Research Paper Sample. Abortion Is A Right

Abortion is one of the most controversial and complex topics among society. Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by expulsion of a fetus or embryo from the uterus. A woman who goes through abortion cannot handle pregnancy, labor or a child mentally, financially, and or physically. However, there is a heavy negative stigma towards abortion because of the termination of the fetus. With this opinion, comes actions of protest to abortion. In attempt to end abortion many states and countries have defunded global health organizations that provide abortions. Despite the best intentions, this is more harmful than beneficial. Restrictions on federal funding to organizations that provide abortions is harmful because this leads to increase in unwanted pregnancies, abortion, and deaths. These restrictions violate women’s rights to bodily autonomy and put the development of a fetus before a women’s health.

Notably, defunding these clinics brings a higher mortality and abortion rate despite its efforts to stop abortion. The CDC found that “In 1997…the abortion ratio was 306 legal induced abortions per 1,000 live births” (Koonin, Strauss, Chrisman, & Parker, 2000). This time period was not as technologically advanced as today. Abortion and access to contraceptives was not widely accepted. However, in “2018…the abortion ratio was 189 abortions per 1000 live births” (Kortsmit et al., 2020). By 2018, abortion and contraceptives were more accessible and affordable. Despite abortion being more accessible, the abortion ratio decreased significantly. These health organizations provide access to affordable healthcare and contraceptives for women, in addition to abortion. Without this accessible care, women cannot afford important exams, treatment, and contraceptives. As a result, this leads to a higher death rate among women. For example, the Center for American Progress, in response to maternal mortality rates in Texas, states, “Planned parenthood and other…clinics often serve as a gateway into the health care system…such as cancer screenings…restrictions on funding led to increased maternal mortality in Texas” (Ravi, 2018). Without contraceptives and accessible sex education, unwanted pregnancies become more apparent. Consequently, these unwanted pregnancies are terminated by unsafe abortions because of the restricted access to safe abortion procedures. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, “almost 90 percent of abortions in countries with liberal abortion laws are considered safe, compared with only 25 percent of those in countries in which abortion is banned” (Vogelstein & Turkington, 2019). To enumerate, countries with less restrictions on abortion have safer abortion procedures and in extension, lower mortality. In addition, the World Health Organization states that “Worldwide, 25 million unsafe abortions (45% of all abortions) occurred every year between 2010 and 2014” (World Health Organization, 2017). And observations from 2012 “estimated 7 million women per year were treated in hospital facilities for complications of unsafe abortion” (World Health Organization, 2020). This clarifies that these unsafe procedures further increase health risks among women. Outside of increased mortality, these restrictions also heavily affect mental health among women. The United States National Library of Medicine explains, “women in states that prohibit the Medicaid funding of abortions have significantly higher rates of postpartum depression…mental illness among women has been associated with increased risk for infant mortality” (Pabayo et al., 2020). This demonstrates that in addition to unsafe procedures and higher death rates among women, this impacts their mental health in addition to their physical health. Moreover, restricting funding for abortion only hurts women and leads to more death and abortion.

Despite all values and morals regarding abortion, prohibiting abortion violates women’s rights to bodily autonomy. Bodily autonomy is the right to ownership to one’s body and right to determination over one’s body. No person is obligated to sacrifice or put their body through trauma for the sake of another’s life and satisfaction. For instance, if someone is dying and needs a kidney, no person is responsible to donate their kidney. Restricting access to abortion forces women who do not want to go through pregnancy or labor, to put their body through trauma for the development of a fetus. The fetus is apart of the women’s body until birth. The fetus is a resident in the uterus. The woman has the right to remove anything unwanted from their body. This is where the popular phrase, “my body, my choice”, came into play. The phrase simply states that no person has the authority to make a choice, regarding one’s body and what processes that body goes through, for another person. 

Defunding these organizations puts the development of a fetus before a women’s health and body. A woman holds vital organs, a personality, the capability to feel pain, and relationships while a fetus cannot. According to the American College of Obstetricians (ACOG) and Gynecologists, “connections necessary to transmit signals from peripheral sensory nerves to the brain…do not develop until at least 24 weeks of gestation” (ACOG, 2010). In other words, a fetus does not have the physiological capacity to perceive pain until at least 24 weeks in the womb. Most abortions are performed before this period. The CDC states, “nearly all 92.2% were performed less than or at 13 weeks’ gestation…fewer abortions were performed at 14-20 weeks’ gestation (6.9%), and or at 21 or more weeks’ gestation (1.0%)” (Kortsmit et al., 2020). These observations confirm that almost all of abortions are performed before the fetus can be able to feel pain. In other words, this does not cause any physical pain for the fetus. But despite this fact, abortions are still prohibited. A fetus, who is unconscious and cannot feel pain, is put before the life and health of a woman who can. 

Although some may argue that abortion is murder, there is a strong difference between being alive and having the potential for life. Viability is the capability of life. According to the Washington Post, “The age of viability has been pegged at 24 to 28 weeks” (Lee, 2015). This conveys that a fetus is not viable until at least 24 weeks. So, a fetus only holds the potential for life outside the uterus until then. Despite its heartbeat, the fetus is still only developing to have the capability of life. Abortion only terminates this process of development. According to the United States National Library of Medicine, “a fetus is viable, that is when it is of sufficient maturity so that it can survive into the neonatal period and later achieve moral status” (Breborowicz, 2001). Moreover, a fetus cannot be viable until it is capable of living outside of the uterus. Pregnancy is a process of development of a fetus to be capable of living. Although a fetus holds the potential of life in the womb, that does not make abortion murder. Abortion only stops the development of a fetus to achieve life. Even if a fetus were truly alive at conception, it is still essentially “braindead” until at least 24 weeks’ gestation. The fetus still lacks many qualities of a living human being, such as a personality and the ability to feel emotion. The development of a fetus is never more important than the well-being of a woman. 

In summary, restricting funding of health organizations that provide abortions is detrimental to women’s health and rights to bodily autonomy. Restrictions and bans on abortion only lead to more abortion and death. A woman is never obligated to put their body through trauma for the development of a fetus. Everyone has the right to governance over whatever transpires to the inside and outside of their body. To reduce abortion and the general mortality rate, abortions must be accessible and affordable. Funding health organizations that provide abortion will reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortion. When abortion is accessible, unsafe abortions are not needed and women are not at risk for these unsafe procedures. Under those circumstances, abortion should not be restricted because no woman or child should be forced to go through an undesirable pregnancy and labor for the sake of developing another life.