Is Abortion Murder? Both Sides of the Argument

Essay by cpc114College, UndergraduateA-, February 2011

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The subject matter of abortion has been particularly controversial in regards to ethical, social and political issues. Abortions occur naturally (miscarriage) or intentionally. These abortions are done because the pregnancy is not wanted (elective), or the pregnancy will endanger the woman's or fetus's health (therapeutic) ("Abortion"). Abortions are now easier, less dangerous, and simpler than they once were, yet there are still arguments both for and against one's choice of abortion. There are many arguments by pro-choice activists who support one's choice in abortion. First off, nearly all abortions allegedly take place in the first trimester of pregnancy, when a fetus cannot live independently. Its health is dependent on the mother's health and cannot be regarded as a separate entity as it cannot exist outside her womb. In an attempt to suppress the idea that abortion is unnecessary because one can always place a child up for adoption, pro-choice activists say that adoption is not an alternative to abortion.

They say this because it remains the woman's choice whether or not to give her child up for adoption. A medical abortion is said to be "a safe medical procedure," ("Planned Parenthood") and has a very small risk of serious complications (nor do they affect a woman's health or future ability to become pregnant). Some of the most convincing arguments involved in abortion relate to cases of rape. Forcing a woman (who was already forced to become pregnant) to go through the pain and torment of conceiving the child of her attacker would cause more psychological harm (Silverman). Some arguments step into a more rights-based stance and consider whether the government should have any say in the situation at all. The argument debates that if the government can force a woman to continue an unwanted pregnancy, can they also force her...