Persuasive Essay On Abortion

Abortion laws have always been a controversial subject. Abortion is “the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus” (Definition). The main question brought up when it comes to abortion is, “is abortion considered murder?” There are two sides to the debate on abortion, pro-life and pro-choice. Pro-lifers argue that the unborn fetus has a right to life and they oppose the right to an abortion. Advocates for the pro-choice side fight for women’s rights and their right to have access to an abortion. They believe that women have a right to decide when or even if they have children (Pisacreta). Abortion laws mainly have an impact on pregnant women who are trying to obtain

Bradley published “The Future of Abortion Laws in the United States”. Bradley states that Judith Jarvis Thompson published an article in 1971 that is considered a progressive defense of women’s rights to an abortion. In her article, Thompson questioned the extent to which abortion is morally justified, and since then, many people have strived to answer that question. The court case Roe V. Wade came to the conclusion that abortion kills someone with a right to life. Since Roe V. Wade in 1973, the national government and thirty-eight states have passed laws against fetal homicide. The definition of fetal homicide- or feticide in Webster’s Dictionary- is “the act of causing the death of a fetus” (Definition). In 2016, the Supreme Court case ruling of Whole Women’s Health v. Hellerstedt said that the range of abortion rights in opposition to prohibitive state restrictions would be expanded. The 2004 Federal Unborn Victims of Violence Act, or UVVA, is an example of how these laws protect fetuses. On May 14, 2013, John Andrew Welden was prosecuted under the UVVA for intentionally killing his unborn child. He was found guilty and charged with thirteen years in jail. Bradley found that Thompson’s question asked in 1971 is still brought to the forefront indirectly through old and new laws

The Infant Mortality Rate is measured by the number of deaths out of one thousand under the age of one. It is estimated that 24,000 infants died in 2011, which equals an infant mortality rate of 6.1. The study found four connections between restrictive abortion laws and the effect on maternal and infant mortality. The four connections are patient health can be jeopardized, psychological stress, increased risk for postpartum depression, and delivery of infants who are born to someone unable to care for or support the child. Patient health can be jeopardized by abortion laws that undermine medical counsel. Some states require counseling and provide inaccurate information about the consequences of abortion. Restrictions can also increase psychological distress, and there is an increased risk for postpartum depression. Studies show that higher rates of postpartum depression are linked to states that prohibit abortion funding. Postpartum depression is also linked to sudden infant death. Finally, restrictive laws may allow for the delivery of infants who are born to someone unable to care for or support the child (Pabayo). Another article, “U.S. Maternal Health Divide: The Limited Maternal Health Services and Worse Outcomes of States Proposing New Abortion Restrictions”, states