http://www.abortiontv.com/Misc/AbortionStatistics.htm
On this website this shows all the statistics on abortions done yearly and average age a female get s an abortion.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Ajdin's View on Abortion
Abortions Can Be a Good Thing
Abortion is controversial topic in the United States today, mainly because some people think that abortion is murder. When it comes to abortion, there are two categories that people fall under “pro-life” and “pro-choice”. “Pro-life” is the side that is against abortion, and feels that abortion is murder because the baby is a human-being. “Pro-choice” is the side that feels abortion is not murder and that the woman should have the right to choose if she wants an abortion or not. I believe that the woman should have the right to choose if she wants an abortion and no one can say otherwise because it is her body. An abortion can be a good thing, for instance, if the mother has AIDS or any other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), if she gets an abortion that would save the child from an early death or any pain and suffering that the child might endure. Since 1973, abortion has been legal in the United States; since abortion is legal in the United States it should not be considered murder. One of the reasons being is that the United States Supreme Court would not legalize a procedure that kills another, innocent, living breathing human-being (I don’t consider the fetus a living breathing human-being). Another reason abortion is not murder is because the fetus does not possess the qualities that a living breathing human-being does. I want to add that I’m only for abortion if the baby is 28 weeks and younger because that is the point which the fetus becomes viable (Wikipedia). Throughout the essay I will be evaluating abortion, stating the reasons why abortions can be good, and why adoption is not the answer. Abortions are good because it can prevent a child from being born into poverty and it can prevent a child from being born with Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) that were passed onto them from the mother.
Since the Supreme Court legalized abortion in the U.S. in the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, women have benefitted from significant advances in the medical field and now have greater access to high quality services. Typically, the earlier the abortion takes place, the less complicated and safer an abortion is. Here are some statistics about abortions being safe:
The safest time to have an abortion is between 6 and 10 weeks from the last menstrual period (LMP). Serious complications arising from abortions before 13 weeks are quite unusual. About 88% of the women who obtain abortions are less than 13 weeks pregnant. Of these women, 97% report no complications; 2.5% have minor complications that can be handled at the physician's office or abortion facility; and less than 0.5% required some additional surgical procedure and/or hospitalization. Complication rates are somewhat higher for abortions performed between 13 and 24 weeks. General anesthesia, which is sometimes used in abortion procedures, carries its own risks (Dudley, 2002).
All those statistics show that abortions now-a-days are safer than ever because of advances in the medical field, also, because we have learned more about abortions over the years.
An abortion can be a good thing because it can prevent a child from being born into poverty/homelessness. If a child is born into poverty his chances of being successful in life aren’t likely; there are a few exceptions to this, but, they are rare. One of the reasons a child born into poverty might have trouble becoming a successful person is the quality of education they receive. Being poor/homeless can prevent the child from even going to school because of the lack of transportation (assuming the school doesn’t proved buses), or they might not have the supplies necessary to succeed in school (utensils, notebooks, etc...). Also, being born into poverty can mentally affect the child and that can be something that they never get over. For instance, growing up homeless can make the children to turn to drugs to cope with their problems; the drugs can affect the well-being of the child physically and mentally. As author homeless are urban vagabonds, drug-addicted down-and-outers, many of whom rebel against a shelter's hospitality requirements for cleanliness and sobriety” (Marciniak, 2004). Homelessness and mental illness seem to go hand-in-hand. According to Science Daily, one-fourth to one-third of all homeless people are estimated to have a serious mental illness ("Science Daily"). Having an abortion can prevent all these problems from ever occurring.
Another reason an abortion can be a good thing is because it can prevent a child from being born with an Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). According to the American Social Health Association (ASHA), women are more vulnerable to STDs than men are ("American Social Health Association"). That means that the fetus has a greater chance of being born with an STD because women are more vulnerable to them. As well as, “the direct and indirect medical costs associated with the treatment of STDs extremely high, STDs also have a high cost in terms of pain, suffering, and grief” ("American Social Health Association"). If a woman chooses not to have an abortion, her child would suffer because of the STD and live a shortened life; specifically HIV/AIDS. “People with HIV could expect to become ill with AIDS within about 10 years after becoming infected, and then lived only 1-2 years on average after being diagnosed with AIDS” ("HIV InSite") .On the other hand, if woman were to have an abortion, it would save the potential child from any pain and suffering, and the mother future depression/anxiety because of the loss of her child.
