Ethical Issues On Abortion

When does a person’s life begin? This is the pivotal question that underlies the issue of abortion. In the United States, it is currently legal for a woman to request an abortion before the third trimester. A third trimester starts at four months. The Supreme Court legalized abortion in the case of Roe v. Wade (1973). Although it is legal, abortion is an ethical issue that causes tension amongst groups. The quality of life of the woman should be the utmost concern in the case of abortion.

Abortion is killing the ‘potential life’ of the fetus. This is one of the main arguments for why it should be illegal. The terms ‘potential life’ does not have a steady foundation for this case. The word only allocates possibility, not fact. A fact is a woman

If abortions were illegal, it would increase the amount of back alley abortions. Women put themselves at risk because they feel like they would not be fit to be a mother. “Approximately 80,000 women die annually due to complications arising from non-clinical abortions” (Sutkowi, par. 7). This number is world wide, and if it were to be illegal in the United States, then it would create an even enormous number. There are too many complications that occur during nonclinical abortions, a woman is at risk for permanent complications. Disability and damage to the internal organs are some of the major ones (Sutkowi, par. 8). A woman needs protection from seeking desperate measures. She should be able to choose a practice that is secure and safe, instead of having to choose one that puts her at

This was followed by a discussion of different cases and circumstances. At the end, we raised our hands on whether abortion should be allowed in each situation. There was a sweeping consensus that abortion should be legal in four of the cases. The cases covered mental status, physical health, emotional trauma, and socioeconomical status of the mother. The case that had the most dispute was the situation in where the mother has a college degree and a steady job. She also had consensual sex with the guy and requested no further contact by choice. This was the most challenging to discuss because the condition of the woman was in good standing. If a woman is fully capable of making a decision, one of them should be the right to have an abortion. A woman should be able to make a choice on what to do with the fetus she is carrying. It is her body. When a woman chooses to have sex, her punishment should not be forcing her to carry on with a pregnancy. If a woman is pregnant, it is not just another day. It is a commitment. A pregnancy causes a woman to have hormones fluctuation, body altercations, morning sickness, and possible emotional attachment. This should not be the penalty for one mistake. A woman should have free will on what happens to her