice. â€Å"To take away the woman’s right to choose could result in destroying the woman’s life, thereby ruling that the fetus is more important than the woman† (Planned Parenthood). This cannot be compared to abortion in anyway whatsoever. Abortion is such a controversial issue in the United States. It is almost like a cuss word that should not be brought up at the dinner table. It is always a hot topic for political and Presidential candidates. It is definitely something that is a complicated subject here in our society. Abortion gets so much scrutiny, but why. People have the choices to get all kinds of crazy plastic surgeries that puts their life in danger while â€Å"under the knife† so to speak. Why shouldn’t a woman have the option to do what she wants with her body? It is her body and no one else’s. Obviously there should be some certain humane ways to do these things and safety precautions, but if she is not ready for a child or for whatever reason is hindering her from carrying out this pregnancy it’s no one else’s business but her own and her doctor’s. Yes some may not agree with that woman’s decision, but it was her decision. People disagree about things all the time, and this will just have to be another. Deontology would solves this ethical issue of Pro-choice versus Pro-life. â€Å"Deontology is the study of moral obligation and necessity, finding the source of ethical correctness in the rules according to which one acts. It rejects utilizing the results or consequences of an act to evaluate an act as moral; thus it is a non-consequentialist theory† (Mosser, K. 2010. Introduction to ethics and Social responsibility. Glossary). Basically it means that this is what the person or woman feel she has to do, like she is out of options. Yet, utilitarianism could also apply here as well because if the abortions are going to bring about the greatest goods for the woman then it is best. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that determines the moral value of an act in terms of its results and if those results produce the greatest good for the greatest number. As consequential theory, it is contrasted with non-consequentialist theories† () Basically if the outcome will provide the greatest amount of good to everyone it affects then it is best. Emotivism could not solve this issue because the woman is a subject of judgment no matter which choice she chooses whether it be abortion or not. â€Å"Emotivism is the perspective on ethics that moral evaluations are merely expressions of approval and disapproval, and that ethics is constituted solely by these expressions† (Mosser, K. 2010. Introduction to ethics and Social responsibility. Glossary). Abortion is a heated debate that has continued across the United States and will continue probably for years to come. Pro-choice is the best choice for The U. S. because it keeps abortion legal in the States even f the controversy rages on. Women have a right to chose what they do with their own bodies no matter what their reasoning. They should not be judged for their decisions either. Their decision to have an abortion is for the greatest good or because they are out of options in their own lives. Therefore Pro-choice and legal abortion should continue in the United States.