On the other hand, pro-lifers (the ones against abortions) feel that the answer to problem is adoption; one problem being a financial one. They see this as the alternative for teenage mothers, opposed to them having an abortion. But, having an adoption can affect the mother more, mentally, than if she were to have an abortion. In 1992, there were 1.5 million babies aborted, and 0.1 million babies put for adoption (Alcorn, 1992). What does this statistic show? It shows that mothers rather have an abortion than put their babies up for adoption. In an abortion there is no connection between the mother and the fetus, emotionally. In an adoption the mother and the child have a brief connection, but that is all it takes. After the adoption the mother might feel depressed because she gave her child away. An adoption is not an easy thing to do for teenage mother, neither is abortion, but at least with an abortion the mother hasn’t made any emotional connection with the fetus.
In conclusion, an abortion can be a good thing. It’s not a negative thing as the pro-lifers make it out to be. An abortion can prevent a child from being born into poverty and suffering from all the negative aspects of a homeless person. Also, an abortion can prevent a child from being born with a STD, which could end the life of the child prematurely. And just to reiterate my previous point, an adoption is not an alternative to an abortion. That being said, that’s why in 1992 there was such a huge margin between babies being aborted and babies being put up for adoption. Deciding to have an abortion is not an easy thing to do for mothers, but, in the long run it is better and easier for the mother than giving her baby away.
Work Cited
Dudley, Susan. "Abortion Is Safe." Opposing Viewpoints: Abortion. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2002. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Wayne State University Library System. 1 Apr. 2010
Marciniak, Ed. "Deinstitutionalization of the Mentally Ill Contributes to Homelessness." Current Controversies: Poverty and the Homeless. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Wayne State University Library System. 1 Apr. 2010
"More Homeless Mentally Ill Than Expected According To UCSD Study: Interventions Urged." Science Daily Feb. 2005: n. pag. Web. 4 Apr 2010.
American Social Health Association. "The Impact of Sexually Transmitted Diseases: An Overview." Contemporary Issues Companion: Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2003. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Wayne State University Library System. 4 Apr. 2010
"What is the Average Life Expectancy of Someone with HIV?." HIV InSite 2010: n. pag. Web.
"Annual Abortions and New Adoptable Babies plus those currently wanting to adopt." (Randy Alcorn, ProLife Answers to ProChoice Arguments, 1992 ).Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Wayne State University Library System. 6 Apr. 2010
"Abortion ." (2010): n. pag. Web. 1 Apr 2010.
This is a link to the trailer of the movie Juno- it shows how some people may deal with abortions in some cultures
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0SKf0K3bxg
Some pro-lifers feel that instead of abortions, people should just have a child and then put it up for adoption
Some pro-lifers feel that instead of abortions, people should just have a child and then put it up for adoption
Bryan's Views on how abortions are not Bad
Abortion is bad? No Way
Abortion is a highly controversial issue with many varying opinions. Many pro-lifers have the opinion that an abortion is inhumane and is the killing of a fetus and that an abortion should never be performed in any case. They feel that an abortion is dreadful every single time that one is performed. These pro-lifers neglect all of the positive aspects of an abortion that actually make abortions good. One important reason that abortions are good is because they give a woman the freedom to do as she wishes with her own body. Another reason is because they save lives in pregnancies in certain cases, help to prevent experiencing further trauma after being a victim of rape, can prevent a child from being raised in extremely poor financial situations, and can prevent children from being born with a sexually transmitted disease. Throughout this essay I will be evaluating the reasons why abortions are good rather than bad because these things are somehow overlooked by the pro-lifers. Pro-lifers must not be biased on the situation at hand.
