Abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by loss or destruction of the fetus before birth (Hogue 1). It’s a topic that is almost always charged with emotion. Abortion has been practiced since ancient times in almost every culture. Despite humankind’s long exposure to the topic, they can still find no common outlook on it.
Abortion has been around since the beginning of civilization. Dates as early as 53 B.C.E. show evidence that abortions took place (Rein 4). Abortions have been done approved or disapproved in almost every culture throughout history. Even in ancient times no common ground could be established on the subject. In Ancient Assyria aborting a baby was punishable by death. Ancient Greeks and Romans on the other hand, promoted abortion as a form of population control. In fact some of the most revered philosophers in history, such as Plato (428-347 B.C.E.) and Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.) strongly approved the use abortion. On the other side Hippocrates (460-370 B.C.E.) and Pythagorean (unknown) two also revered philosopher, had a very different view. They both disapproved of use abortion (Rein 4).
In more recent history society has become more split on the subject of abortion then ever. Despite a mass uprising against abortion it has became more legally accepted in the past hundred years then ever before. At the start of the twentieth century most countries outlawed abortion. Nevertheless, by 1967 eleven world power countries of the time and many others legalized abortion. The legal status and for many the opinion on abortion was changing.
The most radical sign of change came when the United States legalized abortion 1973 as the result of the Roe vs. Wade case. A young female lawyer named Sarah Weddington. Who had obtained an illegal abortion years earlier decided to challenge abortions laws. She partnered up with another female lawyer that she had went to law school with named Linda Coffee. The two compiled a solid argument around two cases, Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton. Both cases were filed as class action suits (Romaine 21). Meaning that the ruling would effect not just the cases being tried but all past present and future similar situations. By filing a class action suit they had the opportunity of getting the abortion law declared unconstitutional. In effect legalizing abortion.
The suit was filed March 3, 1970 and the trail began May 27, 1970. The two plaintiffs’ case was that abortion laws violated a woman’s constitutional right to privacy. The case eventually reached the supreme court and in a 7-2 decision January 22, 1973 a verdict was reached. The court ruled in favor of the plaintive finding that the laws violated a woman’s constitutional rights. In turn this legalized first trimester abortions (Romaine 45). Even now, three decades and many court decisions later the essential holding of Roe vs. Wade (that abortion is a constitutional liberty) has not been overturned (Rein 11). The outcome of this case changed the history of abortion drastically.
About half of the world population live in countries where abortion is available on request (Hogue 2). As of 1997 induced abortion was legal in fifty plus countries.
These countries include the United States of America, Canada, Cuba, Turkey, China, North Korea, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa and several others. Countries that oppose induced abortion include Great Britain, Japan, Jamaica, Egypt, Mexico, Iraq and several others.
According to CDC out of an estimated 210 million pregnancy world wide about one third do not result in birth. Of this third fifteen percent are miscarriages or still births and twenty two percent are induced abortions. The twenty two percent accounts for an estimated 46 million pregnancy results (Rein 95). It’s estimated that 4,000,000-9,000,000 abortions are not reported every year. Meaning that an estimated total number of abortions worldwide in 1999 was between 50,000,000 and 55,000,000. 1,221,585 of these happen in the United States alone (Rein 33).
In the United States, according to CDC, as of 1996, for every 1,000 live births of women from fifteen to forty four years of age there are 314 abortions. This means that roughly one out of every three babies born in the United States are aborted. These statistics make it clear that abortion is a major part of today’s international medical community.
Abortions can cost anywhere between two hundred and one thousand dollars depending on the type of abortion. There are six commonly used types of abortion. Pregnancy is often divided up into three sections called trimesters. Each trimester last about three months. Most abortions take place in the first trimester.
The most commonly performed type of abortion is “Suction Abortion. This procedure is performed by using a plastic tube attached to a vacuum. The tube is then used inserted in to the womb and the fetus is sucked out. Saline abortions take place after sixteen weeks of pregnancy and are the second most common abortion procedure. They are performed by injecting a saline solution into the womb. The fetus ingest the solution poisoning it. The fetus is later passed during menstrual cycle. Dilation and evacuation abortions (D and E) and dilation and curettage (D and C) abortions are very similar. They both take place in the later part of the first trimester. Both procedures involves the dilation of the entry way to the womb. In D and C abortions after dilation a loop shaped knife is inserted into the womb and the fetus is dissected and removed. In D and E abortions after dilation forceps are inserted into the womb and the baby is removed head first. The most dangerous method of abortion is hysterotomy. It is similar to a C-section and often used as a last resort. The womb is surgically opened and the fetus is removed whole. It is then sat aside to decease. The most painless procedure is a prostaglandin abortion. It is often not used because of it’s medical risk to the mother and it low rate of success. It is performed by taking hormone to induce early labor.
Though abortion has been a heated debate through out history, to stances on the issue have emerged. Pro-choice and pro-life. Pro-life supporters stance is that the fetus is a human being at conception and has a right to life. The pro-life opinion is generally backed by religious organizations, older peoples, families and current mothers. They feel that nobody was the right to deny a unborn child life. Pro-choice supporters stance is not against the fetus having life, but rather the mother being able to choose how her life is to be lived. Mothering a child is a life altering event and it is pro-life opinion that no one should be allowed to chose the path of a human being ,but that human being. Also, some pro-life supporters feel that the fetus is not a person until it is born therefore it would have no rights (Harrison 12-42). The most vivid argument between the two groups is which persons rights are more important. Debates between the two sides have little effect in reaching a common ground and it seems that the controversy will last a long time.
Abortion has been around throughout history. As far back as ancient times (Hogue 1). Despite it’s being a heated issue it’s common practice in our world today. Abortions are performed all over the world, in many different ways (Rein 95). The human race is split in two over this issue (Harrison 178). An issue that involves both legal and moral factors. Abortions is an emotionally charged subject that has been debated since it’s beginnings and probably always will.
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