Leadership Studies

Why do anti-abortion groups consider the procedure to be a form of murder? Do you agree with this view in any way? What evidence can you provide to support your opinion on this matter?

ANSWER

Abortion

Abortion is one of the most controversial topics in America and worldwide. The controversy surrounding abortion is based mostly on religious beliefs, and the belief that the fetus is human and thus aborting is compared to murder. Murder is a crime in religious books and the laws of the land. Thus the anti-abortion groups believe that aborting a fetus is equivalent to committing murder, and thus, legalizing abortions is legalizing murder (Christensen, 2019). The anti-abortion groups believe that a fetus has the right to life. I do not believe that a fetus has the power to choose what happens to it, and I believe that the mother has the ultimate power to make the choice they want with their body; thus, I believe that a fetus is not accorded the same rights as the living human beings.

Abortion is a controversial topic that carries a lot of emotions within it. Pro-lifers are mostly guided by ethical and moral reasoning. They believe that abortion is a cruel way of getting rid of a viable human life. However, they do not consider the impact the pregnancy has on the mother. A fetus does not possess the right to life because it does not have a sense of self. A fetus is not a developed human, and thus, it does not possess the ability to communicate, it does not possess a sense of self, and in most cases, when a woman wants to abort, the fetus’s brain is not yet formed (Price, 2020). Thus, this cannot be said to be a person; thus, it does not have the same right as other human beings. In this case, the mother has the right to choose whether or not she wants to keep growing a human being inside her or not. If she chooses, she is not ready. She is allowed to procure a safe and legal abortion.

There are two different categories pro-lifers and pro-choice. There is a category of pro-life supporters who believe that abortion is murder, but they believe in exceptions like in the case of incest or rape. The other category of pro-lifers believes that all life is valuable and the situation does not matter. The two categories of pro-choice include ones that believe in absolute autonomy being given to the mother and those who believe that in the case of under-age pregnancy, the mother should get guidance from the parents if they are below 18 years. I am in the category that believes that a mother should have absolute autonomy, but in the case of an underage mother, I would advise them to hear what their parents have to say and then make the decision.

Mothers should be given absolute autonomy because they are the ones carrying the child. In a case where the parents are pro-life, the mother is pro-choice, and the mother is underage, if the parents are given autonomy, they are likely going to force the unwilling mother to keep the child. This is unfair to the mother because they have to deal with the emotional toll that comes with giving birth and being a mother. Mothers should have the power to choose what they want to do with their bodies (Price, 2020). Making abortion illegal only increases maternal deaths. This is because in a case where a woman is not ready to carry a pregnancy to full term, and the laws do not allow her to procure a safe abortion, they are likely going to look for unsafe ways of getting rid of the pregnancy, and this could lead to increased mortality and morbidity among pregnant women.

Roe vs. Wade was recently overturned, meaning that the country would be experiencing more abortion restrictions in most States. This has been a reason for celebration for most pro-lifers who believe that all life is sacred, but this decision has taken a hit on women’s rights and their reproductive health (McGovern, 2022). Some of the pro-life arguments include the fact that abortion causes psychological torture to women and most women suffer mental health issues after aborting and regret procuring an abortion. However, they do not consider women’s mental health issues after giving birth, such as postpartum depression. They also do not consider the fact that most women lack medical health and the economic support required to talk them through the period after birth, and some end up killing their infants and committing suicide. Instead of letting or getting to this point, women who know they do not have the support they will need after giving birth should be allowed to abort.

Planned parenthood is important for both men and women. Women should have the right to decide what happens to their reproductive health. Many of the arguments that pro-lifers put across are all in support of the unborn unfeeling fetus. They do not think about the impact the fetus will have on the mother if the mother is not ready. Being pregnant takes a toll on a woman’s body. If a woman is morally and ethically fine with getting rid of the pregnancy, she should have the right to do so without judgment or the threat of jail time. There is the option of contraception, but if contraception fails, abortion should be an option.

References

Christensen, A. (2019). Abortion and deprivation: a reply to Marquis. Journal of Medical Ethics, 45(1), 22-25.

McGovern, T. (2022). Overturning Roe vs. Wade has had an immediate chilling effect on reproductive healthcare. BMJ, 377.

Price, K. (2020). What is reproductive justice? How women of color activists are redefining the pro-choice paradigm. Meridians, 19(S1), 340-362.