One of the main reasons why abortions aren’t bad is because if a woman cannot choose whether or not to have a child, she would not have control of her own body. Essentially the government would have control of her body. According to the United States Bill of Rights, a woman has the right to her own body and has the right to do as she wishes with it. So if abortions were not allowed or were prohibited, women’s civil rights would be seriously violated. Also if the government controlled whether or not a woman could have a child, who knows what would happen next? Lowen states:
The ability of a woman to have control of her body is crucial to her civil rights.
Take away her reproductive choice and you step into a slippery slope. If the
Government can force a woman to continue a pregnancy, what about forcing a
Woman to use contraception or undergo sterilization?”(Lowen)
Therefore abortions are good because their availability gives women the right to control their own bodies and ensures equal rights among women and men.
Another reason why abortions are good is because in some cases, they can actually save lives rather than destroying them. This is one thing that these pro-lifers tend to neglect. One of these cases is the case of an ectopic pregnancy. This is a pregnancy in which an embryo gets stuck on the wall of the fallopian tube rather than the wall of the uterus. As the potential human being grows and develops, the fallopian tube will explode and lots of blood will be lost and the mother will die (Wagner 1). In this type of situation the baby that is developing will die regardless of what happens and if the mother does not get an abortion, then she will perish along with the child that is developing in her fallopian tube. So now I pose a question to the pro-lifers: Is an abortion really bad when the baby’s chances of survival are zero and the mother’s life is in jeopardy? The answer to that question is both obviously and logically no. If someone were to say that an abortion is bad in this case, they are absolutely out of their mind. A pro-lifer may say that all abortions are murder and therefore the mother is still committing a murder in this case, making this a bad thing. This is not murder because for one it’s not a human being because it has not developed a heart yet. How can you kill something that is not in existence? The answer to that question is you can’t. So in this type of situation an abortion would definitely be good because it will be saving the life of the mother.
Abortions also prevent a mother from experiencing further trauma in cases of rape, which is very beneficial. Imagine a woman being raped by a man and a child being conceived. There are an abundance of negative psychological effects that result from being raped alone. Studies by the American Psychiatric Association have shown that rape victims are very vulnerable to depression and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (Gorcey ). According to a national study by the University of South Carolina over 30 percent of all rape victims develop post traumatic stress syndrome (Kilpatrick). Having to raise a child after experiencing these psychological effects of being raped, would only compound a woman’s mental problems. A pro-lifer may say: Why doesn’t the woman just have the baby and put it up for adoption after birth? That may not be such a good idea either because this can also lead to stress because the woman will be worried about what type of people she is just handing her child over to. That would lead to even more stress and anxiety in her life. So having an abortion after being raped is not a bad thing because this is protecting her mental state and not forcing her to have a child that she did not want in the first place.
Works Cited
I. Wagner, Steve. “What if the Mother’s Life is in Danger?” N.P., 2005. Web. 9
Mar.2010
II. Almond, Linda. The Abortion Controversy. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomas Gale,
2007. Print.
III. Pomeroy, Claire. “Abortion and Women’s Rights: Unification of Pro-Life and Pro-
Through Feminism.” Serendip, 2004. Web. 24 March 2010.
IV. Lowen, Linda. “Ten Arguments for Abortion and Against Abortion.” The New
York Times Company, 2006. Web. 24 March 2010.
V. M.Gorcey. “Long Term Effect of Rape in 35 Victims.” American Psychiatric
Association, 1985. Web. 25 March 2010.
VI. Kilpatric, Dean. “The Mental Health Impact of Rape.” Medical University of
South Carolina, 2000. Web. 30 March 2010.
VII. Alcorn, Randy. “Arguments Against Abortion.” Multnomah Books, 1994. Web
1 April 2010.
VIII. “Adoption and Abortion.” Answerbag.com. 2008. Web. 1 April 2010.
Abortion is a highly controversial issue with many varying opinions. Many pro-lifers have the opinion that an abortion is inhumane and is the killing of a fetus and that an abortion should never be performed in any case. They feel that an abortion is dreadful every single time that one is performed. These pro-lifers neglect all of the positive aspects of an abortion that actually make abortions good. One important reason that abortions are good is because they give a woman the freedom to do as she wishes with her own body. Another reason is because they save lives in pregnancies in certain cases, help to prevent experiencing further trauma after being a victim of rape, can prevent a child from being raised in extremely poor financial situations, and can prevent children from being born with a sexually transmitted disease. Throughout this essay I will be evaluating the reasons why abortions are good rather than bad because these things are somehow overlooked by the pro-lifers. Pro-lifers must not be biased on the situation at hand.
