Abortion Arguments

Facebook has an application called "When were you conceived" or something like that and many users took that quiz. I sometimes think that the applications on Facebook are so superficial and silly even. Forget that. Can a social networking website possibly tell you when were you conceived and is there a reason it should? Those, who are really curious should ask their mothers, I believe sincerely. Nevertheless, the point was to create a base to take the issue of motherhood ahead. It is a common conception that being a mother completes a woman. However, some believe that it should be a conscious decision and only if you want a child, you should go for it. But that does not always happen. With sex having become a non-issue in the sense that there is no big deal in it, cases of teenage pregnancy and unwanted pregnancies have been coming up remarkably. In that case, like in the movie Juno, the choice is either to adopt or if not that, abort. Many women fortunately or unfortunately undergo abortion. Abortion facts and statistics are a proof enough. Whether it is right or wrong, moral or ethical or immoral, is completely subjective. No one can tell a woman who wishes to do so not to do it or do it on ethical and moral grounds. However, there is one thing which can be done and which is to be aware of the multi-faceted abortion arguments.

Pro-choice Abortion Arguments

A number of arguments for abortion can be included when it comes to the pro-choice discussion. Here are a few of them.

Argument #1
If it is considered that the fetus is a living being, a separate entity, then pro-choice argument includes that the abortions generally take place in the first trimester. At the time, the fetus cannot exist without the mother and relies upon the health of the mother. So it does not have a separate existence as it cannot exist outside the woman's womb. Technically then, it is not a murder, as anti-abortionists call it to be.

Argument #2
Abortion has been portrayed sometimes as too invasive and painful and life-threatening procedure. However, the doctors themselves say that abortion is a safe procedure. They hardly have an impact on the health of the woman or future ability to conceive. There is 0.5% risk of serious complications. This is one of the major arguments for pro-choice abortions.

Argument #3
When the fertilized eggs which are used for doing in vitro fertilization are not implanted, they are thrown away. Now as per anti-abortion arguments these are also human lives. But does throwing them if not implanted account to murder? If not, then abortion too cannot be called murder.

Argument #4
Another one which is one amongst the many moral arguments for abortion is that a woman should have the freedom of deciding what to do with her body and what not. Nobody else has the authority to control it. It her uncompromisable civil right. No one can dictate terms as to what she should and what she should not do with her physical being.

Argument #5
If considered that the baby is delivered, unwillingly, though and then given for adoption or left in an orphanage, what will be the future of that child? Especially if the child was born of rape or the like, the child is surely going to face a dark life and future as it was unwanted. In that case, isn't it better off aborted on moral grounds too?

These were some of the abortion arguments which make us think as to is aborting such a huge deal? I mean I agree that you shouldn't go berserk having sex and then just because you conceive, you should keep aborting your babies. No, definitely not. But in inevitable circumstances, sometimes this has to be done. Even that woman who undergoes abortion, I am sure must be wringing at heart. All the same, let us take a look at the other side of the coin when you are talking of pros and cons of abortion, in a sense.

Pro-life Abortion Arguments

There is a line of opinion which believes that abortion is a horrendous practice and a murder of a kind. More coming up.

Argument #1
The first and the most significant of the abortion arguments is that the fetus is a live, separate entity and abortion is simple murder with a different name. They believe that life begins at conception and in no civilized society today you can do that.

Argument #2
Abortion can lead to problems later in life as after all you are tampering with your body and obstructing the natural course of happenings. Some of the complications could be ectopic pregnancies, higher chances of miscarriage and pelvic inflammatory disease.

Argument #3
Arguments against abortion do not end here. There is a lot of psychological stress and turbulence experienced by the women who undergo abortion. The trauma is too deep and penetrating.

Argument #4
Many young girls are not ready for such a contingency and they do not understand what they are doing sometimes. Abortion in such cases, without knowing the ways of the world can lead to a lifetime of regret. Such women may repent later.

Argument #5
If you talk of complete control over body, then women should also control unprotected sex and consequent unwanted pregnancy. That is possible through contraception and abstinence. Reasons against abortion aptly warrants for this one.

At the end of the day, you can take the horse to the water but you cannot make it drink the water. The same rules applies to abortion arguments. You can tell a woman about them, but you cannot force her to follow either of the line of thoughts.

Ultimately, it is an extremely sensitive issue and treading on it will mean trying to pass rough waters. But one thing is for sure. Both the aspects of abortion arguments seem to make sense in their periphery. This reminded me of an anonymous quote - "No woman wants an abortion. Either she wants a child or she wishes to avoid pregnancy."