The Abortion Debate

Merriam-Webster defines abortion as, “the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus” (CIATION). There are many debates about the moral, legal, and political issues that are related with the topic of abortion. The issue of abortion is important because the debate between pro-life and pro-choice groups is very controversial. Pro-life groups are opposed to abortion. Pro-choice groups support legalized abortion.

Abortion has been an on-going issue. Griswald v, Connecticut, 1965 was not directly connected to abortion, but has supported many abortion cases throughout history. “Supreme Court's Evolving Rulings on Abortion,” stated that, “This precedent-setting case established

This case’s decision divided women’s pregnancy into trimesters, which are three thirteen-week periods. The courts stated in the first trimester that women should only consult with their doctors before deciding on an abortion. The courts allowed the regulation of abortions in the second trimester only to guarantee the mother’s health. In the third trimester, the court ruled that the fetus is able to live outside the womb, so abortion was not a legal option (CIATION). This case was the first to discover that the due process law in the fourteenth amendment protected abortion as a fundamental right. Eisenstadt v. Baird, 1972 was brought forth by a Boston University lecturer. He was arrested for distributing contraceptive foam to students (CIATION). This case extended the privacy terms for unmarried couples looking for contraceptives in the Griswold case. In the article, “Supreme Court's Evolving Rulings on Abortion,” Justice William Brennen stated that, “In his 6-to-1 majority decision, “if the right of privacy means anything, it

In 1977, the Hyde Amendment was passed. The amendment denied the use of federal Medicaid dollars for abortions (CIATION). The government would assist finically only if the mother’s life was life threating. In 1993, a change took place, and the first pro-choice success in a while in congress had occurred. Representative Barbara Boxer had a proposal on the issue of allowing abortions in the case of rape and incest, and it passed. Next, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which is also called Laci and Conner’s Law, states that, “if a woman is pregnant and dies as a result of a murder, manslaughter or homicide, the offender can be also charged for killing the “child in utero”” (CIATION). The pro-choice groups disagreed with congress’s decisions, and they argued that the fetus was considered not a person in the Roe v. Wade, 1972 case. In 2003, the Partial Abortion Act was banned by congress with a signature from President Bush. If a doctor did not abide by this law, they faced up to two years in jail. Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) was proposed to protect abortion doctors and clinics. On May 17, 1994, President Bill Clinton signed the act into a law. The bill forbids threats, violence, or obstructions by people to prevent people from going to abortion clinics or receiving any services at the abortion clinic (CIATION). Military abortion coverage was banned in 1981 unless the woman’s life was a risk, and it