One of the main reasons why abortions aren’t bad is because if a woman cannot choose whether or not to have a child, she would not have control of her own body. Essentially the government would have control of her body. According to the United States Bill of Rights, a woman has the right to her own body and has the right to do as she wishes with it. So if abortions were not allowed or were prohibited, women’s civil rights would be seriously violated. Also if the government controlled whether or not a woman could have a child, who knows what would happen next? Lowen states:
The ability of a woman to have control of her body is crucial to her civil rights.
Take away her reproductive choice and you step into a slippery slope. If the
Government can force a woman to continue a pregnancy, what about forcing a
Woman to use contraception or undergo sterilization?”(Lowen)
Therefore abortions are good because their availability gives women the right to control their own bodies and ensures equal rights among women and men.
Another reason why abortions are good is because in some cases, they can actually save lives rather than destroying them. This is one thing that these pro-lifers tend to neglect. One of these cases is the case of an ectopic pregnancy. This is a pregnancy in which an embryo gets stuck on the wall of the fallopian tube rather than the wall of the uterus. As the potential human being grows and develops, the fallopian tube will explode and lots of blood will be lost and the mother will die (Wagner 1). In this type of situation the baby that is developing will die regardless of what happens and if the mother does not get an abortion, then she will perish along with the child that is developing in her fallopian tube. So now I pose a question to the pro-lifers: Is an abortion really bad when the baby’s chances of survival are zero and the mother’s life is in jeopardy? The answer to that question is both obviously and logically no. If someone were to say that an abortion is bad in this case, they are absolutely out of their mind. A pro-lifer may say that all abortions are murder and therefore the mother is still committing a murder in this case, making this a bad thing. This is not murder because for one it’s not a human being because it has not developed a heart yet. How can you kill something that is not in existence? The answer to that question is you can’t. So in this type of situation an abortion would definitely be good because it will be saving the life of the mother.
Abortions also prevent a mother from experiencing further trauma in cases of rape, which is very beneficial. Imagine a woman being raped by a man and a child being conceived. There are an abundance of negative psychological effects that result from being raped alone. Studies by the American Psychiatric Association have shown that rape victims are very vulnerable to depression and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (Gorcey ). According to a national study by the University of South Carolina over 30 percent of all rape victims develop post traumatic stress syndrome (Kilpatrick). Having to raise a child after experiencing these psychological effects of being raped, would only compound a woman’s mental problems. A pro-lifer may say: Why doesn’t the woman just have the baby and put it up for adoption after birth? That may not be such a good idea either because this can also lead to stress because the woman will be worried about what type of people she is just handing her child over to. That would lead to even more stress and anxiety in her life. So having an abortion after being raped is not a bad thing because this is protecting her mental state and not forcing her to have a child that she did not want in the first place.
Works Cited
I. Wagner, Steve. “What if the Mother’s Life is in Danger?” N.P., 2005. Web. 9
Mar.2010
II. Almond, Linda. The Abortion Controversy. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomas Gale,
2007. Print.
III. Pomeroy, Claire. “Abortion and Women’s Rights: Unification of Pro-Life and Pro-
Through Feminism.” Serendip, 2004. Web. 24 March 2010.
IV. Lowen, Linda. “Ten Arguments for Abortion and Against Abortion.” The New
York Times Company, 2006. Web. 24 March 2010.
V. M.Gorcey. “Long Term Effect of Rape in 35 Victims.” American Psychiatric
Association, 1985. Web. 25 March 2010.
VI. Kilpatric, Dean. “The Mental Health Impact of Rape.” Medical University of
South Carolina, 2000. Web. 30 March 2010.
VII. Alcorn, Randy. “Arguments Against Abortion.” Multnomah Books, 1994. Web
1 April 2010.
VIII. “Adoption and Abortion.” Answerbag.com. 2008. Web. 1 April 2010.
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