Abortion: Pros and ConsEssay title: Abortion: Pros and ConsntroductionThe practice of abortion was widespread in ancient times as a method of birth control. Later it was restricted or forbidden by most world religions, but it was not considered an offense in secular law until the 19th century. During that century, first the English Parliament and then American state legislatures prohibited induced abortion to protect women from surgical procedures that were at the time unsafe, commonly stipulating a threat to the womans life as the sole exception to the prohibition.Occasionally the exception was enlarged to include danger to the mothers health as well.
Religious Point of ViewIn all three of the worlds major religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, abortion is not permitted. These religions advocate that abortion can only take place if there is a threat to the life of the mother. Another stipulation entails that, after three months of pregnancy abortion can not take place, for after that time period the fetus is given life.
In a passage from the bible (2 Kings 24:2-4) it is stated that, “The Lord sent Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him. He sent them to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by his servants the prophets. Surely these things happened to Judah according to the Lords command, in order to remove them from his presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all he had done, including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to forgive.” (Manasseh, Israels chief executive, had committed one particular sin–advocating the killing of children.) The laws of religion condemn the ending of any human life, no matter what form it is in.
Abortion, as a practice, is strictly prohibited, even in the most liberal of religions. Although the opposition would argue that it is against the concept of “the freedom to choose, but the religions are very clear on this front. The pro-choice movement states that it is a womans choice whether or not she wishes to give birth to the child in question, for it is her body and therefore, her right to choose what to do with it. But the religious leaders have reiterated the word of God, which is very clear on the subject.
Legal Point of ViewNo matter how you look at it, partial birth abortion is murder. If we look at the legal viewpoint, where the battle for life now stands, we see that the laws have followed the whim of the government in office. Legislative action in the 20th century has been aimed at permitting the termination of unwanted pregnancies for medical, social, or private reasons. In the late 1960s liberalized abortion regulations became widespread. The impetus for the change was threefold: (1) Infanticide and the high maternal death rate associated with illegal abortions, (2) A rapidly expanding world population, (3) The growing feminist movement. By 1980, countries where abortions were permitted only to save a womans life contained about 20 percent of the worlds population. Countries with moderately restrictive laws-abortions permitted to protect a womans health, to end pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, to avoid genetic or congenital defects, or in response to social problems such as unmarried status or inadequate income-contained some 40 percent of the worlds population.
Abortions at the womans request, usually with limits based on physical conditions such as duration of pregnancy, were allowed in countries with nearly 40 percent of the worlds population. In the United States, legislation followed the world trend. The moderately restrictive type of abortion law was adopted by 14 states between 1967 and 1972. Alaska, Hawaii, New York, and Washington legislated abortion on request with few restrictions. In 1973 the Supreme Court of the United States, in the case of Roe v. Wade, declared unconstitutional all but the least restrictive state statutes.
Noting that induced early abortions had become safer than childbirth and holding that the word person in the Constitution of the United States “does not include the unborn,” the Court defined, within each of the three stages of pregnancy, the reciprocal limits of state power and individual freedom: (a) During the first trimester, the abortion decision and its effectuation must be left to the medical judgment of the pregnant womans attending physician. (b) After the first trimester, the State, in promoting its interest in the health of the mother, may, if it chooses, regulate the abortion procedure in ways that are reasonably related to maternal health. (c) For the stage subsequent to viability, the State, in promoting
a new policy regarding the care and treatment of pre-term and neonatal cases, may impose an intermediate period during which it may act on the basis of the State’s medical judgment. (d) For the phase or the remainder of gestation, the State may impose an intermediate period, and then terminate the abortion policy. (e) The State may, as an alternative to the termination of the abortion policy, terminate certain methods of maternal care, such as maternal care with certain pregnant womans (including maternal-fetal health organizations, family planning organizations, mental health professionals and licensed providers), the termination of certain abortion pills, the delivery of the gestational fluid over the child’s neck, etc., if the State finds it necessary to do so in order to keep the rights, freedoms, and duties of a mother and her child from being interfered with by those involved in the abortion, (e.g., the parent holding the decision). (4) Paternity shall be determined according to a rational and balanced standard, that will permit, at the time of conception, and during the last 2 years after conception, the mother’s knowledge and ability to provide care that is reasonably related to her progeny’ safety and well-being, (a) under circumstances in which the State’s medical judgments determine that the fetus or child may be viable, (b) within the normal development of the pregnant woman while in a family setting; and (c) on what is considered the best course of care for women and of their unborn children while in a family setting. (5) Except when the mother’s life, health, or the welfare of the pregnant woman are at stake, the State shall not transfer and revoke the rights and freedoms that the State’s medical judgment determines to be beneficial for the best interests of the mother. Any State that violates this section shall be guilty of a Class D felony as determined by an administrative law judge in that State. (6) Except as provided in this section by rule, the decision of the Legislature of the State of Texas, or the General Assembly of the State, shall not be binding on the courts to enact rules in accordance with § 42-4326. (7) The legislature may not issue a rule or regulation with respect to the placement of any part of the public transportation system in an unconstitutionally designed, unlawful, or unsafe position and shall not enter into a contract governing the transportation or distribution of any part of any public transportation system. The House of Representatives shall consider an unconstitutionally constructed, disallowed, or unsafe public transportation system when determining whether to pass legislation in support of the transportation or distribution plan, and shall not adopt a legislative measure of support of such proposal if the transportation or distribution proposal would require the Transportation or Distribution Committee or the Authority within the State to authorize the establishment of another proposed transportation or transportation plan. Such transportation or distribution plan does not have to conform to